Branch: Heer
Born: 5 September 1876 in Upper Bavaria near Landsberg,
Germany.
Died: 29 April 1956 in Füssen, Germany.
Ranks:
Generalfeldmarschall 19 July
1940
Generaloberst 1 November 1939
General der Infanterie 1 January
1934
Generalleutnant 1 December 1929
Generalmajor 1 February 1929
Oberst 1 February 1925
Oberstleutnant 28 December 1920
Major 19 May 1916
Hauptmann 7 March 1912
Oberleutnant 13 May 1905
Leutnant 3 March 1896
Fähnrich 18 January 1896
Decorations:
Iron Cross 1914
2nd Class
1st Class
Knight's Cross of the House Order of Hohenzollern
Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Max Joseph
Hanseatic Cross of Hamburg
Hanseatic Cross of Bremen
Eiserner Halbmond
Cross of Honor
Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung 4th to 1st Class
Sudetenland Medal with Prague Castle Bar
Iron Cross 1939
2nd Class
1st Class
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 24 June 1940
Commands:
Other: Personnel
Articles:
Wilhelm Josef Franz Ritter von Leeb became a German Generalfeldmarschall
during the Second World War. Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb was born
in Upper Bavaria near Landsberg, Germany, Wilhelm Ritter von
Leeb joined the Bavarian Army in 1895 as an officer cadet.
And after being commissioned a Lieutenant of artillery, Wilhelm
Ritter von Leeb served in China during the Boxer Rebellion.
Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb later attended the Bavarian War Academy
in Munich 1907 to 1909 and served on the General Staff in
Berlin, Germany 1909 to 1911. Promoted to Hauptmann, Wilhelm
Ritter von Leeb served as a artillery battery commander in
the Bavarian 10th Field Artillery Regiment at Erlangen 1912
to 1913.
Once the second world war had started, Wilhelm Ritter von
Leeb was already stationed with the General Staff of the Bavarian
I Corps, Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb then served with the Bavarian
11th Infantry Division. Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb was promoted
to major, Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb was transferred to the Eastern
Front in the summertime of 1916. The following year, Wilhelm
Ritter von Leeb was appointed to the staff of Crown Prince
Rupprecht of Bavaria. On 29 May 1916, for his military accomplishments
on May 2, 1915, Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb received the Knight's
Cross of the Military Order of Max Joseph. This was the Bavarian
equal of the Prussian Pour le Mérite, and its receipt
raised Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb to the ranks of aristocracy,
on 21 June 1916, Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb received a patent
of nobility, which changed his name by adding the title Ritter
and von to his name.
After the war, Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb stayed on in the Reichswehr,
the 100,000 strong army allowed under the Treaty of Versailles.
In 1923, Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb was involved in bringing
down the National Socialist Beer Hall Putsch. Before the rise
of
Adolf Hitler
and the National Socialist Party, Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb
commanded Wehrkreis VII, which covered Bavaria as a Generalleutnant.
Adolf Hitler
did not like Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb because he opposed the
National Socialist attitudes ,
Adolf
Hitler retired Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb in 1938 after promoting
him to the rank of Generaloberst. But Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb
was called back to duty in July of the same year and made
commandant of the 12. Armee, which took part in the occupation
of the Sudetenland. Subsequently, Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb
was retired again.
In the summertime of 1939, Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb was again
recalled into service and given command of Heeresgruppe C
(Army Group C). Prior to the Battle of France, Wilhelm Ritter
von Leeb was the only German general to oppose the offensive
through the low countries, especially Kingdom of Belgium,
on ethical grounds. Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb wrote, The whole
world will turn against Germany, which for the 2nd time within
twenty-five years, attacks the neutral Kingdom of Belgium.
And Germany, whose authorities solemnly guaranteed for and
assured the conservation and respect for this neutrality only
a couple of weeks ago. During that battle, his troops broke
through around the Maginot Line area. Because of Wilhelm Ritter
von Leeb role in this victory, Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb was
promoted to the rank of Generalfeldmarschall in July 1940
and presented the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
Whilst having
Adolf
Hitler trust, Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb was assigned command
of Heeresgruppe Nord (Army Group North) and had responsibility for the northern
sector in Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Union
of Soviet Socialist Republics. Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb was
to destroy the Soviet Socialist Republics ground forces in
the Baltic area and capture all Soviet Socialist Republics
naval bases on the Baltic Sea. Whilst the invasion began on
June 22, 1941, Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb's ground forces met
with spectacular success against the overwhelmed Soviet Socialist
Republics ground forces. From the end of September, Wilhelm
Ritter von Leeb ground forces had advanced 900 kilometres
into the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and encircled
Leningrad, although Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb failed to capture
the Leningrad.
Because Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb an old school general, he
did not take well to having his command managed from afar
by
Adolf Hitler,
who he considered an armchair general. In January, 1942, Wilhelm
Ritter von Leeb asked
Adolf
Hitler to relieve him of his command, and
Adolf
Hitler complied. It was formally declared that Wilhelm
Ritter von Leeb had resigned due to sickness, not because
of his defeat. Generalfeldmarschall
Georg
von Küchler took over command of Heeresgruppe Nord (Army Group North),
and
Adolf Hitler
never engaged Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb again.
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