Franz Halder (Halder)

Halder, Franz (Halder), (1884-1972), Colonel-General (1940) Germanic army. Chief of General Staff of the Army in 1938-42. Born June 30, 1884 in Wц?rzburg in a military family. In the Army since 1902, graduated from the Bavarian military academy (1914), member 1-WWI. In 1926, Haider was appointed Chief Quartermaster of the Reichswehr. In 1936, Hitler invited him to take a similar post in the Wehrmacht, in October 1937 Halder second, and from February 1938 - the first Chief Quartermaster. August 27, 1938 Haider was appointed Chief of General Staff of the Army instead of the retired General Beg.

. Like most high-ranking military officers, Halder, a soldier of the old school, experienced the horror of senseless brutality of the Nazi regime and did not approve of party interference in military affairs
. Both he and General von Brauchitsch, had to compromise between this oath to the Fuhrer and the rejection of Nazism: "Violation of the oath to the Fuhrer has no excuses". He made it clear that he is ready to support a military coup in the country, but would not hear about any attempt on the life of Hitler. He led the first officer on the eve of the Munich Agreement conspiracy 1938. After the conclusion of the Munich agreement Halder, as von Brauchitsch, actually withdrawn from the resistance. He realized that to overthrow the Nazi regime, without any fundamental changes - whether diplomatic or military defeat, is able to destroy the prestige of Hitler in the eyes of the army and the people - is impossible.

. As the enemy began in 1939 opposing the war and Hitler's aggressive policies, Halder, however, continued to carry out the orders of the Fuhrer
. He actively participated in the establishment of Hitler's army, developing and implementing plans of aggression against Poland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Yugoslavia, Greece and the USSR. After the failure of Hitler's strategy for the fall of 1942 Haider was dismissed on Sept. 24, 1942.
In 1944, Haider was arrested on suspicion of involvement in the July 1944 plot to end the war was in Dachau. April 28, 1945, he was liberated by the Americans. As Halder witness testified at the Nuremberg Trials, . where stated, . what, . If it were not Hitler's interference in military affairs, . Germany in 1945 could make peace on the "honorable" conditions: "While winning the war and would not have, . but could, . at least, . avoid the disgrace of defeat ",
. While in U.S. custody, he participated in the writing of military-historical works. Later wrote a pamphlet entitled "Hitler as a military commander" (1949), in which Hitler tried to imagine the sole cause of the defeat of Germany and to prove the infallibility germanskogo generals and strategy. Country thrust his knife into his back, he claimed, but not the Social-Democrats of that period, and none other than Adolf Hitler.
"War Diary" (t. 1-3, 1962-64) Halder - an important source on the 2-nd World War.

-------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------

Halder (Halder) Franz (30.06.1884, Wurzburg, Bavaria - 02.04. 1972 Aschau) military leader, Colonel-General (19.7.1940). From a military family, the son of Major-General. Educated in the Bavarian military school. In 1902, joined the Bavarian Her Majesty's artillery regiment, in 1904 as a lieutenant. In 1914 he graduated from the Bavarian military academy. Participant 1-st World War II, he served in the staffs at various levels - to the Army Group. For military distinctions awarded the Iron Cross 1 st and 2 nd grade, captain. After the demobilization of the army remained in the Reichswehr. In 1923-24 commanded a battery of 7-th Artillery Regiment (Lansberg), then the headquarters of the 7 th division and district (Munich). Since 1929 was a department chief quartermaster Host control - under that name was hiding the General Staff. In August 1931 Chief of Staff 6-th Military District (Munster). On 01.10.1934 the artillery commander of the 7 th Division. On 15.10.1935 the commander of the 7 th Division (Munich). In 1937, Haider was appointed chief of staff in preparation of military maneuvers. Since October 1937 2 nd the Chief Quartermaster-General Staff of the Army in voisk he was responsible for training troops in t.ch. Staff officers. From 04/02/1937 1 st Chief Quartermaster. He was on the post closest aide and deputy chief of General Staff, among others in his command was Operations Division. 01.09 1938 was replaced by L. Beck as Chief of General Staff. Oppose the policy A. Hitler, believing that Germany was not ready for war. Autumn of 1938, along with Beck led the conspiracy to the removal of Hitler from power. Was planned under imminent threat of war during the Sudeten crisis to dislodge the government through a military coup. Signing of the Munich Agreement of 1938 foiled conspirators. After that Haider left the conspirators, assuming that is bound by duty of a soldier, a faithful oath. Believed that the overthrow of the regime would inevitably lead to the defeat of Germany. Opposed the war with Poland, but always faithfully served Hitler instructions. He was actively involved in developing plans for war with Poland, France, Yugoslavia, Greece, USSR. In fact it is headed by the General Staff Halder, Hitler directed the Wehrmacht. After the outbreak of war with the Soviet General Staff at the agency responsible for administering the hostilities on the Soviet-front, and all the other fronts transferred to the Supreme Command of the Wehrmacht (SLE) and his staff operational guidance. After the defeat at Moscow constantly clashed with Hitler on plans for war in the East. After the fall of 1942 lesions Halder 24.09.1942 was replaced by General K. Tseytslerom and transferred to the reserve Fuhrer. After the failure of the July 1944 conspiracy Halder was 23.07. 1944 arrested on suspicion of involvement in it. July 25 transferred to the Dachau concentration camp, from July - in the Ravensbrц?ck-Furstenberg. On October 7 Haider had been detained in prison RSHA in the Prinz Albrecht, and 07.02. 1945, along with other "conspirators" transferred to Flossenburg, 9 April - again in the camp at Dachau. At this time 31/01/1945, he was dismissed from active military service with the prohibition of wearing uniforms. 05.05. 1945 released by U.S. forces in South Tyrol. Kept in the prison camp. As the witness was brought to the hearing of the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg. 20.06. 1947 transferred to the camp for civilian internees Leah. In 1948, successfully passed the denazification after ryadya appeals to 12.09. 1950 officially became regarded as "free of charge". After the war, made a number of publications which called Hitler solely responsible for the defeat of Germany in the war. Published its "War Diary" (in 3 volumes), which contains a wealth of factual material about the actions of the Wehrmacht in 1939-42. In 1950 headed was created in Germany "Working headquarters Halder, who developed a" plan of ", which foresees the creation of armed forces of Germany. Since 1950, expert with the federal government, while until 1959 he worked in the historic management of the U.S. Army. Since 1959, a senior consultant with the group of historical ties of the U.S. Army. In June 1961 Halder graduated comments to his own diary, retired. In November 1961 awarded the highest award the U.S., rewarding foreign civil servants.