The vehicles under his command took over Poland, almost reached Moscow, and yet his name is not on the list of war criminals.
Early career and World War I
Heinz Guderian was born on June 17, 1888 in the small town of Kulm in West Prussia, in what is now Poland. His father was a professional military man, although he rose only to the small rank of lieutenant in reserve.
The family upbringing of the future general was far from militaristic, but the question of choosing a future life path he did not stand - it was a military career. After graduating from the cadet school, Guderian served as a fenrich (candidate officer) in his father's regiment. At the military academy, where he entered in 1913, he proved himself to be a capable young officer with a keen interest in technology.
To the first world war served as a radio telegraph operator - in a specialty that was at the very edge of the technical progress of that time. He repeatedly had to fly airplanes and balloons, observing the enemy fortifications. Who knows, perhaps it was then, when analyzing the tactics of positional warfare, that Guderian came up with a plan for combat operations of the future, fast and maneuverable.
Show in Kummersdorf and the creation of armored forces
After the end of the First World War, Heinz Guderian continued to serve in the Reichswehr, where he took up the problem of creating motorized formations. Of course, Germany could not have any tanks in the interwar period - the terms of the Versailles Peace Accords forbade it to develop and purchase any armored vehicles.
However, Guderian believed in the new kind technology, proved to skeptics the fundamental role of tanks in future wars and, in the absence of them, worked out tactics of maneuvering actions with the units entrusted to him, using what was - trucks and tractors.
With the rise of the Nazis, the terms of the World War I peace agreements faded into the background, and Guderian realized that it was time to act. He arranged a show at the training ground in Kummersdorf, which demonstrated the capabilities of mechanized troops. Hitler was delighted with what he saw, and in 1935 it was decided to create the first three German tank divisions. Guderian took command of one of them, and subsequently of all the tank forces.
At the same time, he continued theoretical developments in the field of tactics and strategy. In 1937, his fundamental essay “Armored Forces and Their Interaction with Other Arms” was published, in the same year a much shorter brochure was published, designed for a wide readership - “Attention, tanks!”. One laconic quote can be cited from it, describing Guderian's views on the actions of a new kind of troops: "The engine of a tank is his weapon as much as his gun."
Beginning of World War II
During the Polish campaign in 1939 Hanz Guderian commanded a mechanized corps. Despite the weakness and unreliability of the Pz.I and Pz.II tanks participating in this operation, the whole world saw the effectiveness new technology during fast, maneuverable actions in close cooperation with aviation.
Poland fell in a matter of weeks. During the invasion of France, Guderian's corps passed through the Ardennes mountains, which were considered inaccessible to tanks. He successfully used blitzkrieg tactics, quickly breaking through behind enemy lines and ruining his communications.
For this campaign, Guderian received his last promotion and became a colonel general, the rank of field marshal idol German tankers never received it. Perhaps because even then, at the very beginning of the war, he showed himself as a wayward and quick-tempered commander, who allowed himself to be challenged and violated the orders of his superiors and even the Fuhrer himself.
During the attack on Moscow in 1941, the offensive plan was changed by Hitler - a decisive attack on the capital of the USSR took place in October. In cold and off-road conditions, the tanks performed poorly, the operation failed, and Guderian lost his post. In his memoirs, he himself blamed the Fuhrer: "We suffered a bitter defeat ... thanks to the stupid position of our High Command."
Subsequently, this resignation played into the hands of Guderian during the Nuremberg trials. Until the end of the war, "Fast Heinz" worked in staff positions in Berlin and was not included in the list of war criminals.
"About yourself with a kind word"
Heinz Guderian was not involved in the 1944 conspiracy against Hitler, although he probably knew about him. Immediately after the failure of the assassination attempt, Hitler appointed him Chief of the General Staff - an honorary but formal post. After another attempt at a dispute with the Fuhrer, Guderian was dismissed from this position as well. In 1945 he was taken prisoner by the Americans.
He participated in the Nuremberg trials only as a witness - to prove his direct involvement in war crimes on Eastern Front failed. In 1948 he was released and until his death in 1954 he was engaged in writing memoirs "Memoirs of a Soldier" - a somewhat embellished autobiography. In this book, Heinz Guderian presents himself as an honest officer, loyal both to military duty and honor, and to the ideals of National Socialism, which the majority of mankind considers criminal.
28.09.2007 15:02
The Germans didn't invent the tank. But they were the first to organize effective tank troops, came up with the theory of their use and applied them. The most famous theorist and practitioner of the use of tanks was Heinz Wilhelm Guderian, who was called "fast Heinz" and "Heinz the hurricane."
Career
Heinz Guderian was born on June 17, 1888 in the town of Kulm near the Vistula River, south of Gdansk (Poland). At that time it was the border region of West Prussia with Germany. Now it is a town called Szhelmno in Poland. From 1901 to 1907, the young Guderian studied at several military schools, and then at the Berlin Military Academy. At that time, he was assigned with the rank of ensign to the tenth Jaeger battalion, commanded by his father. After successfully completing the military school in Metz (which at that time belonged to the Germans) in 1908, Guderian was awarded the rank of second lieutenant, and he returned to his tenth chasseur. In 1911, Guderian began an affair with Margaret Gerne, but his father felt that Heinz was still too young to marry and sent his son with special instructions to the third telegraph battalion. After completing the course in 1903, Guderian married Margaret. They had two sons, both of whom fought in the Second World War in the German tank units. The younger, Heinz Günther, later rose to the rank of major general in the Bundeswehr.
Prior to the First World War, Guderian was seconded to the Berlin Military Academy for training as a staff officer, as he showed outstanding ability. In November 1914, he became first lieutenant, and a year later - captain. During the First World War, Guderian held various positions and participated in many battles: the failure at the Marne, the massacre at Verdun, although he himself did not command combat units. However, he was awarded the Iron Crosses 2nd and 1st Class. In early 1918, Guderian passed a special "Sedan" test, during which he showed his ability to solve tactical problems in unusual situations, which made a great impression on his instructors. He successfully passed the exams for the rank of officer of the Headquarters of the High Command (he became the youngest staff officer). After the war, he was admitted to the Reichswehr, which then, due to the restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles, numbered only 100,000 people, and only the best could get there. Guderian began writing regulations for motorized units, and was commander of various motorized units. These were just supply units equipped with trucks and motorcycles. In 1927 he was promoted to the rank of Major.
Guderian always tried to find as much material as possible on the use of motorized units in military operations. He talked with knowledgeable French and English officers, translated the works of Captain Liddell Hart (who later became an excellent historian) and Major General Fuller. When Guderian installed wooden turrets armed with guns on some of his trucks and successfully maneuvered such pseudo-tanks in exercises, his superiors initially forbade him from doing so. In 1929, Guderian traveled to Sweden to visit the Swedish tank battalions equipped with STRV m/21 and m/21-29 tanks (Swedish versions of the German LK II tank). He also visited a secret tank test site in Kazan, in the USSR (at that time, under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was forbidden to develop its own tanks), where he met some Soviet officers who later became his mortal enemies. At that time, Guderian was the commander-inspector of all motorized units of the Reichswehr, and also taught the tactics of motorized units in Berlin. In February 1931, Guderian was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel (lieutenant colonel), and two years later to colonel. He completed the drafting of the charter for motorized combat units and assisted in solving technical problems on the first tanks built.
When Adolf Hitler came to power, he attended military maneuvers and saw several of Guderian's small Panzer Is on the "battlefield". Hitler was delighted. Officially ignoring the Treaty of Versailles and establishing military duty, Hitler ordered the formation of three panzer divisions. Guderian, who then had excellent relations with Hitler, was appointed commander of the 2nd Panzer Division and, a short time later, he was promoted to major general. Not later than a year and a half later, Guderian becomes a lieutenant general and receives the 16th Army Corps under his command. He led the Anschluss with Austria and the invasion of Czechoslovakia. Ten months later, Guderian became a full general in the armored forces and received the most important position in his life, which changed the course of history. He became commander of the mobile troops. This meant that he became responsible for recruiting, training, tactics and equipment in all motorized and armored units of the Wehrmacht. Now he could fully realize his potential, unique and extensive knowledge, to make the German panzer divisions the most important tool in the coming war.
During the invasion of Poland, Guderian commanded the 19th Army Corps and was again awarded Iron Crosses second and first degree, and then the Knight's Cross. During the invasion of France, Guderian made the strategy of blitzkrieg a reality. Completely disobeying the orders of the headquarters, he inexorably pushed his tanks forward and forward, while the crews had enough fuel and strength, wreaking havoc far beyond the expected front line, blocking communications, capturing entire French headquarters, who naively believed that the German troops were still are located on the western bank of the Meuse River, thus leaving the French units without command.
The defeat of the French army was not due solely to the superiority of the German tanks. Only one type of German tank, the Panzer IV, armed with a 75mm gun, could compete with the French Char B heavy tanks, while the rest of the Panzer I, II and III were either outdated or underpowered. There were several other reasons for the success of German tank weapons, for example, each German tank was equipped with a walkie-talkie, which in combat conditions helped in coordinating hostilities and made it possible to quickly and easily send tank forces to where they were most needed at that moment. In addition, all tanks participated in the fighting as part of complete independent units and were not assigned to infantry units. Last but not least, all tank units were under the command of officers who were trained and trained by the creator of the German armored forces - Heinz Wilhelm Guderian. After reaching the English Channel, Guderian's tank group was formed, which penetrated deep into French territory, breaking through the giant Maginot Line. Since that time, each piece of equipment included in the Guderian tank group had a special identification mark - a large letter "G".
Before the invasion of the USSR, Guderian received the rank of colonel general, he was only one step away from the rank of field marshal. At the same time, he became commander of the 2nd Panzer Group, later reorganized into the 2nd Panzer Army. In the first stages of the invasion of the USSR, Guderian received "oak leaves" to the Knight's Cross. Later, due to disagreements with his superior, Field Marshal von Kluge, who constantly tried to oppose the advancement of Guderian's career, and due to the removal of his tanks from a dangerous position against orders, he was removed from command. In February 1943 (after Stalingrad), Guderian was again called up to the position of Chief Inspector of the Armored Forces and again became responsible for the modernization of the armored units. He quickly installed a good relationship with Albert Speer, Minister of Armaments and Supply, and mutual efforts, they dramatically increased the number of tanks produced per month. Also, many changes were made to the design of the tanks personally by Guderian, who often visited factories, shooting ranges and test sites with inspections. After the failed assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler, in July 1944, Guderian also became chief of staff of the armed forces - a position that at that time was nominal, since Hitler personally made decisions in management armed forces. In March 1945, after a heated argument with Hitler, Guderian was removed from his new position.
Consequences
Heinz Guderian was taken prisoner by American troops in May 1945 and became a prisoner of war. The creator of the German tank forces had many reasons to especially fear for his fate. Many considered him one of the most pro-Nazi generals. In addition, Poland demanded the extradition of Guderian as a war criminal: he was considered responsible for the actions of the German armed forces that suppressed the Warsaw Uprising in 1944. However, Guderian was helped " cold war": the Americans could not let a military specialist of this level into Stalin's zone of influence. He was sent to Nuremberg, but was not on trial. In 1946, Guderian was imprisoned in Allendorf, and then in Neustadt. But in 1948 he was released In subsequent years, he published his memoirs and some other works, actively advocated the restoration of pre-war European borders and the military power of post-war Germany. last years In his lifetime he was one of the leaders of the extreme right forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. But his revanchist positions were condemned by the entire democratic community of the country. Guderian died on May 14, 1954 in Schwangau, Bavaria, exactly 14 years after his decisive crossing of the Meuse near Sedan.
Character
When Heinz Guderian was a boy and a cadet, teachers spoke of him as "always serious" or "very serious" person. Guderian soon showed the ability to speak briefly and succinctly, and when he wished, it was cold and harsh. In this regard, he was equally popular and repulsive. Guderian had no friends until the period when he began his officer's career. When his divisional commander misbehaved during an exercise, Guderian wrote a pejorative report about it that could have been the end of his career. But a little later, the division commander realized his shame in an imperceptible retreat. Many times Guderian's hot temperament brought him trouble, but each time the authorities stood up for him, who saw in the young officer outstanding commanding abilities, but a complete inability to control his temperament.
Later, Guderian many times disobeyed the direct orders of his superiors. The authorities often tried to slow down the fearless advance of Guderian's tank flanks, to push forward the infantry, which simply could not keep up with the tanks. This was a tactical mistake by the higher commanders, and Guderian understood this. Tank warfare knows no flanks. The German officers of the Wehrmacht did not have too friendly relations with each other. Each of them sought personal glory, and the young officers were more successful in this field. And that was another reason for the authorities to slow them down. There are many photographs of Guderian, as many officers from the Ministry of Propaganda followed him everywhere and took many pictures. Each photo showed a smiling Guderian surrounded by his soldiers. Guderian had a spectacular smile, she said: " Follow me and get the glory"However, in photographs with his superiors and at headquarters, Guderian rarely smiles. His soldiers and officers idolized the commander, since he was always with them at the very edge, and they knew what he knew. Guderian could drive, direct and fire any tank.His ability as a commander came not from recklessness and intuition, as in the case of Erwin Rommel, but from deep knowledge.He knew exactly how far each tank should go, and over what terrain, where he should slow down, Heinz Guderian knew all this for sure, since he was the creator, and the German armored forces were his creation.He was never fully appreciated by the German High Command.
Farewell to the dream
Lawyers dream of changing the world with the help of the law, warriors - with the help of the sword. Guderian wanted to change the world with a tank. And the world has changed. But not in the way the creator of the German tank forces saw it. German generals have shown that it is possible, skillfully using technology, to win quickly. But the "lightning war" did not always work out. The professional actions of the military were subordinated to adventurous political designs. The dream of technocratic militarists, who considered the dictator to be an instrument for the realization of their plans, did not come true.
From the Kargopol barracks to the tank institute
A neat metal fence along the Orenburg highway, a checkpoint with the inevitable military vehicles on pedestals, a stadium. Behind him are the old, they are already nine or a hundred years old, educational buildings. Before us is the Kazan branch of the Chelyabinsk Tank Institute. The language refuses to pronounce the wild phrase "tank institute", and therefore we will call it educational institution as the Kazanians used to call it: the Kazan Tank School.
In 1910, a new mobilization plan was adopted in Russia. In accordance with it, extensive barracks construction was launched and the schedule of troops was radically revised (as the scheme of their deployment was called). The 5th Kargopol Dragoon Regiment, according to this plan, was supposed to be
Stationed in Kazan, but there were no premises for him. Therefore, the barracks of the regiment, which later received the name Kargopolsky, were built at a feverish pace: it was not yet ready general plan barracks, and 26 buildings have already been erected. It was the Kargopol barracks that was destined to become the place where many famous military leaders of Nazi Germany studied. This place is also connected with the name of the most famous German tanker - General Heinz Guderian ... But everything is in order.
Pariahs of Europe - thoughts of revenge
After World War I, Germany and Soviet Russia became, in the words of the then British Prime Minister Lloyd George, "pariahs of Europe" and were in international isolation. German politicians, limited by the Versailles Treaty, almost immediately began to think about revenge. But for this, a strong, well-trained army and perfect weapons were needed, which Germany was strictly forbidden to have. And so, after lengthy negotiations in 1923, the German War Ministry created its own executive agency Center Moscow, which was headed by the famous pilot Colonel Hermann von der Lit-Thomsen. On October 2, 1926, this outstanding man, who died in Berlin in 1942, signed an agreement on the non-German side to organize a joint tank school in Kazan. On the Soviet side, the agreement was signed by the head of the intelligence department of the Headquarters of the Red Army, Ya.K. Berzin.
The school was to be located in the former Kargopol barracks. At her disposal were transferred not only the buildings there, but also the training field, the shooting range, the training ground and the communication routes between them.
The contract was concluded for three years, and at the end of its validity, tanks,
stocks of property, weapons and inventory were to be returned to the Germans. The Germans took upon themselves the organization of the school, the repair, reconstruction and equipment of the premises, and it must be said that the costs of all this turned out to be considerable. It was assumed that the tank school would start operating in July 1927, but construction dragged on for a year and a half, absorbing from one and a half to two million marks.
"Big tractors" on the Orenburg tract
On August 1, 1928, the Osoaviakhim Technical Courses were officially formed - this was the cover name for the Soviet-German school. But Russia would not be Russia if everything was done on time: practical classes at the school began only in the first half of 1929. First, a permanent staff was trained at four-month courses, and then the first group of cadets, which included ten Soviet tankers. German tanks delivered to Kazan were referred to in the documents as "big tractors" - "Grosstraktoren". It is known for sure that there were "tractors" in Kazan three types: Daimler-Benz designed by Dr. Porsche, Rheinmetall-Borsig and Krupp's "tractor". The study of drawings, familiarity with the materiel of combat vehicles and test results allowed our engineers to use German experience. In the Soviet tanks T-24, T-26, T-35 and BT, elements of German structures were used: suspension, welded hulls, internal crew accommodation, strobe lights and observation domes, periscope sights, coaxial machine guns, electrical equipment of medium tank turrets, and also specifications design and construction.
"Kazan school": from Norway to Africa
Only recently the author of these lines managed to get acquainted with foreign sources complete list German cadets of the Kazan school. In total, 28 German cadets were trained in Kazan in three training streams, four of them had the rank of captain, the rest were senior lieutenants. Captains Kühn, Brunn and von Köppen led the streams. Some of the cadets of the Kazan school have reached significant career heights.
For example, Captain Viktor Linnarts, who studied in Kazan in the first training stream in 1929-1930, ended the war in Italy with the rank of lieutenant general and as commander of the 26th Panzer Division Johann
Haarde, a cadet of the second stream, also became a lieutenant general and commanded the 25th Panzer Division in Norway.
Major General Richard Koll in the 44th fought as part of the 48th Corps near Berdichev, under his command was the 1st Panzer Division. In Kazan, Koll was a senior lieutenant and studied in the second stream.
V famous battle at El Alamein in North Africa, the commander of the 8th tank regiment, Colonel Teege, participated.
The 5th Panzer Division of Colonel and then Lieutenant General Nedtwig fought with the Red Army as part of the 46th Army Corps near Spassk-Demyansk, and in 1943 he managed to fight near Orel.
The Knight's Cross was awarded to the commander of the self-propelled guns of the 3rd SS Panzer Division "Dead Head" Walter Gert, the commander of the 17th Panzer Division Theodor Kretschmer rose to the rank of general - his tanks ironed Poland at the end of the war.
Future General
But the most famous of the German tankers who visited the military camp on the Orenburg Highway was the 44-year-old Heinz Guderian. He was not at all
Hence the perception of time is different. The measurement of time is based on the choice of a certain pendulum and a counter of complete oscillations. The choice is the standard ... "> time as a general, as Rovel Kashapov, an employee of the KGB of the Republic of Tatarstan, writes about this in the Independent Military Review. In February 1931, the chief of staff of the Reichswehr automobile troops was awarded the rank of lieutenant colonel, and he will become a general only four years later, when he leads the 2nd Panzer Division, formed by him near Wurzburg.In the meantime, he is inspecting a secret tank school in Kazan.
The son of a Kaiser officer and the father of the future general of the Bundeswehr, Lieutenant Colonel Guderian does not consider it necessary to hide his attitude towards the Bolshevik government: he was especially struck by the blatant mismanagement. Independence of judgment was characteristic of Guderian in the future, sometimes this character trait led to the fact that General Guderian could not fulfill the order of his superior, and often he got away with it. Even the Fuhrer was not an icon for him. Although Guderian was an exemplary Nazi general, he blamed the defeat of the German troops on the Fuhrer.
From Hannover to Kazan
By the time he arrived in Kazan, Guderian had a solid track record. After graduating from the cadet corps, he entered in February 1907 in the 10th Hanover Jaeger Battalion, commanded by his father. The following year, Heinz Wilhelm Guderian is promoted to senior lieutenant, and in 1914 he ends military academy. His several-year romance with Marguerite Gerne ends in marriage. In August 1914, their son Heinz Günther, the future general of the Bundeswehr, was born.
The end of the First World War finds Guderian at the headquarters of the German military representation in the occupied part of Italy. Then - service on the eastern border, participation in the suppression of the communist coup, command of the Jaeger battalion in Goslar. In January 1922, Guderian was transferred to the 7th Bavarian automobile battalion, and this transfer would be an important milestone in the commander's biography: thirteen years would pass and the former autobattalion commander would form a tank division. By that time, Guderian will have
Years of exhausting, menial, but rewarding work: out of automobile parts, he not only created tank units and formations, but also worked out the tactics of their actions, wrote the appropriate instructions and instructions.
Any military man with even a little experience in developing guidelines for the troops will understand the magnitude of what Guderian did. It must be said that the experiments and innovations of an inquisitive and energetic officer were by no means always welcomed by the authorities. It happened that Guderian was forbidden to conduct exercises using the techniques he developed. But he also had like-minded people, among them his colleague and direct boss Oswald Lutz. (By the way, at one time O. Lutz was the head of the Kazan tank school from the German side.) Lutz attracted Guderian to the formation of tank units. Guderian's assistant in this serious business was Ludwig Ritter von Radlmayer - the name of this officer is also associated with a school on the Orenburg tract.
1936-1945: ten years as a general
Guderian's further career develops rapidly. In 1936-1937, on the orders of O. Lutz, he wrote the book "Attention! Tanks!" ("Achtung! Panzer!") and becomes known as the theoretician of tank warfare. In 1938, General Guderian takes command of the 16th Army Corps (it included all German armored forces). During the occupation of the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia, Guderian's corps was entrusted with the task of reaching the demarcation line. At the first stage, the Fuhrer himself was at the headquarters of the corps. The actions of Guderian's tanks (by this time he commanded the 19th Army Corps of a three-divisional structure) played a big role in the defeat of the Polish troops in the September 1939 campaign. The following year, the retreating French troops are pursued by a group with the meaningful name "Guderian".
At first, Guderian's successes on the Eastern Front were brilliant. The Guderian tank group became part of the Army Group Center and consisted of three tank corps. One of the tank divisions of this group, the 12th, was commanded by Josef Harpe - General Guderian knew him from Kazan. Time will pass, and J. Khar-pe will become the commander of the army, and at the very end of the war - of the army group, even Guderian himself will not reach such heights. July 10-12, 1941 Guderian crosses the Dnieper, five days later A. Hitler awards him the Knight's Cross with oak branches. A few days later, Guderian's divisions repulsed the counteroffensive of the Soviet formations near Yelnya. However, near Moscow, Fortune betrayed the lucky tanker, and he was enrolled in the reserve of the main command of the ground forces, where he remained until March 1943, when he was appointed inspector general of the armored forces.
In July 1944, Guderian headed the headquarters of the ground forces, but he did not win special laurels in this post. In his memoirs, he will blame Hitler for everything, but the above should be remembered - Guderian was an exemplary Nazi. This was especially evident when he became one of the leaders in the prosecution of anti-Nazi officers after the failure of the anti-Hitler conspiracy in July 1944.
March 28 was the last date in the list of Guderian's movements in the service - on this day he was removed from the post of chief of staff of the ground forces. A little over forty days later, he was arrested by the Americans, but soon released. And on May 15, 1954, in the Bavarian town of Schwangau, 66-year-old Heinz Wilhelm Guderian died. Who knows, maybe dusty Kazan, the Kargopol barracks and the long-forgotten clang of German caterpillars at the training ground behind the Orenburg tract flashed through the minds of the old tanker.
Kazan as part of the Reich Commissariat "Moscow"
The Germans were in Kazan for three years. Russians in Wünsdorf - almost half a century Now imagine for a moment that Guderian and other Nazi commanders would have achieved their goals and German troops, in accordance with the Barbarossa plan, would indeed have reached the Astrakhan-Arkhangelsk line in December 1941. What would happen to Kazan then?
We find the answer to this question in the papers of the Imperial Ministry for the Eastern Occupied Territories, created on the basis of Hitler's decree of July 17, 1941 "On Civil Administration in the Occupied Eastern Regions." According to these papers, the territory of the USSR was divided into five Reichskommissariats. Kazan was part of the Reichskommissariat "Moscow", which included the territory of Central Russia to the Urals. The Reichskommissariat was divided into eight general commissariats, among them was the Kazan general commissariat. The prudent Germans not only appointed a Reichskommissar (he was Z. Kashe), but also formed the apparatus of the Reichskommissariat "Moscow". And it is quite possible that the Germans would again appear in the Kargopol barracks, but not as guests, but as hosts.
But history is very often prone to irony. It was in Wünsdorf - a city inextricably linked with the birth and development of the German armored forces - that the headquarters of the group of Soviet troops in Germany was located. And for forty-five years Russian boots trampled German soil. From myself I will add: well deserved. (Heinrich KLEPATSKY)
, Eastern Allgäu, Swabia, Bavaria, Germany
Heinz (Heinz) Wilhelm Guderian(German: Heinz Wilhelm Guderian, [ɡuˈdeːrian]; June 17 - May 14) - Colonel General of the German Army (1940), Inspector General of the Armored Forces (1943), Chief of the General Staff of the Ground Forces (1945), military theorist, author of the book “Memoirs of a German General. Tank troops of Germany 1939-1945. Father of Bundeswehr General Heinz Günther Guderian.
One of the pioneers of motorized methods of warfare, the founder of tank building in Germany and the tank arm in the world. had nicknames Schneller Heinz- "Fast Heinz", Heinz Brausewind- Heinz Hurricane.
Biography
Young years
Born in the town of Kulm, next to the Vistula River, south of Danzig. At that time, the area belonged to Prussia. Now it is the town of Chełmno in Poland.
The father was the first career officer in the Guderian family, which subsequently affected Heinz's choice of a military career, and by the time his first son was born, he served as a lieutenant in the II Pomeranian Jaeger Regiment. My father's ancestors were petty Junker landowners who owned land in the Prussian region of Warta; mother - Clara Kirgof - came from a family of hereditary Prussian lawyers.
From January 16, 1920, commander of the 3rd company of the 10th Jaeger battalion, from May 16, 1920, company commander of the 20th Infantry Regiment. Since September 8, 1920 the commander of the 3rd battalion of the 17th infantry regiment. On January 16, 1922, he was transferred to the 7th motor transport battalion in Munich.
From April 1, 1922 he served in the 6th inspection ( road transport) War Ministry. Since October 1, 1924, he was an instructor at the non-commissioned officer school of the 2nd Infantry Division in Stettin. On October 1, 1927, he was transferred to the Military Directorate of the Ministry of War, from October 1, 1928, an instructor in tactics at the motor transport instructor headquarters in Berlin.
Since February 1, 1930, the commander of the 3rd motor transport battalion. Since October 1, 1931, the chief of staff of the inspector of motor transport troops. In the summer of 1932, he came to the USSR with an inspection at the Kama tank school near Kazan, together with his boss, General Lutz. Guderian himself never studied in Kazan.
From July 1, 1934, the chief of staff of the motorized troops, from September 27, 1935 - the tank troops. From September 27, 1935, commander of the 2nd Panzer Division, stationed in Würzburg.
The Second World War
Poland
Guderian widely used the tactics of blitzkrieg, but not always, however, coordinating his actions with the directives of the command. By pushing his tanks forward, wreaking havoc far behind the expected front line, blocking communications, capturing entire headquarters (for example, the French, who naively believed that German troops were still on the west bank of the Meuse), he thereby deprived the French units of operational management and command.
Because of this, he developed a reputation as a wayward and poorly managed commander. In the midst of the offensive, on May 16, 1940, the group commander Ewald von Kleist suspended Guderian from command of the corps for disobeying orders, but this incident was quickly settled.
According to the results French campaign Guderian was promoted to colonel general on July 19, 1940.
From November 1940 - commander of the 2nd Panzer Group.
Invasion of the USSR
The 2nd Panzer Group, as part of Army Group Center, began the Eastern Campaign by covering Brest from the north and south. In the battles against the Red Army in the summer of 1941, the blitzkrieg tactics were a phenomenal success. Acting by breaking through and enveloping tank wedges, the German troops were rapidly moving forward: on June 28 Minsk fell, on July 16 (according to the Soviet version - July 28) - Smolensk was taken. The Western Front of the Red Army was defeated. July 17, 1941 Guderian received the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross.
At this point, Hitler decided to change the general plan of the campaign and, instead of continuing the rapid offensive on Moscow, he gave the order to deploy Guderian's tanks south to Kiev (another striking force of the Army Group Center, the 3rd Panzer Group Gotha, was transferred to the group "North "for an attack on Leningrad). Fulfilling the order, Guderian's troops rushed south from August 28. Soviet troops The Bryansk Front tried to defeat the 2nd Panzer Group with a flank attack during the Roslavl-Novozybkov operation, creating a dangerous threat, but Guderian managed to stop this attack with part of his forces, continuing to carry out the main task. On September 15, units of the 2nd Panzer Group linked up east of Kiev with the 1st Panzer Army of Army Group South under Kleist. As a result, the entire Southwestern Front of the Red Army ended up in the Kiev Cauldron.
At the same time, due to the withdrawal of shock tank units from the Moscow direction, the pace of the attack on the capital of the USSR was lost, which later became one of the reasons for the failure of the Barbarossa operation as a whole, and, according to Guderian, the main reason. After the start of the offensive on Moscow, the 2nd Panzer Group operated on the southern flank, occupying Oryol (October 3) and Mtsensk (October 11). However, they failed to take Tula. By the end of November, Guderian's units reached Kashira, Zaraysk and almost approached Ryazan, after which they were driven back by the Soviet counteroffensive.
Later, due to disagreements with Field Marshal von Kluge, the appointed commander of Army Group Centre, who constantly tried to oppose Guderian's career advancement, and due to the withdrawal of his tanks from a dangerous position against orders (which led to heavy tank losses), Guderian was removed from command.
Grave of G. Guderian
Career
- fenrich - 28.2.1907
- lieutenant - 27.1.1908
- Ober Lieutenant - 11/8/1914
- captain - 12/18/1915
- major - 1.2.1927
- lieutenant colonel - 1.2.1931
- colonel - 10/1/1933
- major general - 1.8.1936
- lieutenant general - 10.2.1938
- general of tank troops - 11/23/1938
- colonel general - 19.7.1940
Awards
- Iron Cross 2nd Class (17 September 1914) (Kingdom of Prussia)
- Order of Friedrich Knight's Cross 2nd Class with Swords (December 15, 1915) (Kingdom of Württemberg)
- Iron Cross 1st Class (November 8, 1916)
- Cross of Honor of the First World War 1914/1918 with swords (1934)
- Medal "For long service in the Wehrmacht" 4th class
- Order of the Saxe-Ernestine House Commander's Cross 2nd Class with Swords (July 1, 1935)
- Commemorative military medal with swords (January 14, 1937) (Kingdom of Hungary)
- Commemorative military medal with swords (March 9, 1937) (Austria)
- Medal "In memory of March 13, 1938" (March 13, 1938)
- Medal "In memory of October 1, 1938" (October 1, 1938)
- Buckle to the Iron Cross 2nd Class (September 5, 1939)
- Buckle to the Iron Cross 1st class (September 13, 1939)
- Order of St. Sava 1st class (November 21, 1939) (Kingdom of Yugoslavia)
- For a tank attack (badge) in silver
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- knight's cross (27 October 1939)
- oak leaves (No. 24) (July 17, 1941)
- Mentioned 5 times in
- Genre:
- The famous memoirs of Guderian remain the leading among the truthful and sincere narratives about what happened during the Second World War at the headquarters of the German High Command. He also outlines his own role in the creation of the armored forces, which, together with the Luftwaffe aviation, formed the core of the blitzkrieg. In his memoirs, Heinz Guderian, who stood at the origins of the creation of tank forces and belonged to the elite of the highest military leadership of Nazi Germany, talks about the planning and preparation of major operations at the headquarters of the High Command of the German Land Forces. The book is an interesting historical document, where the famous German general shares his knowledge and experience.
- | | (0)
- Series:
- Genre:
- | | (2)
- Series:
- Genre:
- The author of the book "Memoirs of a Soldier" is the former Colonel-General of the Wehrmacht tank troops Heinz Guderian, who received Active participation in implementation Hitler's plans « lightning war". "Memoirs" is a unique document of the era, telling about the dramatic events of European and world history in the period 1939-1945. This text is reproduced according to the edition, "Memoirs of a Soldier", M .: Voenizdat, 1954., and that edition was, accordingly, a translation of the German - Erinnerungen eines Soldaten. Heidelberg, 1951. In 1954, significant editing was made during the translation - that is, bills. For example, Guderian's description of the Berlin talks between Molotov and Hitler is cut out. (In the relevant note, I have restored historical justice); and the tank school in Kazan, mentioned by Guderian, turned into a faceless "tank school in foreign territory." Heinz (actually Heinz, but it just so happened) Guderian in his memoirs, of course, is extremely subjective. Of course, the fact that he does not try to discredit what is dear to him for the sake of yesterday's opponents commands respect. Guderian inspires respect and respect for his Western opponents (Heinz is at first indulgent towards Russian opponents, and then only gnashes his teeth in impotent rage) and for German soldiers. However, the too “fast-moving Heinz” whitewashes himself and the Wehrmacht. And he himself is not without sin, - he was cruel towards his fellow officers, taking part, together with Rundstedt, in the meetings of the People's Tribunal for the Conspiracy on 07/20/1944, not to mention the fact that he did not favor our civilian population in 1941, giving orders contrary to the spirit and letter of the laws of warfare. In his 2nd army, prisoners were generally taken few, they were killed on the spot - there was no time to mess with them. And from Guderian's descriptions of his conversations with Hitler, it becomes clear that starting from the 43rd year, the brave tankman almost openly called the Fuhrer an idiot, explaining this to him on his fingers for two hours. Guderian goes to the Fuhrer, everyone hides, and the Fuhrer, having drunk drugs, sits, trembles, and only Guderian jumps up on the threshold, and let's rage without rest. And Guderian knew everything, and he understood everything, and he saw where everything was rolling, and only he could not explain it in any way, like a dog. In general, there is no reason for Guderian to try on angel wings. He did not fight, and regrets only that he failed to wind the Anglo-French plutocrats in Dunkirk on the caterpillars; yes, it didn’t work out - because of Hitler, and frosts, reaching right down to absolute zero - to crush the Bolshevik hydra in her lair, but it didn’t work out there, but it didn’t grow together here - and everything was solely under the influence of insurmountable circumstances, and not skillful actions of the enemy and own mistakes. In general, the enemy Guderian is fierce, and the more significant and pleasant is our victory over him, and Prussian wolves like him.
