His von Kluge
Hans Gunther von Kluge was born 30 November 1882 year in Poznań. He was the son of a Prussian guard officer. After graduating from military school, at the age of nineteen, In the rank of second lieutenant he joined the army. For that, 22 mark 1901 year was assigned to 46. field artillery regiment, stationed in Wolffenbuettel. After several years of service, he began studying at the Military Academy, after which he was promoted to the rank of a lieutenant. He joined the Great Staff, where he remained until the outbreak of the war.
During the First World War he served as a staff officer. First in the General Staff, Then at the staff of the 21st Corps fighting in the Carpathians, and finally, from 1917 year served in the staff 236 Infantry Division, beating in France. During the Battle of Verdun he suffered heavy wounds and spent the rest of the war on convalescence.
Hans von Kluge returned to military service at the end of the year 1919, entering Reichswehr. Was assigned to the staff 3. Infantry Division. Since then, he had almost alternately various bars and linear functions. So now 1926 year he ceased staff activity and began to act as the commander 3. Artillery Regiment stationed in Żagań. Shortly afterwards, he was withdrawn from the line service and took the role of the Chief of Staff 1. Cavalry division, having a base in Frankfurt N. Measles. Shortly later, w 1928 year, He took the line function back. In turn, already in the year 1928 He became a commander 2. Artillery Regiment in Schwerin, and four years later he was appointed commander of the 3rd Corps artillery in Berlin. Moreover, from 1923 he worked at the Ministry of Reichswehry,
After Hitler came to power in January 1933 year, the military career of Hans von Kluge significantly took on a pace. From now on, he started promoting almost every now and then. In the same year he was waiting for a general rank, When it was promoted to Major General. A year later he became a lieutenant general, and with the promotion he received command over 6. Infantry Division stationed in Munster. After four years, von Kluge was promoted to the rank of artillery general. In December 1938 of the year he was appointed commander of the sixth Heeresgruppe, who took part in the occupation of the Sudetes.
General Hans von Kluge significantly opposed both the internal, as well as Hitler's external policy, Which was the most likely reason for retreating him as soon as the Czechoslovakia was taken. However, soon the German leader restored General von Kluge to active service and appointed him the commander of the newly created 4. Army.
He fought at the head of his grouping during aggression for the Second Polish Republic. During the war, he showed great command and strategic skills; Already in four days he fulfilled the basic goals of his army (breaking through the so -called. “Pomeranian corridor”). Another proof of Klug's amazing ability was the fact, that already on the eighth of September 4. The army stood in front of Płock. For his achievements during the September campaign, he was appointed Generaloberst and awarded the Knight's Cross.
General von Kluge took part in a campaign against France, Also as a commander 4. Army. His grouping this time got the task of surrounding the English troops located in Flanders and covering from the north and west of the main impact on Paris. Hans von Kluge did a great job, Again, flashing with his incredible command and strategic skills. As a reward for your achievements, 19 July 1940 of the year, Hitler was promoted to the rank of Feld Marshal.
He took part in the operation at the head of his famous grouping “Barbarossa”. He soon received command over Guderian and Hotha armored groups. In October 1941 He also took part in the fighting at the Wiaźma River. At the end of that year, his army stood at the gates of the Soviet capital. For his achievements in the first phase of the war, Feld Marshal von Kluge was awarded the Iron Cross and received a high cash prize, which he has invested in a small landed property in Silesia.
After a Moscow defeat and taking von Bock command over a group of army “Middle”, The function of the commander of this grouping went to the current commander 4. Army, Feld Marshal von Klugem. He was at its head during the battle on the curve of Kurski, interrupted as a result of an Allied landing in North Africa. It is worth recalling the fact here, that at that time von Kluge maintained strict contacts with the opposition. He began to fall into a small conflict with Adolf Hitler.
27 In October, in mysterious circumstances, a car accident had a place. Auto, which von Kluge traveled along the road Minsk-Smolensk went skidded and fell on the roof. Feldmars, seriously injured, He was transported to the country, where he was treated for the next six months. In the clinic he received oak leaves sent to him by Hitler with swords to the Iron Cross.
It returns to the front at the beginning of July 1944. This time he is assigned to fighting in Western Europe, where he receives the nomination for the position of the Supreme Commander of the Western Front (Later, After a serious injury, Rommel also received command over 2. A group of army).
He was constantly opposed to Fuehrer's policy. 16 VII signed with Erwin Rommel the so -called. “ultimatum” for Hitler, in which these two of the clear commanders presented their demands on further actions, and which would protect Germany from defeat. Moreover, von Kluge was entangled in an attack on 20 July 1944 year.
Soon the situation in France became critical – Von Kluge's troops were threatened with a lap. Despite the strenuous appeals of the German Feld Marshal for permission to withdraw behind the Seine Line, Hitler remained unmoved. So in mid -August von Kluge, Together with a hundred thousand soldiers, he is encircled in a cauldron near the city of Falaise.
In this situation, the Field Marshal was forced to start peace negotiations. Bad luck wanted, so that he would not be captivated for half a day. Hitler quickly guessed about the next conspiracy. Issued the final order of the planned for a long time “removal” From Klugego. 15 August dismissed him as the commander of the Western Front; A day later, the Field Marshal was caught by Jurgen Stroop, Just before leaving for the final negotiations with the English.
He was taken under a escort to Dombasle Sur Meurthe in Lorraine, 16 kilometers from Nancy. There he had some confidential conversations with Jurgen Stroop, to make him feel guilty and force him to commit suicide. However, Stroop was unable to convince von Kluge. In an interview with Kazimierz Moczarski, the German dignitary recalls: “I could not cope with him. I left the pistol in the room and left. I thought, that he will commit Selbstmord. After fifteen minutes I came back. I finally took the weapon, and on the table I put a glass of water and poison. Everything without a result (…) And yet he was finally on the floor, on a beautiful carpet, with a hole in the head… (…) Himmler (…) he told me to send a report to his headquarters, that Kluge got on the plane in France, which he was supposed to fly to Adolf Hitler, and before the start he committed suicide” (Kazimierz Moczarski, “Talks with the execution”, Znak Publishing House, Cracow 2004).
It happened on August 19 1944 year.