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Hellmuth Stieff
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Hellmuth Stieff
Hellmuth Ludwig Gustav Arnold Stieff (6 June 1901 – 8 August 1944) was a German general and a member of the OKH (German Army Headquarters) during World War II. He took part in attempts by the German resistance to assassinate Adolf Hitler on 7 and 20 July 1944.
Stieff was born in Deutsch Eylau (now Iława, Poland) in the province of West Prussia as the son of Artillery Major Wilhelm Bruno Walter Stieff and his wife Anna Laura Maria Carla néé Krause. He graduated early in July 1918 in order to enter the Imperial German Army and was assigned with the rank of Kriegsfreiwilliger (rough equivalent to Private) to the replacement battalion of Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 71 "Groß-Komtur". Stieff completed his training in September that year and was transferred to 2. Westpreußisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 36. He took part in the final combats on the Western Front and was accepted in the reduced Reichswehr following the Armistice.
Stieff was promoted to Fähnrich (Warrant Officer) in 1920 and later ordered to the Infanterieschule München. Upon his graduation, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in December 1922 and assigned to 3rd Artillery Regiment in Potsdam. Stieff served with that outfit until May 1932 and was promoted to First lieutenant during that time.
In May 1933, Stieff was transferred to the Truppenamt (the cover organisation for the German General Staff) under General Ludwig Beck and served in the section for officers training for two years, before ordered to the Staff College in Berlin. He was meanwhile promoted to Captain in April 1934.
Upon graduation in October 1935, Stieff was assigned to the headquarters of 21st Infantry Division in Elbing, East Prussia and served as Second General Staff officer under Generalleutnant Albert Wodrig until October 1937, when he was transferred to Landau in der Pfalz as Commander of 4th Battery within 33rd Artillery Regiment under Colonel Wilhelm Berlin.
In mid-November 1938, Stieff was transferred back to the General Staff in Berlin as newly promoted Major and assigned as Group leader in the Organisationsabteilung (coordination department) under lieutenant colonel Adolf Heusinger. During the Invasion of Poland, he made an inspection tour of the frontlines and was horrified when he witnessed atrocities Einsatzgruppen units were perpetrating. When in Warsaw in November 1939, he wrote letters to his wife expressing his disgust for and despair over Hitler's conduct of the war and the atrocities committed in occupied Poland. From that onwards, Stieff conceived an abhorrence for the Nazi military strategy. He wrote that he had become the "tool of a despotic will to destroy without regard for humanity and simple decency." He was promoted to lieutenant colonel (Oberstleutnant) in November 1940.
In October 1941, Stieff was transferred at the Eastern Front and joined the headquarters of 4th Army as Chief of Operations. He served consecutively under Generals Günther von Kluge, Ludwig Kübler and Gotthard Heinrici participating in the planning of 4th Army's operations for Battle of Moscow and Case Blue. For his service in that capacity, Stieff was decorated with German Cross in Gold, both classes of the Iron Cross and Bulgarian Order of Bravery IV. Class with Swords. He was promoted to Colonel (Oberst) on 1 June 1942.
Recognized for his excellent organizational skills, Stieff was ordered back to Berlin in October 1942 and appointed Chief of Organisation Department at OKH, despite Hitler's strong personal dislike. Hitler called the young, diminutive Stieff a "poisonous little dwarf." For his new assignment, he was later promoted to Generalmajor on 1 February 1944.
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Hellmuth Stieff
Hellmuth Ludwig Gustav Arnold Stieff (6 June 1901 – 8 August 1944) was a German general and a member of the OKH (German Army Headquarters) during World War II. He took part in attempts by the German resistance to assassinate Adolf Hitler on 7 and 20 July 1944.
Stieff was born in Deutsch Eylau (now Iława, Poland) in the province of West Prussia as the son of Artillery Major Wilhelm Bruno Walter Stieff and his wife Anna Laura Maria Carla néé Krause. He graduated early in July 1918 in order to enter the Imperial German Army and was assigned with the rank of Kriegsfreiwilliger (rough equivalent to Private) to the replacement battalion of Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 71 "Groß-Komtur". Stieff completed his training in September that year and was transferred to 2. Westpreußisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 36. He took part in the final combats on the Western Front and was accepted in the reduced Reichswehr following the Armistice.
Stieff was promoted to Fähnrich (Warrant Officer) in 1920 and later ordered to the Infanterieschule München. Upon his graduation, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in December 1922 and assigned to 3rd Artillery Regiment in Potsdam. Stieff served with that outfit until May 1932 and was promoted to First lieutenant during that time.
In May 1933, Stieff was transferred to the Truppenamt (the cover organisation for the German General Staff) under General Ludwig Beck and served in the section for officers training for two years, before ordered to the Staff College in Berlin. He was meanwhile promoted to Captain in April 1934.
Upon graduation in October 1935, Stieff was assigned to the headquarters of 21st Infantry Division in Elbing, East Prussia and served as Second General Staff officer under Generalleutnant Albert Wodrig until October 1937, when he was transferred to Landau in der Pfalz as Commander of 4th Battery within 33rd Artillery Regiment under Colonel Wilhelm Berlin.
In mid-November 1938, Stieff was transferred back to the General Staff in Berlin as newly promoted Major and assigned as Group leader in the Organisationsabteilung (coordination department) under lieutenant colonel Adolf Heusinger. During the Invasion of Poland, he made an inspection tour of the frontlines and was horrified when he witnessed atrocities Einsatzgruppen units were perpetrating. When in Warsaw in November 1939, he wrote letters to his wife expressing his disgust for and despair over Hitler's conduct of the war and the atrocities committed in occupied Poland. From that onwards, Stieff conceived an abhorrence for the Nazi military strategy. He wrote that he had become the "tool of a despotic will to destroy without regard for humanity and simple decency." He was promoted to lieutenant colonel (Oberstleutnant) in November 1940.
In October 1941, Stieff was transferred at the Eastern Front and joined the headquarters of 4th Army as Chief of Operations. He served consecutively under Generals Günther von Kluge, Ludwig Kübler and Gotthard Heinrici participating in the planning of 4th Army's operations for Battle of Moscow and Case Blue. For his service in that capacity, Stieff was decorated with German Cross in Gold, both classes of the Iron Cross and Bulgarian Order of Bravery IV. Class with Swords. He was promoted to Colonel (Oberst) on 1 June 1942.
Recognized for his excellent organizational skills, Stieff was ordered back to Berlin in October 1942 and appointed Chief of Organisation Department at OKH, despite Hitler's strong personal dislike. Hitler called the young, diminutive Stieff a "poisonous little dwarf." For his new assignment, he was later promoted to Generalmajor on 1 February 1944.
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