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Erwin von Witzleben
Job Wilhelm Georg Erwin Erdmann von Witzleben (4 December 1881 – 8 August 1944) was a German Generalfeldmarschall ('field marshal') in the Wehrmacht and Oberbefehlshaber West ('commander in chief in the west', abbreviated to OB West), during the Second World War. A leading conspirator in the 20 July plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, he was designated to become commander in chief of the Wehrmacht in a post-Nazi regime, had the plot succeeded. After being dishonourably discharged by the Ehrenhof ('court of honour'), he was murdered, after a show trial from the Volksgerichtshof ('people's court').
Erwin von Witzleben was born in Breslau (now Wrocław, Poland) in the Prussian province of Silesia, the son of Job Wilhelm Georg Friedrich Erdmann von Witzleben (1838–1898), a Hauptmann ('captain') in the Prussian Army, and his wife, Therese, née Brandenburg. The Witzleben family was an Uradel family of old nobility and many military officers, originating in Witzleben, Thuringia.
Witzleben completed the Prussian Cadet Corps program at Liegnitz Ritter-Akademie in Silesia and in Lichterfelde near Berlin, and on 22 June 1901 joined Grenadier Regiment König Wilhelm I No. 7 in Liegnitz, Silesia (now Legnica, Poland) as a Leutnant ('lieutenant'). In 1910, he was promoted to Oberleutnant ('first lieutenant').
On 21 May 1907, he married Alma Else Margarethe Kleeberg (1885–1942) from Chemnitz, Saxony, with whom he had a son and a daughter.
At the beginning of the First World War, Witzleben served as brigade adjutant in the 19th Reserve Infantry Brigade before being promoted to Hauptmann and company chief in Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 6 in October 1914. Later, in the same regiment, he became a battalion commander. His unit fought at Verdun, in the Champagne region, and in Flanders, among other places. He was seriously wounded and was awarded the Iron Cross, both first and second class. Afterwards, he was sent to General Staff training and witnessed the war's end as First General Staff Officer of the 121st Division.
Retained in the Reichswehr following the end of the war, Witzleben first held a company commander position. In 1923, he was a Major on the staff of the Fourth Division in Dresden. In 1928, he became a battalion commander in the 6th Infantry Regiment and retained that position as Oberstleutnant ('lieutenant colonel') the following year. After his promotion to Oberst ('colonel') in 1931, he became commanding officer of the 8th (Prussian) Infantry Regiment in Frankfurt an der Oder.
Shortly before Adolf Hitler seized power with the Enabling Act of 1933, Witzleben became commanding officer of Infanterieführer VI in Hanover. He was promoted to Generalmajor ('major general') on 1 February 1934 and moved to Potsdam as the new commander of the 3rd Infantry Division. He succeeded General Werner von Fritsch as commander of Wehrkreis III, a role he held from 1934 to 1938. He was promoted to Generalleutnant ('lieutenant general') and, in the newly established Wehrmacht, became commander of III Army Corps in Berlin in September 1935. In 1936, he was promoted to General der Infanterie ('general of infantry').
As early as 1934, Witzleben showed his opposition to the Nazi regime when he and Generals Erich von Manstein, Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb, and Gerd von Rundstedt demanded an inquiry into the deaths of Generals Kurt von Schleicher and Ferdinand von Bredow during the Night of the Long Knives.
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Erwin von Witzleben AI simulator
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Erwin von Witzleben
Job Wilhelm Georg Erwin Erdmann von Witzleben (4 December 1881 – 8 August 1944) was a German Generalfeldmarschall ('field marshal') in the Wehrmacht and Oberbefehlshaber West ('commander in chief in the west', abbreviated to OB West), during the Second World War. A leading conspirator in the 20 July plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, he was designated to become commander in chief of the Wehrmacht in a post-Nazi regime, had the plot succeeded. After being dishonourably discharged by the Ehrenhof ('court of honour'), he was murdered, after a show trial from the Volksgerichtshof ('people's court').
Erwin von Witzleben was born in Breslau (now Wrocław, Poland) in the Prussian province of Silesia, the son of Job Wilhelm Georg Friedrich Erdmann von Witzleben (1838–1898), a Hauptmann ('captain') in the Prussian Army, and his wife, Therese, née Brandenburg. The Witzleben family was an Uradel family of old nobility and many military officers, originating in Witzleben, Thuringia.
Witzleben completed the Prussian Cadet Corps program at Liegnitz Ritter-Akademie in Silesia and in Lichterfelde near Berlin, and on 22 June 1901 joined Grenadier Regiment König Wilhelm I No. 7 in Liegnitz, Silesia (now Legnica, Poland) as a Leutnant ('lieutenant'). In 1910, he was promoted to Oberleutnant ('first lieutenant').
On 21 May 1907, he married Alma Else Margarethe Kleeberg (1885–1942) from Chemnitz, Saxony, with whom he had a son and a daughter.
At the beginning of the First World War, Witzleben served as brigade adjutant in the 19th Reserve Infantry Brigade before being promoted to Hauptmann and company chief in Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 6 in October 1914. Later, in the same regiment, he became a battalion commander. His unit fought at Verdun, in the Champagne region, and in Flanders, among other places. He was seriously wounded and was awarded the Iron Cross, both first and second class. Afterwards, he was sent to General Staff training and witnessed the war's end as First General Staff Officer of the 121st Division.
Retained in the Reichswehr following the end of the war, Witzleben first held a company commander position. In 1923, he was a Major on the staff of the Fourth Division in Dresden. In 1928, he became a battalion commander in the 6th Infantry Regiment and retained that position as Oberstleutnant ('lieutenant colonel') the following year. After his promotion to Oberst ('colonel') in 1931, he became commanding officer of the 8th (Prussian) Infantry Regiment in Frankfurt an der Oder.
Shortly before Adolf Hitler seized power with the Enabling Act of 1933, Witzleben became commanding officer of Infanterieführer VI in Hanover. He was promoted to Generalmajor ('major general') on 1 February 1934 and moved to Potsdam as the new commander of the 3rd Infantry Division. He succeeded General Werner von Fritsch as commander of Wehrkreis III, a role he held from 1934 to 1938. He was promoted to Generalleutnant ('lieutenant general') and, in the newly established Wehrmacht, became commander of III Army Corps in Berlin in September 1935. In 1936, he was promoted to General der Infanterie ('general of infantry').
As early as 1934, Witzleben showed his opposition to the Nazi regime when he and Generals Erich von Manstein, Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb, and Gerd von Rundstedt demanded an inquiry into the deaths of Generals Kurt von Schleicher and Ferdinand von Bredow during the Night of the Long Knives.