Bookstore glossary library links news publications timeline virtual israel experience. It was not with law books that he himself had smashed. The traditionally conservative prussian officer wilhelm keitel would practice the same unquestioning obedience towards adolf hitler the supreme authority of nazi germanys fuehrer state. His father, kaiser frederick iii, reigned only 99 days, dying of cancer. Wilhelm bodewin johann gustav keitel september 22, 1882 october 16, 1946 was a german field marshal generalfeldmarschall and a senior military leader during world war ii. Keitel wrote these memoirs while awaiting execution as a war criminal. Most of the case against him was based on his signature being present on dozens of orders that called for soldiers and political prisoners to be killed or. The son of generalfeldmarschall wilhelm keitel axis.
He signed all of hitlers more questionable orders but the latter never once. Most of the case against him was based on his signature being present on. On march, 1941, keitel signed the plan for operation barbarossa. Keitel entered the army in 1901, fought in world war i 191418, and later served in the reichswehr. He joined the german army and in 1902 became a second leutnant in the 46 th field artillery regiment. These extraordinary memoirswritten by german fieldmarshal wilhelm keitel in the six weeks before he was hanged in nuremberg for war crimesoffers. Keitel, wilhelm bodewin johann gustav ww2 gravestone.
Keitel, signing the ratified surrender terms for the german army in berlin, 89 may 1945. Found guilty of war crimes at nuremberg, sentenced to death and hanged. Field marshal keitel signs the unconditional surrender act. Marshal keitel signs the ratification of unconditional surrender in berlin. Wilhelm keitel simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Keitel, wilhelm, born on 22091882 in helmscherode, the son of a landowner carl keitel and mrs. Hitlers jewish soldiers the untold story of nazi racial laws and men of jewish descent in the german military by bryan mark rigg contrary to conventional views, rigg reveals that a startlingly large number of german military men were classified by the nazis as jews or partialjews mischlinge, in the wake of racial laws first enacted in the mid1930s. We would like to thank the crown and goodman family and the abe and ida cooper foundation for supporting the ongoing work to create content and resources for the holocaust encyclopedia. Wilhelm bodewin johann gustav keitel 22 september 1882 16 october 1946 wis a german field marshal generalfeldmarschall. It was keitel who signed the instrument of unconditional surrender following hitlers suicide. Wilhelm keitel german field marshal general wilhelm keitel 18821946, adolf hitler 1s senior military advisor during world war ii 2, was the individual who personally conducted the armistice agreement with the french. At the nurenberg, wilhelm keitel stood trial as a major war criminal, but he still maintained his unswerving loyalty to the now dead hitler.
The download file is a compressed pdf file 1mbinstructions. In 1901, he joined the prussian army as an artillery officer. The signature of the armistice with france, in the forest of compiegne on june 22, 1940. Wilhelm keitel wrote his memoirs in the six weeks before he was hanged. At the international military tribunal, keitel was sentenced to. No, i do not remember a single instance in which i signed acting for. In 1901, he enlisted in the 46 th field artillery regiment with the rank of fanenyunkera. It was founded by henry ford and incorporated on june 16, 1903. Genealogy for hans georg keitel 1919 1941 family tree on geni, with over 200 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. In 1934 he became closely associated with the fascists and advanced rapidly in military service.
Three of the 19 camp guards tried and convicted by a general military court at dachau separate from the nuremberg one for atrocities committed at mauthasen await execution by hanging at. Nicholas ii or nikolai ii, known as saint nicholas in the russian orthodox church, was the last emperor of russia, ruling from 1 november 1894 until his forced abdication on 15 march 1917. Keitel has a mustache and is wearing military dress. One of adolf hitlers most loyal and trusted lieutenants, he became chief of the fuhrer. Wilhelm keitel was one of adolf hitlers leading generals in world war two. This is a 1939 original copy of mein kampf by adolf hitler that has been signed by him on the main title page and known as the jubilee edition marking the 50th birthday of adolf hitler. He was a senior nazi general who enjoyed adolf hitlers favour. Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1. These extraordinary memoirswritten by german fieldmarshal wilhelm keitel 18821946 in the six weeks before he was hung in nuremberg for war crimesoffers readers an unparalleled insiders view of the blitzkrieg against poland, the conquest of france, and the brutal campaign against the soviet union. After aiding hitler with his rearmament plans, keitel was named head of the wehrmacht office in the armed forces ministry on october 1, 1935.
Lisa keitel fontaine 1887 1959 billiongraves record. In this capacity he oversaw the invasion and occupation of most of mainland europe. Wilhelm keitel was born as the son of an estate owner in 1882. A hoffman postcard featuring generalfeldmarschall wilhelm keitel in an official heinrich hoffman studio portrait. Keitel rises rapidly through the ranks owing to his outstanding talent for organizational and tactical duties, but lacks any inner sovereignty of. German field marshal general wilhelm keitel 18821946, adolf hitlers senior military advisor during world war ii, was the individual who personally conducted the armistice agreement with the french. Oct 9, 2015 major ernstwilhelm keitel, was captured by the soviets at the end of world war ii. This is an apolitical forum for discussions on the axis nations and related topics hosted by the axis history factbook in cooperation with christian ankerstjernes panzerworld and christoph awenders ww2 day by day. Portrait of wilhelm keitel taken from the chest up. May 12, 2011 marshal keitel signs the ratification of unconditional surrender in berlin.
Lisa keitel fontaine was 29 years old when tsar nicholas ii of russia was forced to abdicate in the february revolution, ending three centuries of romanov rule. This document is an american questionnaire on the german plans to counterattack the allies after the normandy landing. Wilhelm keitel in the rank of generalfeldmarschall in 1940. Keitel played an instrumental part in the whole of the war and paid the price for this role when he was sentenced to death at the nuremberg war crime trials. Media in category wilhelm keitel the following 4 files are in this category, out of 4 total. Hansgeorg hermann wilhelm felix keitel in myheritage family trees zeissig family web site hans georg hermann wilhelm felix keitel in myheritage family trees zeissig family web site. Wilhelm keitel autograph autograph document signed. David irvings translation of the memoirs of field marshal keitel chief of the german high command free download. In this capacity, keitel signed a number of criminal orders and directives that led to a war of unprecedented brutality and criminality. Wilhelm keitel author of the memoirs of fieldmarshal. The signature of field marshal wilhelm keitel on postcard 14. The memoirs of fieldmarshal keitel by fieldmarshal wilhelm. It is tragic to have to realize that the best i had to give as a soldier, obedience, and loyalty, was exploited for purposes which could not be recognized at the time, and that i did not see that there is a limit set even for a soldiers performance to his.
The download file is a compressed pdf file 1mb instructions. Autograph note signed, nuremberg, no date but april 1946, to attorney at law dr. Wilhelm keitel is the author of the memoirs of fieldmarshal wilhelm keitel 3. Finally, we called jointly on hitler with it and he signed the order shortly before that. Find the perfect general wilhelm keitel stock photo. Wilhelm bodewin johann gustav keitel 22 september 1882 16 october 1946 was a. Ion antonescu and adolf hitler at munich, germany, 10 jun 1941. Eyewitness account of executions of nazi war criminals at. He was chief of the german armed forces high command. Chief of the german high command, 19381945 0683865010720. He was the only top commander who held his position throughout the war.
This special edition is also about 50% larger in size than the standard editions and sword and title in gilt on front board, top edge gilt with gilt title on red leather. Wilhelm keitel was born on september 22, 1882 in helmscherode, germany as wilhelm bodewin johann gustav keitel. Wilhelm keitel was born on 22 september 1882 in helmscherode close to hanover. If the fight against the partisans is not waged with the most brutal means, we will shortly reach the point where the available forces are insufficient to control the area. May 30, 2009 april 36,1946 saw the testimony of defendant wilhelm keitel, chief of the high command of the armed forces okw. It was not with law books that he himself had smashed the. Wilhelm bodewin johann gustav keitel 22 september 1882 16 october 1946. Born september 22, 1882 in the estate helmsherode, brunswick. Wilhelm keitel 18821946 german field marshal and supreme commander of the armed forces. Like many other officers, keitel comes to believe in hitlers genius and infalliblity when time and again the greatest general of all time keitel s words proves the pessimists of the general staff wrong with his conquests of austria, the sudetenland, the rest of czechoslovakia, poland, denmark, norway, the low countries, and above all france. I have to see document number 2718 ps because i want to find out about the author of this nonsense. Excerpt from the memoirs of fieldmarshal keitel page 52 by wilhelm keitel 1966. At the allied court at nuremberg, he was tried, sentenced to death, and. Keitel was born on september 22nd 1882 near hanover.
He was one of the 24 accused of the nuremberg trials and hanged in 1946. Nice crisp and clean card with just some yellowing from age and a signature with good contrast. The american colonel directing the executions asked the american general representing the united states on the allied control commission if. Sep 12, 2000 field marshal wilhelm keitel remained at the head of okw from 1938 until the end of world war ii in 1945. The international military tribunal rejected keitels defense that he was following orders in conformity to the leadership. Wilhelm keitel was born near bad gandersheim in what is today the state of lower saxony, germany, on september 22, 1882. Born in 1882, keitel signed up with the army in 1901 as a cadet officer. Hans georg hermann wilhelm felix keitel in myheritage family trees zeissig family web site hansgeorg hermann wilhelm felix keitel in myheritage family trees zeissig family web site. The son of generalfeldmarschall wilhelm keitel axis history. The memoirs of field marshal keitel chief of the german high command free download. At the international military tribunal, keitel was sentenced to death. Wilhelm keitel was he mistreated during his execution. Wilhelm keitel married lisa fontaine in april 1909 three sons karlheinz, ernstwilhelm, hansgeorg and three daughters, one of whom died early from an incurable disease nona and erika.
Wilhelm keitel enters the courtroom during the nuremberg. Field marshal keitel signs the unconditional surrender act as allies take over a ruined germany during world war ii. Keitel, wilhelm keitel, boudewijn johannes 18821946, generalfield marshal germanic army chief of staff of the high command armed forces of germany rcc. The production of this document disturbed keitel who wanted to avoid being associated with it. Wilhelm keitel, born september 22, 1882, helmscherode now in bad gandersheim, germanydied october 16, 1946, nurnberg, field marshal and head of the german armed forces high command during world war ii.
Keitel was the chief commander of the german armed forces for the entirety of world war ii, serving from 1938 to 1945. Kaiser wilhelm ii was born friedrich wilhelm viktor albert in potsdam, germany in 1859, and succeeded his father as emperor of germany and king of prussia in 1888. Statement of nuremberg defendant wilhelm keitel, aug. Wilhelm was born with a withered left arm that was kept from the public much in the same way as was fdrs polio. He was eventually convicted for crimes against humanity at the nuremberg trials and subsequently hung as a war criminal in late 1946. April 36,1946 saw the testimony of defendant wilhelm keitel, chief of the high command of the armed forces okw. Field marshal wilhelm keitel remained at the head of okw from 1938 until the end of world war ii in 1945. The letters also showed something of the nature of interaction with defendants, perceptions of the ongoing trials of nazis, consideration of the other prosecutors, including the russians, and, surprisingly, regular discussions between thomas dodd and two particular nuremberg defendants, field marshal wilhelm keitel found guilty and executed and hitlers reich vice chancellor to 1934, franz. Shop for vinyl, cds and more from wilhelm keitel at the discogs marketplace.
Keitel was one of three german signatories to the final surrender of germany in the ruins of berlin on may 8, 1945. Wilhelm keitel article about wilhelm keitel by the free. This fight has nothing to do with soldierly gallantry or principles of the geneva convention. The memoirs of fieldmarshal wilhelm keitel by wilhelm keitel. The american colonel directing the executions asked the american general representing the united states on the allied control commission if those present could smoke. Wilhelm keitel was given the death sentence at the nuremberg trials for his role in world war two.
Wilhelm keitel 18821946 was the chief of staff of the high command of the armed forces. Mar 31, 2020 wilhelm keitel, born september 22, 1882, helmscherode now in bad gandersheim, germanydied october 16, 1946, nurnberg, field marshal and head of the german armed forces high command during world war ii. Oct 9, 2015 major ernst wilhelm keitel, was captured by the soviets at the end of world war ii. Ford motor company is an american multinational automaker headquartered in dearborn, michigan, a suburb of detroit.
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