Wilhelm Keitel (Keitel)

Keitel, Wilhelm (Keitel), [Boudewijn Johannes] (1882-1946), General-Field Marshal Germanic army Chief of Staff of the High Command Armed Forces of Germany (RCC). Born September 22, 1882 in the estate Helmsherode, Brunswick. In 1901, he enlisted in the 46 th Field Artillery Regiment with the rank of fanenyunkera. August 18, 1902 he was awarded the rank of lieutenant, he attended a course instructor in the Artillery School in Yuterboge. In 1909, Keitel married Lisa Fontaine, the daughter of a wealthy owner of the estate and brewery. In 1910 he was promoted to Oberleutnant in 1914 - Hauptmann. During the 1-st World War Keitel participated in the battles in Belgium, was shot in the arm after treatment returned to his 46 th artillery regiment commander of the battery. In March 1915 he was appointed to the General Staff. After the 1-st World War, when the terms of the Treaty of Versailles 1919 Germanic general staff was disbanded, and the army reduced to 100 thousand. man and had only 4 thousand. officers, Keitel was included in the officer corps of the Weimar Republic, and three years served as an instructor of cavalry school in Hannover, and then was admitted to the headquarters of 6 th Artillery Regiment.

In 1923 he was awarded the rank of Major. In 1925-27 he served on the management of troops, is in fact a secret General Staff. Summer of 1931, Keitel in the Germanic military delegation visited the USSR in exchange program. In October 1933, Keitel was appointed commander of the 11 th Infantry Division in Potsdam. In July 1934 he was transferred to 12-th Infantry Division, stationed in Leibnitz, and October 1, 1934 he was appointed commander of 22 Infantry Division in Bremen. In August 1935, on the advice of the War Minister and close friend of Werner von Blomberg, Wilhelm Keitel accepted the appointment to the post of chief of the military and political control of the military ministry. Following the resignation of Blomberg and ground forces commander, General von Frichabylo created Wehrmacht High Command (RCC), and all power over the armed forces concentrated in the hands of Hitler. February 4, 1938, Hitler appointed Keitel, chief of staff of RCC. According to the memoirs of General Walter Warlimont, . Keitel was "sincerely convinced, . that his appointment instructing him to identify himself with the wishes and instructions of Commander in Chief [Hitler], even in cases, . when he was personally with them did not agree, . and honestly bring them to the attention of all subordinate ",
. Keitel created in RCC of three management: Operations Division, headed by Alfred Jodl, Abwehr, headed by Admiral Wilhelm Canaris and Economic Division, headed by Major General George Thomas. All three division led a bitter struggle with each other, with the number of problems and conflicts increased steadily. In November 1938, Keitel was awarded the rank of general, and July 19, 1940, after the fall of France, he became the General-Field Marshal. Trying to dissuade Hitler from invading the Soviet Union, Keitel was a memorandum addressed to the Fuhrer, which details to substantiate his objections, and even handed in his resignation.

. Keitel, Hitler gave a savage dressing down and said that he has the right to decide whom to keep as head of the RCC
. Since then Keitel absolutely obey the will of Hitler and began to blindly follow orders Fuehrer, for which he received in the environment generals nickname "Lakeytel". In March 1941 he signed the notorious "Commissar Order", under which all the political workers of the Red Army were to be unconditional physical destruction. In July 1941 the order of Keitel all power in the occupied territories in the East, passed under the jurisdiction of Reichsfuhrer SS Himmler, which was a prelude to genocide. December 7, 1941 for his signature came the order to kill people, "pose a threat to the security of the Reich" - "The darkness and fog". Despite its title, Keitel virtually no involvement in the design and implementation of a purely military operations, and was just an obedient tool in the hands of Hitler, is carried out by obliging Marshal own policy. After the failure of the July 1944 conspiracy Keitel directed the activities to eliminate participants assassinate Hitler in "officer of the court, issued orders for their arrest, without showing the slightest compassion. In the last days of the Third Reich, it is losing touch with reality and not realizing that the war was lost, Keitel unleashed brutal repression against the "terrorist enemy" - issued orders to destroy the guerrillas and saboteurs.

. May 8, 1945, Keitel in the presence of the Soviet Union signed an unconditional surrender of Germany
. Then he went to Flensburg-Myurvik, the headquarters of Karl Doenitz, where a few days later was arrested by British military police.

During the Nuremberg trials, Keitel, pleaded guilty in the fact that he obeyed the orders of Hitler. He was found guilty of crimes against humanity, against peace and in war crimes and sentenced to death. October 16, 1946 he was hanged at Nuremberg prison. His last words were: "Germany above all!"


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Keitel (Keitel) Wilhelm Bodevin Johann Gustav (22.09. 1882 Helmsherode, Brunswick - 16.10. 1946, Nuremberg), military leader, General-Field Marshal (19.07. 1940). In 1901 fanenyunkerom enrolled in the 46 th Artillery Regiment, in 1902 as a lieutenant. He graduated from the school of artillery instructors (Yuteborg), and in 1914 courses reserve officers of the General Staff. Since 1908 the regimental adjutant. Uchastik 1-st world war, fought on the Western Front. From 1915, the battery commander of his regiment. In March 1915 transferred to the General Staff headquarters in the 15 th Reserve Corps. In December 1917, was appointed to the Great General Staff (Berlin). From 21.12. 1917 Operations Chief of Staff of the Marine Corps in Flanders. After the demobilization of the army, as captain, was left to serve in the Reichswehr. In the 1919-22 school instructor of cavalry, then - in the headquarters of 6 th Artillery Regiment. From 01.02. 1925 he served in the organizational management of Ministry of Defense under that name was hiding the General Staff, who have been banned in Germany by the Versailles Peace Treaty. 01.11. 1927 commander of the 2 nd Division 6 th Artillery Regiment. 01.10. 1929 Keitel returned to the General Staff Chief of the Organizational Management of Ministry of Defense. 1931 sovschil trip to the USSR. After coming to power A. Hitler's General Blomberg, patronized Keitel, was appointed military Mystra. 13.07. 1933 in Bad Reyhenhalle Keitel first met with Hitler and had in October 1933 was appointed commander of the infantry 3 Infantry Division, as well as compounds division in Potsdam.

In July 1934 the Reichswehr was significantly increased and Keitel was given command of the newly created 12-Infantry Division (Leibniz). 01.10. 1934 again held the reform of the armed forces and Keitel was also the commander of a completely new 22-th Infantry Division. 01.10. 1935 he succeeded General In. von Reichenau in office Nalchik military command and control - the main guiding strury Military Ministry. Together with its closest moschnikom A. Jodl, Keitel began to prepare the reorganization of command of the army to achieve unification of the leadership of all arms in one structure. In January 1939 the son of Keitel's daughter zhilsya Blomberg. 04.02. 1938 was held on the transformation rukovodyashih organon Army: Hitler took the post of Supreme Commander, and was created OKW (EDB), through which the Fuhrer has been managing the armed forces. OKB was appointed Chief Keitel. Keitel was unconditionally loyal to Hitler, who trust. However, RCC does not become the supreme governing body of the armed forces, as planned, Keitel, and soon turned into a military office of Hitler. The only operation that was planned and carried RCC, became the occupation of Norway. All the same field work was concentrated in the Army General Staff. Actively opposed the war with the USSR. After a sharp conversation with Hitler, Keitel demanded the resignation, but was refused.

After that, he had never joined in the altercation with the Fuhrer. After the outbreak of hostilities on the Soviet-front control over them was transferred to the General Staff, and for RCC by any other secondary theaters. In fact, this was only the front of Africa, where E. Rommel is not particularly consider the opinion of RCC. Keitel has signed a so-called. "Order of the Commissioner, in which all captured political workers of the Red Army were subject to immediate destruction. 07.12. 1941 Keitel signed an order "Darkness and fog. In 1943, together with M. Bormann and T. Lammers was a so-called. "The Committee of Three", through which Hitler came absolutely all reports. During the assassination attempt on Hitler 20/07/1944 Keitel was with him. When the explosion occurred, Keitel, coming to himself rushed to Hitler with the words: "My Fuhrer!" You're alive? " Then Keitel, more friendly with Hitler. Decisive and brutal measures to suppress the statements of conspirators, authorizing the arrest of about 7 thousand. officers. He was one of the initiators of suicide Rommel. After Hitler's death, the duties of chief of RCC was transferred Jodl. Nevertheless, it was Keitel 08.05. 1945 signed the capitulation of Germany. Arrested in Flensburg-Myurvike together with members of the Government to. Doenitz. As the chief war criminals be brought before the court of the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg. Pleaded guilty to that carried out the orders of Hitler, while honestly answered the questions the court. Keitel was found guilty of crimes against peace, against humanity and war crimes and sentenced to death. Hanged.