Maximilian von Weichs

Maximilian Reichsfreiherr von Weichs
Generalfeldmarshall Maximilian von Weichs (right) and Hans von Greiffenberg
Born	12 November 1881(1881-11-12) Dessau
Died	27 September 1954(1954-09-27) (aged 72) Burg Rösberg near Bonn
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1900-1945
Rank	Generalfeldmarschall
Commands held	1st Panzer Division XIII Corps 2nd Army Army Group B Army Group F
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Iron Cross 1st Class Iron Cross 2nd Class Clasp to the Iron Cross

Maximilian Maria Joseph Karl Gabriel Lamoral Reichsfreiherr von Weichs zu Glon (12 November 1881 – 27 September 1954) was a German Generalfeldmarschall during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Early life and career

Weichs was born into a noble family at Dessau in Anhalt, a son of an Army colonel. He entered the Bavarian Cavalry in 1900 and fought with them in World War I. From 1915 until 1918 he served with the General Staff of the 3rd Bavarian Army Corps. After the war he remained in the newly created Reichswehr where he worked at a number of General Staff positions and later served as an instructor. Transferred from the 3rd Cavalry Division to command Germany's first armored division upon its formation in October 1935, he led the unit in maneuvers that impressed Army Commander in Chief Werner von Fritsch.^[1] Weichs' aristocratic and cavalry credentials demonstrated the continuing influence of these military elites in Germany's modernizing force.^[2]

In October 1937 he became the commander of the 13th Army Corps, that later served in the 1938 German occupation of the Sudetenland.

World War II

For the German invasion of Poland beginning World War II in 1939, Weichs was appointed head of his own Army Corps "Weichs". After the Polish surrender, and in preparation for the invasion of France, he was made Commander-in-Chief of the 2nd Army, a part of Rundstedt’s Army Group A in the West. For his successes in the French campaign he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and promoted to colonel-general. Leading his corps, Weichs later took part in the Balkans Campaign, and in preparation for Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, he was assigned to lead the 2nd Army as a part of Fedor von Bock’s Army Group Centre. He led the 2nd Army in 1941 through the Battle of Kiev, the Battle of Smolensk, and then on to Vyazma and Bryansk.

In 1942, for Fall Blau, Weichs was assigned to lead the newly created Army Group B. Army Group B was composed of Hans von Salmuth's 2nd Army, Hermann Hoth’s 4th Panzer Army, and Friedrich Paulus' 6th Army. In addition to the German armies, Army Group B included the 2nd Hungarian Army, 8th Italian Army, the Third and the Fourth Romanian Army. The 6th Army was assigned to take the city of Stalingrad and cover approximately 800 km of front.

Stalingrad

Weichs warned about his lines being stretched too thinly, but Adolf Hitler ignored his warnings. Weichs' fears were realised when Operation Uranus smashed the Romanian armies on his flanks, cutting off the 6th Army inside Stalingrad. Suggesting retreat, Weichs fell out of Hitler’s favor. Consequently, parts of Army Group B were taken away from Weichs' command and incorporated into a new Army Group Don, led by Erich von Manstein. Later in February the remaining part merged with the Don Group into a newly reinstated Army Group South, also led by Manstein. Weichs was put in leader reserve.

Weichs was promoted to Generalfeldmarschall on 1 February 1943. As the German situation was starting to become more dire, in August 1943 Weichs was appointed Commander of Army Group F in the Balkans defending against possible Allied invasion in what was seen as Germany’s weak underbelly and fighting off local partisan groups that were gaining strength. In late 1944, he oversaw the German retreat from Greece and most of Yugoslavia.

As Nazi Germany fell apart, Weichs was finally retired on March 25, 1945, and was arrested by American troops in May. During the Nuremberg Trials, Weichs was implicated in war crimes committed while suppressing the partisans, however, he was removed from the Hostages Trial due to medical reasons without having been judged or sentenced.

Weichs died at Burg Rösberg near Bonn.

Medals and Decorations

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Knight's Cross on 29 June 1940 as General der Kavallerie and commander-in-chief of the 2. Armee[3] 731st Oak Leaves on 5 February 1945 as Generalfeldmarschall and commander-in-chief of Heeresgruppe F, at the same time OB Südost (commander-in-chief south east)[3] Iron Cross (1914) 1st Class Iron Cross (1914) 2nd Class Clasp to the Iron Cross Bavarian Military Merit Order, Fourth Class with Swords Eastern Front Medal Sudetenland Medal with Prague Castle Bar Jubilee Medal for the Bavarian Army Bavarian Military Long Service Award 2nd Class Wehrmacht Military Long Service Award 1st Class Order of Franz Joseph, Knight's Cross

Dates of Ranks

Fähnrich— Leutnant—9 March 1902 Oberleutnant—3 March 1911 Rittmeister— Major—1 February 1921 Oberstleutnant—1 February 1928

Oberst—1 November 1930 Generalmajor—1 April 1933 Generalleutnant—1 April 1935 General der Kavallerie—1 October 1936 Generaloberst—1 July 1940 Generalfeldmarschall—1 February 1943

References

Citations

1. ^ Showalter, D. Hitler's Panzers: The Lightning Attacks That Revolutionized Warfare. New York: Berkley, 2009. p 47.
2. ^ Showalter 2009, p. 59.
3. ^ ^{a b} Scherzer 2007, p. 72.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 (in German). Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
• Hürter, Johannes (2006). Hitlers Heerführer - Die deutschen Oberbefehlshaber im Krieg gegen die Sowjetunion 1941/42.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Helden der Wehrmacht - Unsterbliche deutsche Soldaten (in German). München, Germany: FZ-Verlag GmbH, 2004. ISBN 3-924309-53-1.

External links

• Biography (in German)

Military offices
Preceded by none	Commander of 1. Panzer-Division October 1, 1935 - September 30, 1937	Succeeded by Generalleutnant Rudolf Schmidt
Preceded by none	Commander of 2. Armee October 20, 1939 - July 13, 1942	Succeeded by General Hans von Salmuth
Preceded by Generalfeldmarschall Fedor von Bock	Commander of Army Group South July, 1942 - February 12, 1943	Succeeded by Generaloberst Erich von Manstein
Preceded by none	Commander of Army Group F (Belgrade) August 26, 1943 - March 25, 1945	Succeeded by none

Persondata
Name	Weichs, Maximilian Reichsfreiherr Von
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	12 November 1881
Place of birth	Dessau
Date of death	27 September 1954
Place of death	Burg Rösberg near Bonn