Wilhelm List
Wilhelm List, The doctor's son was born 14 house 1880 year. Despite, that the family did not have any military traditions, Young Wilhelm decided to join the German army at the age of eighteen. There he was assigned to the staff, where he worked for the next twenty years. So he did not participate in the front fights of the First World War. After the surrender of Germany, disagreeing with the provisions of the Versailles Treaty, He secretly joined one of the nationalist militias called freikorps. In order not to arouse suspicion, However, he stayed in Reichswehra, where he worked as a tank specialist. He quickly climbed the ladder of his military career and soon became the head of the Army Organization Department. Quite fast, Because already at the age of fifty (1930 year) was promoted to the longed -for general rank. Along with the degree, he received the office of the commander of the Dresden Infantry School.
General List did not show much sympathy for Hitler and national socialists and did not support the views of the future Fuehrer. He was exposed to him in 1931 year, when he disciplinary punished young officers, who joined the NSDAP. However, after Hitler came to power, List, being aware, that possible resistance can destroy all his military career, He did not oppose the chief's policy.
Obedience to Hitler's obedience brought the general benefit. W 1935 Year Wilhelm List was elected by General Fedor von Bock commander of the 4th Army Corps. Counting on the possibility of taking some higher function, He did not oppose Hitler's demolition of the generals Werner von Blomberg and Werner von Fritsch. After the annexation of Austria (whose occupation also, For fear of Fuehrer's anger, he supported) He was sent to Vienna, where he took command of a group of army stationed there; A year later he took part in the invasion of Czechoslovakia himself.
W 1939 year General List took command of formed to fight Poland 14. Army. He fought it during the September campaign. The task set before his grouping was to eliminate the points of Polish resistance in Silesia and to occupy Lesser Poland and thus cover the main hit from the south to Warsaw. General List did great, easily carried out commands. It is worth mentioning here, that during its stay in Poland, Wilhelm List showed extraordinary cruelty, unscrupulously allowing SS troops for mass murders of Poles and Jews.
During the German offensive against France in spring 1940 year General List commanded German 12. Army. He also showed great commanding skills here, As he got deep into the French territory at an extremely fast pace (He entered Meuse only one day after General Ewald von Kleist's armored forces). Hitler was very happy with his general; for your achievements during Fall Gelb, The letter was promoted by Fuehrer to the rank of Feld Marshal.
After the Wehrmacht won France, Feld Marshal's letter dealt with the development of plans of invasion of Greece and Yugoslavia. He stayed in the Balkans until July 1942 year, when he was entrusted with command over the newly separated group of the army “A”. His task was to master the Caucasus rich in oil. However, he failed to follow the order, For his troops were in a hopeless position. Enraged as a result of these failures, Hitler, for the defeat, wrongly blamed his Feld Marshal. Then, 9 September 1942 year he dismissed the list, who spent the rest of the war in his home in Garrish-Partenkirchen.
The letter was captured by the Allied forces in 1945 year, after, How Americans entered Garrish-Partenkirchen. Accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity, he was tried before the Nuremberg Tribunal. In February 1948 year he received a life sentence. However, already in December 1952 The penalty was relaxed and Wilhelm a letter because of his illness was released. Died 17 mark 1971 year, having survived 91 years.