Kurt Zeitzler
Encyclopedia
Kurt Zeitzler was an officer in the German
Reichswehr
and its successor the Wehrmacht
, most prominent for being the Chief of the Army General Staff
from 1942 to 1944.
), Province of Brandenburg
. Zeitzler joined the German Army
on March 23, 1914, and fought in World War I
. He was promoted to officer because of outstanding bravery and was placed in command of an infantry battalion. Between 1919 and 1937 he served as a staff officer in the Reichswehr
, and in 1937 he began working as a staff officer for the Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH).
In September 1939 he became Chief of Staff for the XXII. Corps of the 14. Army, serving under General Siegmund List in the German invasion of Poland. In March 1940 he became the Chief of Staff for Panzergruppe A, serving under General von Kleist
in the Invasion of France. Zeitzler also served under Von Kleist in the German invasions of Yugoslavia, Greece and the Soviet Union in 1941. On May 18, 1941 he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
.
During his tenure as Chief of Staff to Army group D in France in 1942 he was part of the German force that successfully resisted the Dieppe raid
on August 19, 1942.
under General von Rundstedt he was promoted to General of the Infantry and simultaneously appointed Chief of Staff of the Army General Staff on September 24, 1942 as a replacement for Franz Halder
. Hitler had been impressed by his optimistic and vigorous reports. Zeitzler was chosen though he was far from the top of the General Staff's list. It is probable that Hitler believed Zeitzler would be a more pliable and optimistic OKH chief than his immediate predecessor, Franz Halder. He was also thought to be a master of logistics, with solid organizational skills. Zeitzler was never considered a brilliant commander, though his performance at the head of the General Staff was very respectable. His drive and initiative was eventually paralyzed by Hitler's constant and increasingly unreasonable demands.
Zeitzler advocated the immediate breakout and withdrawal of General Paulus
' Sixth Army after it had been surrounded in Stalingrad. After the war Zeitzler claimed that as soon as he saw what was happening he urged Hitler to permit the Sixth Army to withdraw from Stalingrad to the Don bend, where the broken front could be restored. The mere suggestion threw the Fuehrer into a tantrum. 'I won't leave the Volga! I won't go back from the Volga!' he shouted, and that was that. The Fuehrer personally ordered the Sixth Army to stand fast around Stalingrad: "Stalingrad simply must be held. It must be; it is a key position. By breaking traffic on the Volga at that spot, we cause the Russians the greatest difficulties."
Zeitzler was urged by his military colleagues to give the breakout order himself, but refused to act on his own, deferring to Hitler's authority as Commander-in-Chief. In a gesture of solidarity with the starved troops in Stalingrad, Zeitzler reduced his own rations to their level. After Zeitzler had lost 26 pounds in two weeks, Hitler (after being told by Martin Bormann
of the diet) ordered him to stop the diet and return to normal rations. As Hitler refused to even consider the idea of withdrawal the German Sixth Army was eventually surrounded and annihilated.
on July 1, 1944. He had suffered a nervous breakdown. Hitler never spoke to him again and even had him dismissed from the Army in January 1945, refusing him the right to wear a uniform.
After the end of World War II, Zeitzler was a British POW until the end of February 1947. He died in 1963 in Hohenaschau in Upper Bavaria.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Reichswehr
Reichswehr
The Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....
and its successor the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
, most prominent for being the Chief of the Army General Staff
German General Staff
The German General Staff was an institution whose rise and development gave the German armed forces a decided advantage over its adversaries. The Staff amounted to its best "weapon" for nearly a century and a half....
from 1942 to 1944.
World War I and after
Zeitzler, the son of a pastor, was born in Goßmar (now a part of HeideblickHeideblick
Heideblick is a municipality in the district of Dahme-Spreewald in Brandenburg in Germany....
), Province of Brandenburg
Province of Brandenburg
The Province of Brandenburg was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1815 to 1946.-History:The first people who are known to have inhabited Brandenburg were the Suevi. They were succeeded by the Slavonians, whom Henry II conquered and converted to Christianity in...
. Zeitzler joined the German Army
German Army (German Empire)
The German Army was the name given the combined land forces of the German Empire, also known as the National Army , Imperial Army or Imperial German Army. The term "Deutsches Heer" is also used for the modern German Army, the land component of the German Bundeswehr...
on March 23, 1914, and fought in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He was promoted to officer because of outstanding bravery and was placed in command of an infantry battalion. Between 1919 and 1937 he served as a staff officer in the Reichswehr
Reichswehr
The Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....
, and in 1937 he began working as a staff officer for the Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH).
In September 1939 he became Chief of Staff for the XXII. Corps of the 14. Army, serving under General Siegmund List in the German invasion of Poland. In March 1940 he became the Chief of Staff for Panzergruppe A, serving under General von Kleist
Paul Ludwig Ewald von Kleist
Paul Ludwig Ewald von Kleist was a leading German field marshal during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
in the Invasion of France. Zeitzler also served under Von Kleist in the German invasions of Yugoslavia, Greece and the Soviet Union in 1941. On May 18, 1941 he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
.
During his tenure as Chief of Staff to Army group D in France in 1942 he was part of the German force that successfully resisted the Dieppe raid
Dieppe Raid
The Dieppe Raid, also known as the Battle of Dieppe, Operation Rutter or later on Operation Jubilee, during the Second World War, was an Allied attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe on the northern coast of France on 19 August 1942. The assault began at 5:00 AM and by 10:50 AM the Allied...
on August 19, 1942.
Chief of Staff of the OKH
After a short tour as Chief of Staff of Army Group DArmy Group D
Army Group D was a German Army Group which saw action during World War II.Army Group D was formed on 26 October 1940 in France, its initial cadre coming from the disbanded Army Group C....
under General von Rundstedt he was promoted to General of the Infantry and simultaneously appointed Chief of Staff of the Army General Staff on September 24, 1942 as a replacement for Franz Halder
Franz Halder
Franz Halder was a German General and the head of the Army General Staff from 1938 until September, 1942, when he was dismissed after frequent disagreements with Adolf Hitler.-Early life:...
. Hitler had been impressed by his optimistic and vigorous reports. Zeitzler was chosen though he was far from the top of the General Staff's list. It is probable that Hitler believed Zeitzler would be a more pliable and optimistic OKH chief than his immediate predecessor, Franz Halder. He was also thought to be a master of logistics, with solid organizational skills. Zeitzler was never considered a brilliant commander, though his performance at the head of the General Staff was very respectable. His drive and initiative was eventually paralyzed by Hitler's constant and increasingly unreasonable demands.
Zeitzler advocated the immediate breakout and withdrawal of General Paulus
Friedrich Paulus
Friedrich Wilhelm Ernst Paulus was an officer in the German military from 1910 to 1945. He attained the rank of Generalfeldmarschall during World War II, and is best known for having commanded the Sixth Army's assault on Stalingrad during Operation Blue in 1942...
' Sixth Army after it had been surrounded in Stalingrad. After the war Zeitzler claimed that as soon as he saw what was happening he urged Hitler to permit the Sixth Army to withdraw from Stalingrad to the Don bend, where the broken front could be restored. The mere suggestion threw the Fuehrer into a tantrum. 'I won't leave the Volga! I won't go back from the Volga!' he shouted, and that was that. The Fuehrer personally ordered the Sixth Army to stand fast around Stalingrad: "Stalingrad simply must be held. It must be; it is a key position. By breaking traffic on the Volga at that spot, we cause the Russians the greatest difficulties."
Zeitzler was urged by his military colleagues to give the breakout order himself, but refused to act on his own, deferring to Hitler's authority as Commander-in-Chief. In a gesture of solidarity with the starved troops in Stalingrad, Zeitzler reduced his own rations to their level. After Zeitzler had lost 26 pounds in two weeks, Hitler (after being told by Martin Bormann
Martin Bormann
Martin Ludwig Bormann was a prominent Nazi official. He became head of the Party Chancellery and private secretary to Adolf Hitler...
of the diet) ordered him to stop the diet and return to normal rations. As Hitler refused to even consider the idea of withdrawal the German Sixth Army was eventually surrounded and annihilated.
Dismissal
After the annihilation of the Sixth army in Stalingrad Zeitzler's relations with Hitler became more and more strained. At the end of his tether after a series of violent rows with Hitler he abruptly left the BerghofBerghof (Hitler)
The Berghof was Adolf Hitler's home in the Obersalzberg of the Bavarian Alps near Berchtesgaden, Bavaria, Germany. Other than the Wolfsschanze in East Prussia, Hitler spent more time at the Berghof than anywhere else during World War II. It was also one of the most widely known of Hitler's...
on July 1, 1944. He had suffered a nervous breakdown. Hitler never spoke to him again and even had him dismissed from the Army in January 1945, refusing him the right to wear a uniform.
After the end of World War II, Zeitzler was a British POW until the end of February 1947. He died in 1963 in Hohenaschau in Upper Bavaria.
Positions in World War II
| 1939 | Commanding Officer 60th Regiment |
| 1939–1940 | Chief of Staff XXII Corps, Poland |
| 1940–1941 | Chief of Staff Panzer Group von Kleist, France |
| 1941 | Chief of Staff 1st Panzer Group, Yugoslavia and the Eastern Front |
| 1941–1942 | Chief of Staff 1st Panzer Army, Eastern Front |
| 1942 | Chief of Staff Army Group D, France |
| 1942–1944 | Chief of Staff of the OKH |
| 1944–1945 | In reserve |