Dietrich von Choltitz

Dietrich von Choltitz
Dietrich von Choltitz in 1940
Birth name	Dietrich Hugo Hermann von Choltitz
Born	(1894-11-09)9 November 1894 Gräflich Wiese, Province of Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire now Łąka Prudnicka, Opole Voivodeship, Poland
Died	4 November 1966(1966-11-04) (aged 71) Baden-Baden, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Army
Years of service	1907–45
Rank	General der Infanterie
Commands held	11. Panzer Division
Battles/wars	First World War Second World War
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

First World War

Dietrich Hugo Hermann von Choltitz (German pronunciation: [ˈdiːtʁɪç fɔn ˈçɔltɪts]; 9 November 1894 – 4 November 1966) was a German general officer who served in the Royal Saxon Army during World War I and the German Army during World War II. He is chiefly remembered for his role as the last commander of Nazi-occupied Paris in 1944, when he disobeyed Hitler's orders to level the city, but instead surrendered it to Free French forces. He was hailed in many contemporary accounts as the "Saviour of Paris" for not allowing it to be destroyed.

Choltitz later asserted that his defiance of Hitler's direct order stemmed from its obvious military futility, his affection for the French capital's history and culture, and his belief that Hitler had by then become insane.

Dietrich von Choltitz joined 8. Infanterie-Regiment Prinz Johann Georg Nr. 107 of the Royal Saxon Army as a Fähnrich just months before the First World War broke out. His unit served on the Western Front, where he was promoted to Leutnant and became Adjutant of the regiment's third Battalion within a year of joining.

He remained in the Reichswehr during the Weimar Republic, becoming a cavalry captain in 1929. Promoted to Major in 1937, he was made commander of third battalion, Infanterie-Regiment 16 "Oldenburg", a part of 22. Luftlande-Division. In 1938 he was promoted again, this time to Oberstleutnant