Gerd von Rundstedt Biography

Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt was a German field marshal in the ‘Wehrmacht,’ the unified armed forces of ‘Nazi’ Germany, at the time of the Second World War. Widely considered one of the most-skilled German generals of the Second World War, Rundstedt’s military career spanned over half a century. He served mainly as a staff officer during the First World War. Following the war, he continued to serve the army and remained active in the secret rearmament of Germany. He eventually became colonel general (Generaloberst) and retired in 1938. At the outbreak of the Second World War, during the invasion of Poland, Rundstedt was recalled as the commander of ‘Army Group South.’ The Battle of France saw him commanding ‘Army Group A.’ During the Battle of Dunkirk, he made the ‘Halt Order’ request. In 1940, he was elevated to the position of field marshal. He was in command of ‘Army Group South’ during the invasion of the Soviet Union that witnessed the largest encirclement in warfare history during the Battle of Kiev. He was dismissed after the German defeat in Normandy in July 1944. However, he was recalled as the commander-in-chief in the West in September and held the post until his final dismissal by Adolf Hitler in March 1945. Although he knew about the anti-Hitler plots within Germany, he never participated in them.