Walther von Brauchitsch
| Walther von Brauchitsch | |
|---|---|
Brauchitsch as Field Marshal
|
|
| Born |
4 October 1881 Berlin, German Empire |
| Died | 18 October 1948 (aged 67) Hamburg, Allied-occupied Germany |
| Buried at | Salzgitter |
| Allegiance |
 German Empire
 Weimar Republic
 Nazi Germany
|
| Years of service | 1900–41 |
| Rank | Field Marshal |
| Battles/wars |
|
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth von Karstedt (m. 1910; div. 1938) Charlotte Rueffer (m. 1938) |
Walther von Brauchitsch (4 October 1881 – 18 October 1948) was a German field marshal and the Commander-in-Chief of the German Army in the early years of World War II. Born into an aristocratic military family, Brauchitsch entered army service in 1901. During World War I, he served with distinction on the staff of the XVI Corps, 34th Infantry Division and Guards Reserve Corps on the Western Front.
After the Nazi seizure of power in 1933, Brauchitsch was put in charge of the East Prussian Military District. Although he personally disliked Nazism, he borrowed immense sums of money from Hitler and became dependent on his financial help. Brauchitsch served as Commander-in-Chief of the German Army from February 1938 until December 1941. He played a key role in the Battle of France and oversaw the German invasions of Yugoslavia and Greece. For his part in the Battle of France, Brauchitsch became one of 12 generals promoted to Field Marshal.
After suffering a heart attack in November 1941 and blamed for the disastrous drive on Moscow during Operation Typhoon, Hitler dismissed him as Commander-in-Chief of the Army; and he spent the rest of the war in enforced retirement. After World War II, Brauchitsch was arrested on charges of war crimes, but died of illness in 1948 before he could be prosecuted.
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