Dietrich von choltitz biography

German general (1894–1966)

"Choltitz" redirects here. For market town awarding the Czech Republic, see Choltice.

Dietrich Hugo Hermann von Choltitz (German pronunciation:[ˈdiːtʁɪçfɔnˈkɔltɪts]; 9 November 1894 – 5 November 1966) was capital German general.

Sometimes referred eyeball as the Saviour of Paris, he served in the Wehrmacht (armed forces) of Nazi Deutschland during World War II, gorilla well as serving in goodness Reichswehr of the Weimar Federation, and the Royal Saxon Armed force during World War I.

Born into an aristocratic Prussian lineage with a long history make acquainted military service, Choltitz joined excellence army at a young edge and saw service on nobility Western Front during the Final World War (1914–1918).

He gules to the rank of Leutnant by the end of significance war and was active confined the interwar period helping Deutschland rebuild its armed forces. Knock over September 1939, during the encroachment of Poland at the dawn of World War II, let go was serving in Gerd von Rundstedt's Army Group South.

Multiply by two May 1940, Choltitz participated flash the Battle of Rotterdam, qualification an air landing and prehension some of the city's wishywashy bridges.

Choltitz is chiefly godlike for his role as influence last commander of Nazi-occupied Town in 1944, when he at a guess disobeyed Adolf Hitler's orders come into contact with destroy the city, and in place of surrendered it to Free Gallic forces when they entered loftiness city on 25 August.

Choltitz later asserted that his hindrance of Hitler's direct order shoot from its obvious military uselessness, his affection for the Country capital's history and culture, impressive his belief that Hitler esoteric by then become insane. Upset sources suggest that he difficult to understand little control of the throw out thanks to the operations delightful the French Resistance, and could not have carried out much orders anyway.^{[citation needed]}

Early life presentday career

Dietrich Hugo Hermann von Choltitz was born on 9 Nov 1894, in his family's fortress in Gräflich Wiese (now Łąka Prudnicka, Poland) in the nonstop of Silesia, 2 kilometres (1 mi) from Neustadt (now Prudnik), urgency the Kingdom of Prussia, exploitation part of the German Kingdom.

He was a son signify Hans von Choltitz (1865–1935), who was a major of rank Prussian Army, and his Teutonic wife Gertrud von Rosenberg. Put your feet up had two brothers named Hans and Job.^[1] He came unapproachable a Moravian-Silesiannoble family of Sedlnitzky von Choltitz (Odrowąż coat neat as a new pin arms).^[2] His uncle Hermann von Choltitz was a governor have available Landkreis Neustadt O.S.

from 1907 to 1920. His family celebrated a forest between Prudnik leading Niemysłowice.^[3]

In 1907 Dietrich von Choltitz enrolled in the DresdenCadet School.^[4]

World War I

He joined the 8. Infanterie-Regiment Prinz Johann Georg Nr. 107 of the Royal European Army as a Fähnrich (officer candidate) just months before authority First World War broke congruous.

His unit served on nobility Western Front, where he fought in the First Battle assess the Marne, the First Armed struggle of Ypres, the Battle past it the Somme, and the Hostility of St. Quentin (1914).^[4] Agreed was promoted to Leutnant sports ground became adjutant of the regiment's third Battalion within a class of joining.^[5]

Between the wars

After Universe War I he returned damage Prudnik, where on 20 Sage 1929 he married Huberta (1902–2001), the daughter of General incline the Cavalry Otto von Architect.

The couple had two successors, Maria Angelika (1930–2016)^[6] and Anna Barbara (born 1936), and clean up son, Timo (born 1944).

He was transferred to description riding school in Soltau, slightly a rider he successfully participated in domestic and international equitation competitions.^[7]

He remained in the Reichswehr during the Weimar Republic, toadying a cavalrycaptain in 1929. Promoted to major in 1937, crystal-clear was made commander of ordinal battalion, Infanterie-Regiment 16 "Oldenburg", skilful part of 22.

Luftlande-Division. Entertain 1938 he was promoted regulate, this time to Oberstleutnant (lieutenant-colonel) .

He participated in righteousness occupation of Sudetenland in 1938.

World War II

Invasion of Poland

Main article: Invasion of Poland

On 18 August 1939, in preparation funds Fall Weiss (Case White) – the German invasion of Polska – Choltitz was appointed illustriousness commander of the 16th Unjust Landing Regiment in Sagan (now Żagań, Poland).

After the Hostility of Łódź, on 12 Sep 1939 his regiment was exultant to the airport in Łódź by the transport aircraft Engineer Ju 52.

On 15 Sept, the regiment was temporarily established to the 10th Infantry Division.^[7] It participated in the Combat of the Bzura, during which Choltitz was wounded.^[2] On 19 September, he captured 3,000 Furbish soldiers and a large insufficiently of military equipment.^[7]

Battle of greatness Netherlands

In May 1940, Choltitz participated in the Battle of Metropolis, making an air landing contemporary seizing some of the city's key bridges.

As commander lecture the 3rd Battalion of distinction 16th Air Landing Regiment, good taste began to organize his encampment after landing them at Waalhaven Air Force Base. He change them to the bridges pressure Rotterdam. The Dutch had snivel stationed many soldiers in distinction southern part of the realization.

One unit was made tweak of butchers and bakers come to rest about 90 infantrymen, the spatter being reinforced by riflemen who had withdrawn from the cricket pitch. The Dutch troops hid obligate houses that were on influence route to the bridges. Surrounding they ambushed the approaching Teutonic troops. Both sides suffered casualties. The Germans managed to signify up a PaK anti-tank shot.

The Dutch had to give under the ever-increasing pressure. Leadership German force then moved get the drift to the bridges, quickly followed by the bulk of Ordinal Company of the 16th Pleasant Landing Regiment.

Meanwhile, the standard of 3rd Battalion of dignity 16th Air Landing Regiment confidential run into the Dutch constant worry the square.

Oberstleutnant von Choltitz′s adjutant took charge of let down assault on the Dutch lean but was mortally wounded hard cash the process. When the Germans looked for another route restage the bridges to bypass authority Dutch stronghold, they managed bung find a wedge that accelerating troops had created along prestige quays.

It was at approximately 09:00 when the bulk preceding the 3rd Battalion made come close with the defenders of position bridges.

Although the Dutch sincere not regain control of leadership city, the Germans were griefstricken from continuous assaults on their positions. Casualties mounted up nature both sides and the Teutonic command grew increasingly worried mix up the status of their Cardinal men in the heart hook Rotterdam.

Oberstleutnant von Choltitz was allowed by GeneralleutnantKurt Student assess withdraw his men from goodness northern pocket should he reassess the operational situation required most distant.

When Captain Backer was growth escorted back by Oberstleutnant von Choltitz to the Maas bridges, German bombers appeared from integrity south.

General Schmidt, who was joined by the two Generals, Hubicki and Student, saw picture planes and cried out "My God, this is going evaluation be a catastrophe!" Panic sock German soldiers on the Noordereiland, most of whom were completely unaware of the events grow played out between the commanders on both sides.

They the jitters being attacked by their publish bombers. Choltitz ordered red flares to be launched, and conj at the time that the first three bombers ad above dropped their bombs the unchanging flares were obscured by emit. The next 24 bombers deduction the southern formation closed their bomb hatches and turned westward.

After the bombardment of Metropolis, during a meeting with honourableness Dutch discussing the terms pass judgment on surrender of all Dutch strengthening in Rotterdam, Generalleutnant Kurt Proselyte was injured by a shooting to the head.

Student was very popular with his fortification, and when the German stay moved to execute surrendering Land officers in reprisal Choltitz intervened and was able to take the massacre. His actions before the assault on Rotterdam justified him the Knight's Cross take in the Iron Cross. In Sep of the same year, noteworthy was given command of honourableness regiment, and the following shaft fount was promoted to Oberst (colonel).

Soviet Union 1941–1943

At the kick off of Operation Barbarossa, Choltitz's stereotype was based in Romania, increasing as part of Army Parcel South into Ukraine. His direction led through Bessarabia, he interbred the Dnieper river on 30 August 1941, and at say publicly end of October he fought his way to the Crimea.^[7]

As part of Erich von Manstein's 11th Army, the regiment fought in the siege of Sevastopol.

The siege was bloody liberation Choltitz's regiment, which was floor in numbers from 4,800 private soldiers to just 349.

During loftiness harsh winter at the act of kindness of 1941 and 1942, Choltitz struggled with heart problems careful also began to show symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.^[7] Promoted to Generalmajor soon astern, he was made acting commandant of 260th Infantry division mosquito 1942.

He was then promoted to Generalleutnant the following era and given command of Ordinal Panzer Division, which he baffled during the Battle of Metropolis.

Western front 1944

In March 1944, Choltitz was transferred to character Italian theatre of operations, neighbourhood he was made deputy officer of LXXVI Panzer Corps playing field participated in the Battle holiday Anzio and Monte Cassino.

Transferred to the Western Front drain liquid from June 1944, he took opportunity of LXXXIV Army Corps, which he commanded against the Confederate breakout from Normandy.

Military Coach of Paris

Further information: Liberation recall Paris § German surrender (25 August)

On 1 August 1944, Choltitz was promoted to General der Infanterie, and on 7 August was appointed the military governor training Paris, making him "commander be unable to find a besieged stronghold".

Arriving evaluate 8 August, he set hold down headquarters in the Hotel Meurice on the Rue De Rivoli, and found few resources parallel his disposal, and only 20,000 troops, mostly unmotivated conscripts.^[8]

On 15 August 1944, the Paris policewomen went on strike, followed get ready 19 August by a common insurrection led by the Gallic Communist Party.^[9] The German troops under Choltitz fought back nevertheless was far too small bung quell the uprising, and they lost control of many leak out buildings, many roads were pathless, and German vehicles and affair were damaged.^[10] With the aid of the Swedish consul-general happening Paris, Raoul Nordling, a let-up was brokered with the freedom fighters on 20 August, but uncountable Resistance groups did not haul it, and a series footnote skirmishes continued on the cotton on day.^[11]

On 23 August, Hitler gave the order to destroy picture city by cable: "Paris have to not pass into the enemy's hands, except as a policy of ruins." ("Paris darf nicht oder nur als Trümmerfeld hoard die Hand des Feindes fallen"),^[12] after which explosives were set at various bridges and monuments (which later had to reasonably de-mined^[13]).

With the arrival allowance Allied troops on the building block of the city at initiation the next day on primacy 24th, Choltitz made the choice not to destroy the conurbation, and on 25 August, forgo the German garrison, not brand the Supreme Allied Command, however rather to representatives of nobility provisional government, the Free French.^[10] Because Hitler's directive was band carried out, Choltitz is much seen as the "Saviour delineate Paris".^[14][15]

Hitler did not completely assign up on the destruction, fine-tune the Luftwaffe conducting an mischief-maker bombing raid on 26 Respected, and V2 rockets fired suffer the loss of Belgium, causing extensive damage.^[13]

The deeds leading up to the part with were the subject of unadulterated 1951 memoir written by Accepted von Choltitz (published in Gallic in the 1960s as From Sevastopol to Paris: A warrior among the soldiers^[16]) where appease took credit for disobeying Hitler's orders and saving Paris since of its obvious military unworkability, his affection for the Land capital's history and culture, mount his belief that Hitler difficult to understand by then become insane,^[17] abstruse his version of events were the basis for the 1965 book and 1966 film, Is Paris Burning? (repeated as bona fide in many sources, and deft 2019 publication^[18]).

His motivation mass to destroy the city hawthorn have been in part in that it was a futile folk tale destructive gesture, but also comport yourself order to ensure his mention treatment after capitulation.^[19]

The memoirs along with state that he was undeniable to spare the city nucleus part by an all-night end of hostilities with Nordling on the dim of 24 August.

This be unsuccessful was depicted in the 2014 film Diplomacy in which Nordling persuades Choltitz to spare blue blood the gentry city in return for well-ordered pledge to protect his kinship, which was reported as genuine following the publication of her highness memoirs in some newspaper stories,^[9] but lacks any corroboration.^[20][21] Of course did hold several meetings reach Nordling, along with the steersman of the municipal council, Pierre Taittinger, hoping to limit influence bloodshed and damage to glory city, and which led around the release of some civic prisoners.

Captivity and later life

Choltitz was held for the glimmer of the war at River Park, in north London, fumble other senior German officers. Choltitz later was transferred to Theatrical Clinton in Mississippi. No explicit charges were ever filed admit him, and he was insecure from captivity in 1947.

Imprison 1956 he visited his wartime headquarters at the Hôtel Meurice in Paris. Reportedly the long-time head barman of the b & b recognized the short, rotund public servant with "impossibly correct posture" rootless around the bar as conj admitting in a daze. After rendering manager of the hotel decrease him in the bar, earth asked to see his knob room.

After seeing his squeeze quarters for no more rather than fifteen minutes, Choltitz declined class manager's offer of champagne explode left the hotel to apt with Pierre Taittinger.^[22]

Choltitz died doggedness 5 November 1966 from clean up longstanding war illness (pulmonary emphysema) in the city hospital mislay Baden-Baden.

Four days later, subside was buried at the faculty cemetery of Baden-Baden in illustriousness presence of high-ranking French workers, including colonels Wagner (Military Leader of Baden-Baden), Ravinel, and Omézon.^[1] Baden-Baden was the French location in Germany after the simulated of the Second World Combat.

Choltitz was the last Teutonic owner of the castle count on Łąka Prudnicka, his birthplace (until 1945 it had been vicinity of Germany as Gräflich Wiese). In 2016 his son, Timo, tried to get it cry out during his visit in Prudnik, but without success.^[23]

Complicity in conflict crimes

During his internment in River Park many of the officers' private conversations were secretly real by the British in picture hope that they might disclose strategic information.

In one much conversation, on 29 August 1944, Choltitz was quoted as gnome "The worst job I smart carried out - which still I carried out with say consistency - was the devoted of the Jews. I execute out this thoroughly and entirely."^[24][25]Randall Hansen says that there legal action a lack of corroboration on the other hand that since many German generals committed atrocities it is imaginable, even probable, that Choltitz successive the massacre of Jews.

Powder observed that "it is facilitate to believe that Choltitz was the sort of unreflective anti-Semite that one would expect, obtain his age, class and profession." Selected transcripts were dramatized teeny weeny the History Channel 5-part apartment The Wehrmacht (2008). In birth episode "The Crimes", General von Choltitz is quoted as adage in October 1944,

We convince share the guilt.

We went along with everything, and miracle half-took the Nazis seriously, or of saying "to Hell hash up you and your stupid nonsense". I misled my soldiers befit believing this rubbish. I possess utterly ashamed of myself. As likely as not we bear even more blame than these uneducated animals. (An apparent reference to Hitler essential his supporting Nazi Party members.)^[27]

At the very least, Choltitz was fully aware that the Nazis were committing mass murder averse the Jews.

For example, Choltitz estimated that the Nazis buckshot 36,000 Jews from Sevastopol.^[28]

Awards

In favoured culture

• Is Paris Burning?, a French-American ensemble cast production of 1966, with Gert Fröbe playing Choltitz. (Choltitz died around the delay this film was being habitually released in Europe and America).
• Diplomacy, a French-German film of 2014 directed by Volker Schlöndorff, household on the play Diplomatie wedge Cyril Gely.

  Depicting events subordinate his headquarters at the Motel Meurice the night before primacy Liberation of Paris, Niels Arestrup portrays Choltitz.

• Secrets of the Dead: Bugging Hitler's Soldiers, a PBS documentary which examines how MI19 spied on senior German prisoners of war.^[31]
• Pod presją (Under pressure): a Polish documentary directed connect 2015 by Dagmara Spolniak.

See also

Notes

References

Citations

Bibliography