Encyclopedia - Wehrmacht: Encyclopedia - Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht (listen) â–¶ (help·info) was the name of the armed forces of Germany from 1935 to 1945. The Wehrmacht of World War II was comp...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Walther Model: Encyclopedia - Walther Model
Otto Moritz Walter Model (IPA /'mo:dÉ™l/) (January 24, 1891–April 21, 1945) was a German general, and later a Field Marshal, during Wor...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Wilhelm Keitel: Encyclopedia - Wilhelm Keitel
Wilhelm Bodewin Johann Gustav Keitel (September 22, 1882 – October 16, 1946) was a German Field Marshal (Generalfeldmarschall) and a se...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Erwin Von Witzleben: Encyclopedia Ii - Erwin Von Witzleben - Between The Wars
In the Reichswehr, von Witzleben was taken on as a Company Chief. In 1923, he found himself on the Fourth Division staff in Dresden as a ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Eastern Front World War Ii: Encyclopedia Ii - Eastern Front World War Ii - Operations
Eastern Front World War II - Invasion: Summer 1941. ██ to 9 July 1941 ██ to 1 September 1941 ██ to 9 Septemb...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Wehrmacht: Encyclopedia Ii - Wehrmacht - War Crimes
While the predominant number of war crimes were attributed to Nazi organizations like the Schutzstaffel (SS), a number of Wehrmacht offic...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Wilhelm Keitel: Encyclopedia Ii - Wilhelm Keitel - Early Life And Career
The son of Carl Keitel, a middle-class landowner, he was born in Helmscherode near Hanover, Germany. After completing his education in GÃ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Franz Halder: Encyclopedia Ii - Franz Halder - Pre-world War Ii Service
Between 1919 and 1920 Halder served with the Reichswehr War Ministry Training Branch. Between 1921 and 1923 he was a Tactics Instructor w...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Oberkommando Des Heeres: Encyclopedia Ii - Oberkommando Des Heeres - The Flag For The Commander-in-chief Of The German Army
The design of this command flag was very simple. It only displayed the basic German nationalist colors of red, white and a black Iron Cro...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Polish September Campaign: Encyclopedia Ii - Polish September Campaign - Details Of The Campaign
Polish September Campaign - Plans. The German plan Fall Weiss, for what became known as the September campaign, was created by General...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Reinhard Gehlen: Encyclopedia Ii - Reinhard Gehlen - Military Service
Reinhard Gehlen joined the Reichswehr in 1920 and entered the German Staff College in the 1930s. He was promoted to captain and was attac...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Maximilian Von Weichs: Encyclopedia Ii - Maximilian Von Weichs - Notes
Note regarding personal names: Reichsfreiherr is a title, usually translated Baron-of-the-Empire, not a first or middle name. The title...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Manfred Von Brauchitsch: Encyclopedia Ii - Manfred Von Brauchitsch - Racing Career
He won three Grands Prix - the 1934 ADAC Eifelrennen which saw the first appearance of Silver Arrows Mercedes Race cars, the 1937 Monaco ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Henry T. King: Encyclopedia Ii - Henry T. King - Life And Work
King graduated from Yale College and Yale Law School. After the Second World War, he worked as a prosecutor at the Nuremberg Trials from ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Leibstandarte Ss Adolf Hitler: Encyclopedia Ii - Leibstandarte Ss Adolf Hitler - Early History 1923-1933
In the earliest days of the NSDAP, it was realised by the leaders that bodyguard units comprising trustworthy and loyal men would be a wi...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Nazi Germany: Encyclopedia Ii - Nazi Germany - Pre-war Politics 1933-1939
On January 30, 1933, Adolf Hitler was appointed chancellor by President Paul von Hindenburg after attempts by General Kurt von Schleicher...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Nazi Germany: Encyclopedia Ii - Nazi Germany - Pre-war Politics 1933-1939
In the wake of the First World War and subsquent economic depression, many German voters began turning their support towards Adolf Hitler...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Eastern Front World War Ii: Encyclopedia Ii - Eastern Front World War Ii - Operations
Eastern Front World War II - Invasion: Summer 1941.    to 9 July 1941    » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Polish September Campaign: Encyclopedia Ii - Polish September Campaign - Details Of The Campaign
Polish September Campaign - Plans. The German plan Fall Weiss, for what became known as the September campaign, was created by General...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Ferdinand Schörner: Encyclopedia Ii - Ferdinand Schörner - Ww I Interwar
He was born in Munich, Bavaria. A noted veteran of the World War I, winning the Pour le Mérite in 1917, Schörner served as a staff memb...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Leibstandarte Ss Adolf Hitler: Encyclopedia Ii - Leibstandarte Ss Adolf Hitler - Barbarossa
Following the LSSAH's outstanding performance during Marita, Himmler ordered that it should be upgraded to divisional status. As such, th...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Leibstandarte Ss Adolf Hitler: Encyclopedia Ii - Leibstandarte Ss Adolf Hitler - Kharkov
The LSSAH spent the remainder of 1942 refitting as a panzergrenadier division. Thanks to the efforts of the Reichsführer-SS, along with ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Leibstandarte Ss Adolf Hitler: Encyclopedia Ii - Leibstandarte Ss Adolf Hitler - Brigade Status – Balkans
After the conclusion of the Western campaign, the LSSAH was expanded to brigade size. Despite this, it retained the designation regiment....   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Leibstandarte Ss Adolf Hitler: Encyclopedia Ii - Leibstandarte Ss Adolf Hitler - Trial By Fire – Leibstandarte Expands
In early 1934, Heinrich Himmler, the Reichsführer-SS, ordered that the Leibstandarte be renamed Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (LSSAH). I...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Polish September Campaign: Encyclopedia Ii - Polish September Campaign - Prelude To The Campaign
The Nazi Party, led by Adolf Hitler, took power in Germany in 1933. Hitler at first ostentatiously pursued a policy of rapprochement with...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Eastern Front World War Ii: Encyclopedia Ii - Eastern Front World War Ii - Industrial Output
The Soviet victory owed a great deal to the ability of her war industry to outperform the German economy, despite the enormous loss of po...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Leibstandarte Ss Adolf Hitler: Encyclopedia Ii - Leibstandarte Ss Adolf Hitler - Kursk
The spring rasputitsa halted offensive operations, giving the Leibstandarte time to rest and refit. By early June 1943, the division had ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Leibstandarte Ss Adolf Hitler: Encyclopedia Ii - Leibstandarte Ss Adolf Hitler - Early War Campaigns
During the initial stages of the Polish September Campaign, the LSSAH was attached to the 17.Infanterie-Division and tasked with providin...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Leibstandarte Ss Adolf Hitler: Encyclopedia Ii - Leibstandarte Ss Adolf Hitler - Eastern Front
The division was posted to XLVIII.Panzer-Korps, a part of 4.Panzer-Armee, which was struggling to hold the line near Shitomir. The divisi...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Eastern Front World War Ii: Encyclopedia Ii - Eastern Front World War Ii - Background
The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact of August 1939 had established a non-aggression agreement between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, and a se...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Reinhard Gehlen: Encyclopedia Ii - Reinhard Gehlen - Post Wwii
Using his new-found influence with the Americans, Gehlen offered a deal to the Americans to bring his resources to bear for them in excha...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Reinhard Gehlen: Encyclopedia Ii - Reinhard Gehlen - Gehlen Org
The Gehlen Org was pivotal in supplying the West with intelligence on Warsaw Pact nations. The organization infiltrated these countries a...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Polish September Campaign: Encyclopedia Ii - Polish September Campaign - Opposing Forces
Polish September Campaign - Germany. Germany had a large numerical advantage over Polish forces, and had developed a significant milita...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Eastern Front World War Ii: Encyclopedia Ii - Eastern Front World War Ii - Leadership
The Soviet Union and Nazi Germany were ideologically driven totalitarian states in which the leader had near-absolute power. The characte...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Polish September Campaign: Encyclopedia Ii - Polish September Campaign - Opposing Forces
Polish September Campaign - Germany. Germany had a large numerical advantage over Polish forces, and the German economy was geared towa...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Leibstandarte Ss Adolf Hitler: Encyclopedia Ii - Leibstandarte Ss Adolf Hitler - Orders Of Battle
Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler - Infanterie-Regiment mot Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler - April 1941 - Operation Marita. Regimentstab (S...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Eastern Front World War Ii: Encyclopedia Ii - Eastern Front World War Ii - Occupation And Repression
The enormous territorial gains of 1941 presented Germany with vast areas to pacify and administer. Some Soviet citizens, especially in th...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Leibstandarte Ss Adolf Hitler: Encyclopedia Ii - Leibstandarte Ss Adolf Hitler - Italy
The division travelled back from the front, stopping at Innsbruck in Austria, where it disembarked. The division was re-equipped with veh...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Polish September Campaign: Encyclopedia Ii - Polish September Campaign - Order Of Battle
Order of battle of Poland: Polish army order of battle in 1939 Polish Air Force order of battle in 1939 Polish Navy order of battle in 1...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Wehrmacht: Encyclopedia Ii - Wehrmacht - War Years
Image:Rommel Africa color 210.jpg Powerful tank and air forces enabled quick successes during early stages of the war when nation after n...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Nazi Germany: Encyclopedia Ii - Nazi Germany - Aftermath
The winning allies split Germany into occupation zones. At the Potsdam Conference German borders within the Soviet occupation zone were m...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Nazi Germany: Encyclopedia Ii - Nazi Germany - World War Ii
In 1939 Germany's actions led to the outbreak of World War II in Europe. Poland, France, Denmark, Norway, Belgium and the Netherlands wer...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Wehrmacht: Encyclopedia Ii - Wehrmacht - Command Structure
Legally, the Commander-in-Chief of the Wehrmacht was Adolf Hitler in his capacity as Germany's head of state, a position he gained after ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Wehrmacht: Encyclopedia Ii - Wehrmacht - History
After World War I ended with the capitulation of the German empire the treaty of Versailles imposed severe restrictions on Germany's mili...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Wilhelm Keitel: Encyclopedia Ii - Wilhelm Keitel - Okw And World War Ii
In 1937, Keitel received a promotion to General, and in the following year, in the wake of the Blomberg-Fritsch Affair and the replacemen...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Nazi Germany: Encyclopedia Ii - Nazi Germany - Organization Of The Third Reich
The leaders of Nazi Germany created a large number of different organizations for the purpose of helping them stay in power. They rearmed...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Wehrmacht: Encyclopedia Ii - Wehrmacht - Background
The German word Wehrmacht (literally "defence force") was previously used in German in a generic sense, as a term describing the armed fo...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Polish September Campaign: Encyclopedia Ii - Polish September Campaign - Opposing Forces
Polish September Campaign - Germany. Germany had a large numerical advantage over Polish forces, and the German economy was geared towa...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Polish September Campaign: Encyclopedia Ii - Polish September Campaign - Prelude To The Campaign
The Nazi Party, led by Adolf Hitler, took power in Germany in 1933. Hitler at first ostentatiously pursued a policy of rapprochement with...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Polish September Campaign: Encyclopedia Ii - Polish September Campaign - Prelude To The Campaign
Led by Adolf Hitler, the Nazi Party took power in Germany in 1933. Hitler at first ostentatiously pursued a policy of rapprochement with ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Erwin Von Witzleben: Encyclopedia Ii - Erwin Von Witzleben - Second World War
In September 1939, von Witzleben, having now been made Colonel General himself, assumed command over the First Army, stationed in the Wes...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Nazi Germany: Encyclopedia Ii - Nazi Germany - Prominent Persons In Nazi Germany
For a listing of Hitler's cabinet see : Hitler's Cabinet, January 1933 - April 1945 Nazi Germany - Nazi Party and Nazi government l...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Erwin Von Witzleben: Encyclopedia Ii - Erwin Von Witzleben - Early Years
Erwin von Witzleben came from a Thuringian family of officers. He completed the Prussian cadet corps programme in Wahlstatt (now Legnicki...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Eastern Front World War Ii: Encyclopedia Ii - Eastern Front World War Ii - Casualties
(source) The Eastern Front was unparalleled for its high intensity, ferocity, and brutality. The fighting involved millions of German and...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Eastern Front World War Ii: Encyclopedia Ii - Eastern Front World War Ii - Overview
The war between Germany and the Soviet Union began on 22 June 1941, when Germany invaded the Soviet-occupied portion of Poland, and ended...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Eastern Front World War Ii: Encyclopedia Ii - Eastern Front World War Ii - Background
The Molotov-Ribbentrop Non-Aggression Pact of August 1939 had established a non-aggression agreement between Nazi Germany and the Soviet ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Eastern Front World War Ii: Encyclopedia Ii - Eastern Front World War Ii - Industrial Output
The Soviet victory owed a great deal to the ability of her war industry to outperform the German economy, despite the enormous loss of po...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Franz Halder: Encyclopedia Ii - Franz Halder - World War Ii Service
During the spring of 1939, Halder began participating in drafting the invasion plans of Poland. Halder stated that he thought that Polish...   » Read the article