Who is von rundstedt?

Answer 1

Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt (*12. December 1875, + 24. February 1953) was a German Officer. His last rank was Generalfeldmarschall in World War II. His most important command was the 'Heeresgruppe West' (Armygroup West) from 1940-1945.

Born 1875 in Aschersleben, he attended school in Mainz and Frankfurt am Main and entered military service in 1890. In World War I he served as a staff-officer in Turkey and France. After the war he became member of the Weimar Republics 'Reichswehr' where he commanded several Divisions. 1932 he was promoted to 'General of the infantry' ans supreme commander of the Gruppenkommando 1 Berlin.

Before WW II he was sacked by Adolf Hitler in 1938 because Rundstedt insisted on his opinion that the 'Wehrmacht' wasn't yet ready for a war.

Reactivated in 1939 he became the oldest Soldier in Hitlers 'Wehrmacht'. As Commander of the Army-group South he helped invading Poland. After that his units were renamed in Armygroup A and sent to the western front where they took a major part in the invasion of Belgium and France. Plans saw him as the supreme commander of the invasion of Great-Britain, but this never happened because of the Luftwaffe's inability to gain air-superiority over England. After further actions in Russia he became Supreme-commander-west with its staff in Paris and commander of Army-group D. He prevented the success of the British 'Operation Jubilee' and prepared countermeasures against an allied invasion in France. Pessimistic about a German victory he was replaced by Generalfeldmarschall Günther von Kluge. Later he took part in defeating the British Soldiers during 'Operation Market Garden' but was finally sacked by Hitler when the first allied troops crossed the river Rhine.

Since may 1945 he was prisoner of war of the British army and was accused of committing war crimes like mass murder in the russian-occupied territories. Because of his high age and bad health his case was closed without a verdict. He died in 1953 in Hannover.