Leeb Wilhelm Joseph Franz von (Leeb)

Leeb, Wilhelm Joseph Franz von (Leeb), (1876-1956), Field-Marshal Germanic army. Born September 5, 1876 in Landsberg am Lech, Bavaria, in a family of military. In 1895, von Leeb joined in the 4 th Bavarian Field Artillery Regiment. Receiving officer's rank, and in 1900 participated in the fighting in China. After graduating in 1903, the Bavarian military academy, served in the General Staff. During the 1-st World War II, von Leeb commanded the 11 th Bavarian Infantry Division, took part in battles on the Western Front, as well as in Galicia, Serbia and Romania. For exceptional personal bravery in 1916 he was awarded the Bavarian Order of Max Joseph and the title of knight (Ritter). After the war, served as head of the department in the Ministry of Defense. In 1920, von Leeb was appointed Chief of Staff of the 7 th Military District. In 1926 with the rank of colonel, he became commander of the 7 th Artillery Regiment, stationed in Nuremberg, then commanded the 7 th Infantry Division in Munich. In 1930, von Leeb, already a lieutenant general, was commander of the 7 th Military District.
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. As an officer of the old school, honest and uncompromising, a man of high moral principles, to the same religious, von Leeb, after the Nazis came to power openly expressed hostility to the new regime and its leaders
. He refused to attend dinners, arranged by Alfred Rosenberg, on the sole ground that he was an atheist. Hitler, who called von Leeb "incorrigible anti-fascist", set upon him secret surveillance by the Gestapo. However, von Leeb, being a man of common sense, do not enter into any group of conspirators and conspirators, although it criticized the Nazi program of militarization of the country. His anti-Nazi sentiments did not prevent him to take in late 1933 as commander 2 nd Army Group, stationed in Kassel. As a specialist in defense activities, . Von Leeb was published in 1938 book "Defense", . withstood several editions and translated into foreign languages, . including Russian (it was used in creating the Red Army, Army Field Manual).,
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. In February 1938, Hitler undertook cleansing high command of the armed forces and retired number did not support the Nazi ideology of the generals, including von Leeb
. By assigning him the honorary title of General of the Army, von Leeb against his will May 1, 1938 was sent to the reserve. Repeatedly he was called up for service on the eve of the Munich Agreement of 1938, he was appointed commander of the 12 th Army, which participated in the occupation of the Sudetenland.
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. Shortly thereafter, von Leeb was again out of work, but as the 2-nd World War, it again called for service on the position of commander of Army Group "C" on the Western Front
. Von Leeb openly protested against the occupation of France and the fall of 1939 wrote a "Memorandum on the prospects and significance of the attack on France and England," which predicted that in case of aggression the whole world turned against Germany. Left unanswered memorandum, . lack of support from other senior military and the soldier's sense of duty compelled von Leeb aside thoughts of retirement and take part in the French campaign, . for which he is 19 July 1940 was awarded Fieldmarshal wand.,
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. During the invasion of the Soviet Union before the Army Group "C" (renamed the Army Group "North") has been tasked to destroy the main enemy forces in the Baltic region and capture Leningrad
. Although, . that the disposal of von Leeb was only 16 divisions, . of which only three were armored and three motorized, . which opposed to 30 Soviet divisions, . had offered stubborn resistance, . the beginning of September 1941 he managed to get closer to Leningrad for a distance artillery range and virtually encircle the city,
. While, . when 6-Panzer, . breaking through Pulkovo Heights, . came to the outskirts of the city, . and 126 Infantry Division took Schlisselburg, . cutting off all the approaches to Leningrad from the land, . and von Leeb was preparing for final assault, . unexpectedly Sept. 12, 1941 came Hitler's orders not to storm Leningrad.,
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. Instead, von Leeb was ordered to begin the siege of the city, and freed the tank and motorized divisions transfer to the Army Group Center, advancing on Moscow
. Despite the categorical protest von Leeb, Hitler stood his ground, which was a result of one of his greatest blunders in the war. After fierce battles for Tihvin in November 1941, where only one 18-Motorized Division von Leeb had lost in killed more than 9 thousand. man, and began in mid-December, the Soviet counter-offensive, von Leeb was aloud to speculate about whether Hitler was a secret ally of Stalin in the fight against Germanic army. These statements, as well as protests against von Leeb massacres committed by the SS and SD of the civilian Soviet population, served as the reason for his resignation (16 January 1942). At the end of the war, von Leeb was arrested by the Allies and in October 1948 as a war criminal was sentenced to 3 years in prison. Von Leeb died April 29, 1956 in Schwangau, Bavaria, at age 79.