He invented the German armored forces, demonstrated efficiency, which, besides him, only Erwin Rommel could boast of, and, nevertheless, he received his last promotion in rank in 1940, becoming Colonel General
The news broadcast by the BBC radio station had the effect of a bomb exploding. On the third Sunday in July 1941, the German service of British radio reported the death of Colonel General Heinz Guderian on the Eastern Front. The source of this message was Radio Moscow. The transmitted news was quickly refuted and called a false rumor, and, nevertheless: the 2nd Panzer Group, called the “Guderian Panzer Group,” found itself in the area of a powerful Soviet counteroffensive. Contrary to the habit of their commander, all five panzer divisions and two SS assault brigades located west of Smolensk were practically inactive.
Since it was known that Heinz Guderian preferred to command his troops from forward positions, many Germans believed the BBC radio message. One could easily imagine that the fearless and popular colonel general this time in vain went directly to the front line.
On Monday, July 21, 1941, Joseph Goebbels had the opportunity to state during the daily dictation of his diary: “The rumors spread by the Moscow radio station about the death of Colonel General Guderian, thank God, were not confirmed.” However, the Minister of Propaganda did not publicly issue a refutation - he did not want his information policy to look like a reaction to broadcasts from enemy radio stations.
Eight years for false rumor
Therefore, two days later, the BBC radio station again broadcast this false message. Precision mechanics specialist Reinhard Kutz from the Tempelhof district of Berlin heard the news and sent his friend Hans-Werner Scharwenka a note with the following content: “Apparently, General Guderian is dead.” However, Kutz did not know that radio operator Scharwenka, who had recently celebrated his 21st birthday, had been arrested a few days earlier for “actions aimed at undermining defense power.” For this false report, Kutz was sentenced to eight years in prison; Scharwenka received a year in prison.
© Deutsches Bundesarchiv Tiger tank on the Eastern Front, 1943
It is very likely that Heinz Guderian knew nothing about these convicts; this was just one case out of more than half a million military trials. However, this general was probably very well aware of the risks associated with his principle of “control from the front” (Fuehrung von vorne). Nevertheless, he used it in practice and considered himself a role model in this sense.
Unlike many professional officers born in 1888, Heinz Guderian did not hold any command positions in the army during the First World War. As an interested in technology and a capable soldier, in 1912/1913 he was trained as a telegraph officer and led the work of the communications department on the Western Front, first of a cavalry division, and then of an entire army. After this, he was transferred to the intelligence department, and then recruited to work at the General Staff.
Showed interest in technical innovations
After Germany's defeat in 1918, Guderian first served in one of the volunteer corps in the Baltic states, and then was recruited into the Reichswehr. There he renewed his interest in important innovations, namely motorized vehicles. From here there was only one small step left to the armored forces.
Of course, according to Article 171 of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was strictly prohibited from developing, producing and importing “armored vehicles, tanks or other similar devices serving military purposes.” Therefore, it was only in 1929 that Guderian himself was able to control a tank for the first time - ironically, it was a German model in the last months of the World War, sold to the Swedes. Unlike the Reichswehr generals, whose representatives planned to use a new type of weapon - tanks - only to support infantry, Guderian saw completely different, new opportunities in this: he wanted to create independent armored units, like cavalry units once, that could perform the functions of impact wedge on the battlefield. To test various tactics, he forced soldiers from his subordinate motorized infantry units to conduct exercises using cars, tractors and similar vehicles. Sometimes the vehicles were protected by “armor” made of wood. Here lies the essence of the widespread legend about the German “cardboard tanks”, which allegedly launched their last offensive in the early days of World War II against the Polish cavalry.
It was only natural that in 1935 Guderian was allowed to create the first panzer division in German military history, which was officially called the 2nd Panzer Division. The 1st Panzer Division at the same time was created on the basis of the former cavalry division.
The talent to show off oneself
Guderian was endowed in no small measure with self-confidence and a talent for showing off himself. Therefore, it is not surprising that he outlined his beliefs regarding the use of tanks in a future war in two books. Rather, his essay entitled “Armored Forces and Their Interaction with Other Arms” (Die Panzertruppen und ihr Zusammenwirken mit den anderen Waffen), published in 1937, was intended for military specialists. For a wider public, Guderian wrote the book “Attention, Tanks!” that appeared the same year. (Achtung-Panzer!), which was thoroughly translated into English. It contains, among other things, the following wise saying: “The engine of a tank is as much a weapon as its gun.”
Since 1938, Guderian became a general of the armored forces, a corps commander, and also “the head of the fast units.” During the Polish campaign, he received the nickname “Swift Heinz”; during the hostilities in France, his breakthroughs were decisive for the outcome of hostilities: he became one of the most popular officers, the “marshal forward” of the Third Reich.
Like Erwin Rommel, who was three years younger, Guderian commanded his troops from forward positions and thereby exposed himself to great risk. However, unlike Hitler’s beloved general, he did not rely on maneuvers that were completely outside the bounds of tradition, as Rommel did with his “Ghost Division.”
Wayward General
On the contrary, Guderian was deeply influenced by what he learned during his studies at the Main Cadet School, located in the Berlin district of Berlin-Lichterfeld. When Hitler launched a sharp verbal attack on the Wehrmacht generals at the end of 1939, Guderian wanted, together with Erich von Manstein, to encourage other high-ranking officers to formally protest.
However, half a generation older, Colonel General Gerd von Rundstedt and Colonel General Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb, refused to take part. Ultimately, Guderian personally informed the dictator that he considered the reproaches expressed to be insulting and offensive. To everyone's surprise, Hitler did not aggravate the conflict.
When, after the victory over France, the Wehrmacht was overwhelmed by a powerful wave of promotions, Guderian was awarded the rank of Colonel General. However, he was no longer destined to receive a higher rank; he never became a field marshal.
Break with Hitler
During the first six months of the eastern campaign, Guderian achieved great successes with his promoted 2nd Panzer Army in the western part of the Soviet Union, primarily during the pocket battles. However, in December he broke with the dictator. Guderian announced that he would ignore Hitler's categorical order to "hold on" at all costs (Haltebefehl).
Katukov vs. Guderian Prudnikov Viktor
WHO ARE YOU, HEINZ GUDERIAN?
WHO ARE YOU, HEINZ GUDERIAN?
Katukova's counterpart Heinz Guderian is the complete opposite. If Katukov, by his origin, as they used to say in the past, is a proletarian bone, then Guderian is a military one. In his family, he represented the second generation of military men...
The future tank general was born into the family of career officer Friedrich Guderian on June 17, 1888. Place of birth - the small town of Kulme (Chelmno) on the Vistula. My father served in the 2nd Pomeranian Jaeger Regiment. He had a small rank - chief lieutenant. Heinz wrote very reservedly about his father, although he considered him “a model of a man and a soldier,” as well as about his mother Clara Kirgoff. Distant relatives on both the paternal and maternal sides were either landowners or lawyers, living in the Warth region, in East or West Prussia.
Friedrich Guderian, as a military man, often changed his place of service. In 1900 he was transferred from Alsace to Lorraine. At that time these areas still belonged to Germany. The children - Heinz and Fritz - first studied at school, then were sent to the cadet corps in Karlsruhe. The family lived on modest means. Friedrich Guderian believed that his sons, having received a military education, would be provided for in the future at the expense of the state. In addition, the cadet corps provided a good education, which corresponded to any civilian educational institution.
Having passed the matriculation exams, Heinz entered the military school in the city of Metz, from which he graduated at the end of January 1908. Whether he excelled in his studies is unknown. This is not mentioned in the short autobiographical chronicle compiled by the general at the end of his life, but in the same 1908 he was awarded the rank of lieutenant.
So Guderian lived the “happy life of a lieutenant” for several years, cared for by his parents, primarily his father, under whom he served without clouds, until in October 1913 he married Margarita Gerna. His wife walked with him side by side “along the winding and not always easy path of a soldier,” he treated her with tenderness and reverence, as evidenced by his letters, to which the author will refer in individual cases.
Soon two sons were born, who later became officers, like their father.
The First World War disrupted the peaceful course of life in Germany, as well as the life of every family. Judging by Guderian's autobiographical chronicle, we can say that he did not take part in hostilities - neither in the West nor in the East. Mainly engaged in staff work. After ten months of study at the military academy in Berlin and being awarded the rank of chief lieutenant, and a year later captain, he was constantly transferred from one staff position to another: either he is the assistant chief of communications at the headquarters of the 4th Army, or he holds the position of officer of the general staff 52– 1st Reserve Division, then in the same position at the headquarters of the 10th Reserve Corps.
Guderian has not yet expressed his attitude to the war; he is also reserved about the Treaty of Versailles, concluded on July 28, 1919, according to which Germany lost a significant part of its territory - Alsace and Lorraine were transferred to France (within the borders of 1870), two districts - Malmedy and Eupen - Belgium. Poznan - Poland, the city of Danzig (Gdansk) was declared a free city, the city of Memel (Klaipeda) was transferred to the jurisdiction of the victorious powers, and in 1923 annexed to Lithuania.
Germany was deprived of its colonies, but most importantly, its armed forces were reduced to a total strength of 100 thousand people; it did not have the right to create a navy, aviation and armored forces.
At the end of 1916, Guderian began serving in the volunteer border guard corps, again in staff positions, and only at the beginning of 1920 he became the commander of a company of the Jaeger battalion in Goslar, but he was already involved in suppressing unrest in the Ruhr region and central Germany, gaining experience in fighting with the local population.
Service in the border guard continued until the beginning of 1922. Service is like service, but already in these years Guderian became acquainted with the radio business, and this is already a step in the direction of technical creativity. Heinz Guderian wrote about his post-war career: “After the end of the war, starting in 1918, I served in the troops guarding the eastern borders, first in Silesia and then in the Baltic States... Until 1922, I served mainly in the district headquarters and in Ministry of the Reichswehr, specializing mainly in infantry, but service in the 3rd Telegraph Battalion in Koblenz, as well as service in various radiotelegraph units at the beginning of the First World War, gave me the opportunity to acquire some knowledge that was very useful in the future when creating a new type of army.
Making a military career in the small Reichswehr was difficult and problematic, but Guderian was lucky: as a staff officer, he was transferred to the military communications inspection, to the department of motor vehicles. The inspection was then headed by General von Tschishwitz, under whose leadership plans were developed for the use of automobile troops in combat conditions.
During the First World War, troops were already transferred to the battlefields. But such operations were carried out in conditions of positional defense. Now the task became more complicated; the transfers had to be carried out in conditions of maneuver warfare.
In all organizational matters relating to the task at hand, Guderian found the direct support of the battalion commander, Major Lutz, with whom he worked for many years and to whom he owed much of his promotion.
When developing plans for the use of automobile troops, many purely technical problems arose. For example, petrol depots. How many of them should you have? The answer suggested itself - it should be based on the amount of available equipment. Behind the gas warehouses there was a whole chain of special structures for transport - garages, auto repair shops, gas stations. And all this must be maintained by trained technical personnel.
However, the maintenance of motorized troops in conditions of maneuver warfare is not the solution to the entire problem. The troops still had to be protected. And the most effective means of security could only be armored forces.
For Guderian, this branch of the army was new, completely unfamiliar to him. As plans were drawn up, it was necessary to study the structure of tanks and armored vehicles. He liked the new technology and saw a great future in it. While studying the possibilities of using armored vehicles to guard motorized troops deployed over fairly long distances, Guderian came to the idea that tanks and armored cars could be used for other purposes - striking the enemy.
Turned to the practice of world war. Although it was there, it turned out to be insignificant among the Germans. French and English troops had much more experience in this area. And Guderian began to study the history of the development of armored vehicles, which later became not just an obsession, but the meaning of his life.
There was so little material in the transportation department on the use of German armored units in the First World War that they provided practically nothing, but articles and books by English tank specialists Fuller, Hart and Martel opened up a new world and enriched Guderian’s imagination. Already at the beginning of the 20s, military experts raised the question of transforming armored forces from an auxiliary force into a main one. “They (foreign specialists. - V.P.) placed the tank at the center of the emerging motorization of our era and were thus major innovators in the development of modern methods of warfare,” wrote Guderian.
In the Reichswehr, Guderian gained fame as a military specialist and theorist on the use of armored forces in offensive and defensive operations. He gives lectures to combatant and staff officers, persistently studies the history of Napoleon's military campaign, finding in it many instructive things, primarily such moments as the conduct of maneuver operations by Napoleonic marshals in Europe and Russia.
Guderian showed particular interest in the experience of the German army during the First World War. He treated the commander of the Eastern Front, Hindenburg, and his chief of staff, Ludendorff with special respect, considering the generals “an example of the German soldier.”
Despite the harsh conditions of the Treaty of Versailles, the Reichswehr lived and strengthened. His command attached particular importance to the development of armored forces. And of course, Guderian’s theoretical developments on the use of tanks for the purpose of protecting military transportation, and even more so using them in solving tactical problems, could not help but become the focus of attention of the top military leadership.
Guderian argued that assigning tanks to infantry cannot be of decisive importance; they can most effectively be used as independent formations of troops, say, divisions, with artillery, infantry and cavalry attached to them. This point of view was not shared by all high army officials, including the inspector of military communications, General Otto von Stülpnagel. Tank divisions, he believed, were a utopia; one could only talk about tank regiments.
The very idea of tank formations had to be defended, the effectiveness of using tanks with the addition of other types of troops had to be proven in practice. Fully aware of the difficulties, Guderian nevertheless decided to both defend and prove. In this he was assisted by the Chief of Staff of the Automotive Troops Inspectorate, Colonel Lutz, a long-time patron who, after Stülpnagel’s resignation, took over his post.
Practical work in this direction began from the moment when Major Heinz Guderian took command of a four-company automobile battalion. One of the companies was armed with old armored vehicles, which were not prohibited from having under the Treaty of Versailles, while the other two were armed with only mock-ups of tanks. Only the motorcycle company had real weapons - machine guns. The battalion became a kind of experimental base where the model of future tank formations was tested.
Theory is only good when it is supported by practice, and practicing on tin mock-ups of tanks is not only inconvenient, but also ineffective. What was required was not fake, but real equipment - more modern tanks and armored vehicles. And here a recent enemy - the Red Army - comes to the aid of the German Reichswehr. Earlier it was said about the signing of a number of treaties between Germany and the USSR, which contained secret articles concerning the development of the German armed forces in circumvention of the international Treaty of Versailles. In particular, one of the articles concerned the creation of a tank school in Kazan under the code name “Kama”. The school, as it became known recently, operated under the guise of “Osoaviakhim Technical Courses,” a prototype of the more familiar DOSAAF.
There is an assumption that the father of German tank forces, Heinz Guderian, also studied at this school, although he never mentioned this in his memoirs. Only in the book “Memoirs of a Soldier” did he mention in passing: “Since 1926, an experimental station operated abroad where German tanks were tested.”
Here he also talks about ordering various companies to produce two types of medium and three types of light tanks. Most likely, these tanks were also manufactured at Soviet factories.
In the 1930s, Germany had already begun producing its own light tanks, armed with a 37 mm cannon and machine gun, and medium tanks, armed with a 75 mm cannon and machine gun. The total weight of the tank did not exceed 24 tons, which was the carrying capacity of bridges on German roads at that time. But the designers increased the speed of the cars from 20 to 40 kilometers.
With Hitler's rise to power in January 1933, Germany's foreign and domestic policies radically changed. Nazism swept the country like an avalanche. In the empire there were no longer normally functioning legislative and executive authorities from the time of the Weimar Republic. The Nazi elite subjugated everything.
How did the future tank strategist perceive the newly-minted Fuhrer’s coming to power? Quite normal, he was loyal to him for many years, not only approved of his policies, but also did his best to strengthen the new regime in Germany.
Subsequently, in his memoirs, Guderian gave an assessment of Hitler and his entourage, the party and the government, from which an unmistakable conclusion can be drawn regarding his political views.
He spoke only in superlatives about Hitler. Hitler is an intelligent man, “possessed an exceptional memory,” “had the gift of putting his thoughts into easily accessible forms and convincing listeners of their correctness,” “possessed an extraordinary oratorical talent... knew how to convince not only the masses, but also educated people.” “His most outstanding quality was his enormous willpower,” Guderian wrote, “which attracted people to him. This willpower manifested itself so impressively that it had an almost hypnotic effect on some people. I myself have often experienced such moments.”
With Hitler's rise to power, ideological education, that is, the indoctrination of the German army in the spirit of Nazism, went into full swing. Combat training was also carried out intensively. Just by this time, Guderian’s work arrived - the book “Attention! Tanks!”, published in the winter of 1937. The book, as already mentioned, outlined not only the history of the emergence and development of tanks, but also the basic principles of organizing armored forces and their use in battle.
Guderian believed that fire and movement were the basis of a tank offensive. The rapid advance of tanks into the depths of the enemy’s defense does not allow him to create new defensive lines, paralyzes his will and forces him to roll back; he was firmly convinced that tank troops would play a major role in the upcoming events. “Therefore, we demand,” he wrote, “that those types of troops that will interact with us to develop our success should also be mobile and be assigned to us in peacetime, because the decisive factor in future battles will not be the number of infantry, and the number of armored troops.”
Along with the growth and reorganization of the Wehrmacht, Heinz Guderian also rose sharply through the ranks. He was awarded the rank of lieutenant general and took over the post of his former boss, General Lutz, who before his resignation commanded the 16th Army Corps.
Hitler announced the reorganization of the army only on February 4, 1938, and a week later the practical preparation of troops for the invasion of Austria began.
The entire 16th Army Corps of Guderian was brought into combat readiness, but only the 2nd Panzer Division took part in the campaign with the SS Life Standard regiment “Adolf Hitler” attached to it under the command of Sepp Dietrich, who three years later with his regiment would oppose 4 Katukov's 1st tank brigade in the Moscow region.
From Berlin to Vienna there were 962 kilometers to travel. The path is not short. But Guderian calculated everything - both refueling and the need for the necessary spare parts, and even asked Hitler for permission to decorate the tanks with flags and greenery “as a sign of peaceful intentions” so that the implementation of the Anschluss would take place without bloodshed.
There really was no bloodshed, since the Austrian government capitulated long ago. Guderian's tanks thundered unhindered through the cities and villages of the country, passed through Linz, where SS chief Himmler, and then Reich Chancellor Adolf Hitler himself, arrived under the “curtain”. If you believe Guderian, the population of Austria joyfully greeted the German troops. “You could see handshakes, hugs, tears of joy everywhere.”
This is how the children of one nation united, “who for many decades had been separated due to ill-fated policies.”
In Vienna, Guderian took part in celebrations on the occasion of Austria's entry into the Reich and hosted a parade of troops.
The celebrations are over, and gloomy everyday life has begun for the Austrian people. Loss of independence, complete control over the country's industry and army - this was the price of the policy pursued by the then rulers of Austria.
Austria was the first country that was given over by its rulers to be torn to pieces by Hitler. Other states will follow it.
Expanding the borders of Germany, the Fuhrer resorted to various means: diplomatic pressure, blackmail and provocations; a more compelling argument was sending troops to seize foreign countries.
The Supreme Command of the Wehrmacht - OKW approved of the adventures of its Fuhrer and provided him with full support. The direct executor of the Anschluss, Guderian, draws lessons from the campaign against Vienna. He is quite satisfied with the combat training of the personnel of the 2nd Panzer Division and the Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler regiment, the condition of the equipment of the vehicles, which covered from 700 to 1000 kilometers in 48 hours, assures the Wehrmacht leadership that “German armored forces are on the right track "
Hitler, meanwhile, was preparing for a new adventure - the implementation of the “Green Plan”, the annexation of first the Sudetenland, then the whole of Czechoslovakia, to Germany. The matter could not have happened without the help of other Western countries - England, France and Italy, who hoped through a deal at the expense of other states to satisfy the requests of the German Fuhrer and ensure the interests of their own countries.
Five months later, Czechoslovakia also lost its independence. The world was rapidly heading towards world war.
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Heinz Wilhelm Guderian (German: Heinz Wilhelm Guderian; June 17, 1888 - May 14, 1954) - Colonel General of the German Army (1940), military theorist.
Along with Charles de Gaulle and J. Fuller, he was considered the father of motorized methods of warfare. He had the nicknames Schneller Heinz - “fast Heinz”, Heinz Brausewetter - “Heinz Hurricane”. Perhaps these nicknames were part of the unofficial Nazi propaganda of the Wehrmacht forces and its generals.
Early years
Born in the town of Kulm near the Vistula River, south of Danzig. At that time this area belonged to Prussia. Now this is the town of Chelmno in Poland. His father was the first career officer in the Guderian family, which subsequently affected Heinz’s choice of a military career.
In 1890, Guderian's brother Fritz was born, together with whom, after a short period of schooling, they were admitted to the junior cadet corps on April 1, 1901. On April 1, 1903, Heinz was transferred to the senior cadet corps near Berlin. In February 1907 he took his matriculation exams.
Carier start
After studying in the cadet corps, he began military service in February 1907 as a fenrich (officer candidate) in the 10th Jaeger Battalion, which was then commanded by his father. In 1907, he took a six-month course at a military school and was promoted to lieutenant on January 27, 1908. In 1912-13 served in the 3rd Telegraph Battalion. From October 1913 until the outbreak of the First World War, he studied at the military academy in Berlin.
World War I
After the outbreak of war, on August 3, 1914, he was appointed head of the 3rd heavy radio station of the 5th Cavalry Division (on September 17, 1914, he was awarded the Iron Cross, 2nd class). From 10/4/1914 he was the head of the 14th heavy radio station of the 4th Army.
From 17.5.1915 to 27.1.1916 auxiliary officer in the cipher service of the 4th Army command. On January 27, 1916 he was transferred to the cipher service of the 5th Army command. From July 18, 1916, liaison officer at the headquarters of the 4th Army. On November 8, 1916 he was awarded the Iron Cross, 1st class.
From April 3, 1917, head of the quartermaster department (Ib) of the headquarters of the 4th Infantry Division. From April 27, 1917, quartermaster officer at the headquarters of the 1st Army. Since May 1917, head of the quartermaster department of the headquarters of the 52nd reserve division. From June 1917, quartermaster of the headquarters of the Guards Corps, from July 1917, chief of intelligence (Ic) of the headquarters of the X Reserve Corps. 11.8.1917 transferred to the headquarters of the 4th Infantry Division.
In September-October 1917, commander of the 2nd battalion of the 14th infantry regiment. From 10/24/1917 to 2/27/1918, head of the operational department of the headquarters of army group “C”. 2/27/1918 transferred to the General Staff.
Since May 23, 1918, quartermaster of the headquarters of the XXXVIII Reserve Corps. 20.9-8.11.1918 head of the operational department of the headquarters of the representative of the German command in the occupied Italian territories.
In addition to the Iron Crosses, he was awarded the Knight's Cross 2nd class of the Royal Württemberg Friedrich Order with swords and the Austrian Military Merit Medal with swords.
Between world wars
After World War I, Captain Guderian continued to serve in the Reichswehr. From May 30 to August 24, 1919, he served at the headquarters of the Iron Division in Latvia.
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. From September 8, 1920, commander of the 3rd battalion of the 17th infantry regiment. 16.1.1922 transferred to the 7th motor transport battalion in Munich.
From April 1, 1922 he served in the 6th Inspectorate (motor transport) of the War Ministry. From 1 October 1924 he was an instructor at the non-commissioned officer school of the 2nd Infantry Division in Stettin. On 10/1/1927 he was transferred to the Military Directorate of the War Ministry, at the same time as on 10/1/1928 he was an instructor in tactics at the auto-transport instructor headquarters in Berlin.
From 1/2/1930 commander of the 3rd motor transport battalion. From 1 October 1931, 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. Meanwhile, Guderian himself never studied in Kazan.
From July 1, 1934, chief of staff of motorized troops, from September 27, 1935, chief of staff of tank troops. From September 27, 1935, commander of the 2nd Panzer Division stationed in Würzburg.
4.2.1938 appointed commander of tank forces. On April 1, 1938, the command was transformed into the headquarters of the XVI Motorized Corps, of which Guderian was appointed commander. From November 24, 1938, commander of mobile forces. Since August 26, 1939, commander of the XIX Motorized Corps.
The Second World War
During the invasion of Poland, Guderian commanded the 19th Motorized Corps and was awarded the Iron Cross, First Class (September 13, 1939), and then the Knight's Cross (October 27, 1939). During the Polish campaign, a meeting between German and Soviet troops took place in Brest-Litovsk.
During the invasion of France, Guderian's 19th Corps (1st, 2nd and 10th Panzer Divisions and the Grossdeutschland motorized infantry regiment) became part of a tank group under the command of E. von Kleist ("Panzer Group Kleist").
Guderian widely used blitzkrieg tactics, not always, however, coordinating his actions with the directives of the command. He pushed his tanks forward, causing havoc far beyond the expected front line, blocking communications, capturing entire French headquarters, which naively believed that German troops were still on the west bank of the Meuse River, thereby depriving French units of command.
Thanks to this, he developed a reputation as a capricious and poorly managed commander. At the height of the offensive, on May 16, 1940, group commander Ewald von Kleist temporarily removed Guderian from command of the corps for disobeying orders, but the incident was quickly resolved.
Following the results of the French campaign, Guderian was promoted to colonel general on July 19, 1940.
From November 1940 - commander of the 2nd Tank Group.
Invasion of the USSR
The 2nd Panzer Group, part of Army Group Center, began the eastern campaign north of Brest. In battles against the Red Army, blitzkrieg tactics had phenomenal success. Acting by breaking through and enveloping tank wedges, German troops rapidly advanced: Minsk fell on June 28, and Smolensk was captured on July 16 (according to the Soviet version - July 28).
The Western Front of the Red Army ceased to exist. On July 17, 1941, Guderian received the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves.
At this point, Hitler decided to change the general plan of the campaign and, instead of continuing the rapid offensive on Moscow, gave the order to deploy Guderian's tanks south - to Kyiv (the other striking force of Group Center, Hoth's 3rd Panzer Army, was transferred to Group North for the attack to Leningrad).
By August 10, units of the 2nd Panzer Group linked up east of Kyiv with the 1st Panzer Army of Army Group South under the command of Kleist. As a result, the entire Southwestern Front of the Red Army found itself in the “Kiev Cauldron.” More than 500 thousand Soviet soldiers and officers were captured alone.
At the same time, due to the withdrawal of shock tank units from the Moscow direction, the pace of the offensive on the capital of the USSR was lost, which subsequently led to the failure of Operation Barbarossa as a whole.
After the start of the offensive on Moscow, the 2nd Tank Group occupied Orel (October 3) and Mtsensk (October 11). However, they failed to take Tula.
Later, due to disagreements with the appointed commander of Army Group Center, Field Marshal von Kluge, who constantly tried to oppose the advancement of Guderian's career, and due to the withdrawal of his tanks from a dangerous position against orders, Guderian was removed from command.
On December 26, 1941, Guderian was sent to the reserve of the High Command, and on January 16, 1942, he was assigned to the replenishment department of the headquarters of the 3rd Army Corps (in Berlin).
On February 28, 1943 (after Stalingrad), Guderian was appointed to the post of chief inspector of armored forces, responsible for the modernization of armored units. He quickly established a good relationship with Albert Speer, the Minister of Armaments and Supply, and through mutual efforts they sharply increased the number of tanks produced.
Many changes were made to tank designs by Guderian personally, who often visited factories, shooting ranges and testing grounds for inspections. After the failed assassination attempt on Hitler in July 1944, Guderian also became Chief of the Army General Staff. On March 28, 1945, after another dispute with Hitler, Guderian was removed from his post and sent on leave.
After the war
Guderian was captured by American forces on May 10, 1945 in Tyrol. He was taken to Nuremberg, but spoke at the tribunal only as a witness. The Soviet side wanted to charge him with war crimes, but the allies did not agree with this. In 1946, Guderian was imprisoned in Allendorf and then in Neustadt. In June 1948 he was released.
Fenrich - 28.2.1907
lieutenant - 27.1.1908
Chief Lieutenant - 8.11.1914
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 forces - 11/23/1938
Colonel General - 19.7.1940
Literary works
Attention, tanks! History of the creation of tank forces.
Memoirs of a Soldier (Russian translation: M.: Voenizdat, 1954)
Panzer - March! Munchen - 1956; Russian translation: Tanks - Forward! Military Publishing House of the USSR Ministry of Defense, Moscow - 1957 (The book outlines the history of German armored forces and the experience of their use in the Second World War.)
Heinz Wilhelm Guderian
Heinz Guderian.
Photo reprinted from ru.wikipedia.org
Guderian, Heinz Wilhelm (17. VI. 1888 - 15. V. 1954) - Colonel General (1940) of the Nazi army, military theorist. Born in Kulm (now Chelmno), son of Lieutenant General Friedrich Guderian. He graduated from the military school (1907) and the military academy (1914). During the 1st World War - on staff work, after the war - in the Reichswehr. Since 1922 he served in the automobile troops. In 1935-1938 - commander of a tank division, army corps, in 1938-1930 - commander of mobile forces. In his books "Achtung - Panzer!" (1937) and “Armored troops and their interaction with other branches of the military” (1937, Russian translation 1940) assigned the main role in the outcome of modern war to the massive use of tanks. From August 1939 - commander of the 19th Army Corps (from motorized and tank divisions), from June 1940 - commander of a tank group. In 1941 - commander of the 2nd Tank Group (from October - army). In December 1941, for the defeat near Moscow, he was removed from his post and transferred to the reserve. From March 1943 - Inspector General of Tank Forces, from July 1944 to March 1945 - Chief of the General Staff of the Ground Forces. Captured by the Americans and soon released. In the 50s, he advocated the restoration of the pre-war borders and military power of Germany, assigning it the role of a stronghold of the West in the fight against communism. Died in Schwangau (Bavaria).
Soviet historical encyclopedia. In 16 volumes. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1973-1982. Volume 4. THE HAGUE - DVIN. 1963.
Works: So geht es nicht!, Hdlb., 1951; Erinnerungen eines Soldaten. Wels, 1951; in Russian lane - Tanks - forward!, M., 1957.
Guderian, Heinz Wilhelm (Heinz Wilhelm Guderian; 1888-1954) - German military leader and military theorist; Colonel General (1940). Native of Kulm (West Prussia). Along with C. de Gaulle and J.F.C. Fuller is considered the founder of motorized methods of warfare. He graduated from the military school (1907) and the Military Academy (Berlin; 1914). Member of the First World War; served in staff positions. After demobilization of the army he was left in Reichswehr, since 1922 in the automobile troops. In 1935-1938. commander of the 2nd Panzer Division (Würzburg) and the 16th Army Corps. In 1939, at the head of the 19th Army Corps, he took part in the invasion of Poland. At the beginning of 1940, he commanded the Guderian Panzer Group in France, from June 1940, the commander of the 2nd Panzer Group, and from October 1941, the commander of the 2nd Panzer Army. In December 1941, for the defeat near Moscow, he was removed from his post and sent to the reserves. Since March 1943, Inspector General of Tank Forces. From August 21, 1944 to March 28, 1945, Chief of the OKH General Staff. He was captured by the Americans, but was soon released. Author of memoirs.
The Wehrmacht on the Soviet-German front. Investigative and judicial materials from archival criminal cases of German prisoners of war 1944-1952. (Compiled by V.S. Khristoforov, V.G. Makarov). M., 2011. (Name commentary). P. 731.
Guderian, Heinz Wilhelm (Guderian), (1888-1954), Colonel General of the German Army (1940), military theorist. Along with de Gaulle and Fuller, he was considered the founder of motorized methods of warfare. Born June 17, 1888 in Kulm (now Chelmno, Poland). He graduated from the military school (1907) and the military academy (1914). During World War I he held staff positions, after the war - in the Reichswehr, and from 1922 - in the automobile troops. In 1935-38, commander of a tank division and army corps.
During the Anschluss, Guderian commanded the newly created 16th Corps, which made a push towards Vienna during which at least a third of its tanks were stuck en route. In 1939, Guderian's tank units took part in the invasion of Poland, successfully implementing blitzkrieg tactics, which earned Hitler's admiration. In his books "Attention - Tanks!" and “Armored troops and their interaction with other branches of the military” (1937), Guderian assigned the main role in the outcome of modern war to the massive use of tanks. At the beginning of 1940, he commanded a tank corps in France, and from June 1940 he was commander of the 2nd Tank Group (from October 1941 - the 2nd Tank Army). In December 1941, for the defeat near Moscow, Guderian was removed from his post and transferred to the reserve. From March 1943 he was inspector general of tank forces. Participants in the July 1944 plot unsuccessfully tried several times to win Guderian over to their side. After the unsuccessful assassination attempt on the Fuhrer, Guderian, together with Keitel and Rundstedt, on Hitler's orders, investigated the cases of army officers who were involved in the conspiracy. They were stripped of their military rank and handed over to the People's Tribunal, which meant certain death. As a reward for his loyalty, Hitler appointed Guderian chief of the Army General Staff in July 1944, a post he held until March 1945. At the end of the war, Guderian made several timid attempts to convince Ribbentrop, Goering and Himmler of the need to stop hostilities against the Allies; He refrained from making such recommendations to Hitler.
Guderian was captured by the Americans, but was soon released. In the 50s he advocated the restoration of the pre-war borders and military power of Germany as a bulwark in the fight against communism. Author of memoirs (Russian translation "Tanks - forward!", 1957). Died in Schwangau, Bavaria, May 15, 1954.
Material used from the Encyclopedia of the Third Reich - www.fact400.ru/mif/reich/titul.htm
Guderian Heinz Wilhelm (06/17/1888, Kulm -5/15/1954, Schwangau, Bavaria) Military leader, theorist, Colonel General (07/19/1940). Son of an Oberleutnant. Graduated from the cadet corps. In February 1907 he joined the 10th Hanoverian Jaeger Battalion, commanded by his father. In 1908 he was promoted to lieutenant. In 1914 he graduated from the Military Academy. Participant of the 1st World War, served in the Sayazi troops and in staff positions. 28.02. 1918 transferred to the General Staff, from October 1918 - at the headquarters of the German military mission in the occupied territory of Italy. From November 1918 he served in the main directorate of the border troops "Vostok". Participated in the suppression of communist protests. Since January 1920, company commander of the Jaeger battalion in Goslar. On January 16, 1922 he was transferred to the 7th Bavarian automobile battalion, and on April 1 - to the automobile troops department of the War Ministry. From 01.10. 1924 - at the headquarters of the 2nd division (Stettin). From 10/01/1927 he served in the military transport department of the Office of the Ground Forces of the Ministry of War. He took secret courses for tank crews at the Kama school in the USSR. From 01.02. 1930 commander of the 3rd automobile battalion (Berlin-Lankwitz). Since the fall of 1931, Chief of Staff of the Inspector of Mobile Forces, General O. Lutz. From 01.07. 1934 Chief of Staff of the Directorate of Armored Forces. From 10/15/1935 commander of the 2nd Panzer Division in Würzburg. In the winter of 1936-37, on the orders of Lutz, Guderian wrote the book “Attention! Tanks!”, which brought him fame as a theorist of tank warfare. 04.02. 1938, after a purge of the senior personnel of the German army, he was appointed commander of the 16th Army Corps, which united German tank forces. Led a motorized group (2nd Panzer Division and SS regiment "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler" during the Anschluss of Austria. During the occupation of the Sudetenland, Guderian's corps (1st Panzer, 13th and 20th Motorized Divisions) was entrusted with the task of exiting to the demarcation line. At the first stage, A. Hitler was also at the corps headquarters. From November 20, 1938, Inspector General of Mobile Forces. Before the start of the Polish Company on August 22, 1939, Guderian was appointed commander of the 19th Army Corps (3rd Panzer, 2nd I and the 20th motorized divisions), which was part of the 4th Army of General G. von Kluge, The actions of Guderian's tanks played a big role in the successful defeat of the Polish army. On 10/27/1939 he was awarded the Knight's Cross. During the French campaign from 06/01/1940 he commanded Panzer group "Guderian". From 18.11. 1940. commanded the 2nd Panzer Group. With the outbreak of the war with the USSR, Guderian's group became part of Army Group Center and included the 24th, 46th and 47th tank corps. His task was to cut through the defenses of Soviet troops on both sides of Brest with tank wedges and reach the area of Rostavl, Yelnya, Smolensk. On July 10-12 he crossed the Dnieper. At the end of July, he repulsed a powerful attempt at a counteroffensive by Soviet troops near Yelnya. 17.07. 1941 awarded the Knight's Cross with oak branches. On 10/05/1941 the group was deployed to the 2nd Tank Army. After the defeat near Moscow on December 26. 1941 enlisted in OKH reserves. 01.03. 1943 appointed to the post of inspector general of armored forces and held it until the end of the war. After the failure of the July 1944 Plot, Guderian became a member of the Court of Honor and was one of the leaders of the persecution of anti-Nazi officers of the German army. 21.07. 1944 replaced General K. Zeitzler as Chief of the General Staff of the Ground Forces. He tried to make desperate attempts to stabilize the Soviet-German front, but constantly ran into Hitler’s reluctance to carry out retreat operations. In his memoirs, he called Hitler guilty of the defeat of the German troops. During his leadership of the German troops in the East, they suffered a crushing defeat and were forced to leave Belarus, the Baltic states, and the war moved to German territory for the first time. 28.03. 1945 removed from post and replaced by General G. Krebs. 05/10/1945 arrested by American troops, but soon released. Author of memoirs " Memories of a Soldier"(published in Russian in 1998).
Materials used from the book: Who Was Who in the Third Reich. Biographical encyclopedic dictionary. M., 2003
Heinz Guderian
Photo reprinted from ru.wikipedia.org
Guderian Heinz Wilhelm (17.6.1888, Kulm, now Chelmno, Poland, - 15.5.1954, Schwangau, Bavaria), one of the war criminals of the 2nd World War, Colonel General of the Nazi Army ( 1940). He graduated from the Cadet Corps (1907) and the Military. Academy (1914). During World War I, he held command and staff positions in the cavalry, and after the war - in the Reichswehr. From 1922 he served in the automobile forces, then in the tank forces. In 1935-1939 he commanded a tank, a division, an army corps, and mobile forces of the Wehrmacht. Your views on the use of bronze guns. troops in modern times war outlined in various. works even before the 2nd World War. Ch. He assigned a role in the success of offensive operations and the war in general to the massive use of tanks. With the outbreak of World War II in 1939-1940, he commanded a tank corps. He took part in the preparation of an attack on the USSR. Since June 1940 teams. 2nd tank, group, from Oct. 1941 - 2nd tank, army. In December 1941, after the defeat near Moscow, he was removed from his post and transferred to the reserve. Since March 1943, Inspector General of Tank, Troops, and since July 1944, Chief of the General Staff of the Ground Forces. In March 1945, he was transferred to the reserve for defeats on the Soviet-German front. Captured by the Americans, but soon released. Responsible for the atrocities and robberies of the German fascists. occupiers on the territory of the USSR and other countries. The author of a number of memoirs in which he tried to rehabilitate the fascist generals and place full responsibility for the defeat of Germany in the war on Hitler. He advocated the restoration of pre-war borders and military. the power of Germany as a bulwark in the fight against communism.
Materials from the Soviet Military Encyclopedia in 8 volumes, volume 3 were used.
Read further:
Essays:
Armored troops and their interaction with other branches of the military. Per. with him. M., 1940;
Memoirs of a Soldier Trans. with him M., 1954,
Tanks - forward! (German armored forces in the Second World War). Per. with him. M., 1957.
Heinz Guderian wrote the words in the title of this essay in the Preface to his memoirs “Memoirs of a Soldier” and continued: “In order to prepare from our youth people who are honest and capable of defending their country with arms in hand, we willingly fulfilled our duties.” Of all the chiefs of the General Staff of the Army who were replaced during Hitler's reign, Heinz Guderian was the most talented. Moreover, even if he had not taken this post, he would still have been one of the first, if not ten, then twenty of the most successful “Hitler’s generals.” He managed to take part in the creation of German tank forces, in the defeat of France, and in battles on the Soviet-German front. One can only regret that this undoubtedly talented man ended up in the service of the Nazis.
Second generation military man
The memoirs of Heinz Guderian also contain biographical information about him. Nevertheless, in the preface we decided to briefly dwell on his life, even if this will to some extent duplicate the memoirs. A short and compact outline of Guderian's life will help readers more easily navigate all the intricacies of his life.
Heinz Wilhelm Guderian (Guderian) born June 17, 1888 in the small West Prussian town of Kulm, located south of Danzig. His father - at that time a 30-year-old chief lieutenant - served in the 2nd (Pomeranian) Jaeger Battalion of Prince Bismarck. Heinz was the first-born, two and a half years later - on October 2, 1890 - another son appeared in the family, who was named Friedrich in honor of his father (but was always called Fritz for short).
After graduating from the cadet corps in February 1907, Heinz successfully passed the final exam and, having received a certificate of secondary education, on February 28, with the rank of Fenrich, arrived to serve in the 10th Hanoverian Jaeger Battalion, stationed in the Lorraine city of Biche. The choice of place of service was completely in the traditions of the German army, where they always paid great attention to the formation of officer dynasties: the fact is that the 10th Jaeger Battalion at that time was commanded by Heinz’s father, who by that time had already been promoted to lieutenant colonel.
Having completed the “young fighter course,” Heinz was sent to study at the military school in Metz on April 10, 1907, where he received the training necessary to obtain an officer rank. On December 14, 1907, he returned to the battalion and on January 27, 1908 received lieutenant's shoulder straps. On 1 October 1909 the 10th Battalion was transferred to Goslar. From June 28 to July 28, 1910, he trained in the 10th Hanoverian Engineer Battalion (Hannoversches Pionier-Bataillon Nr.10) in Minden, and on October 1, 1912 he was transferred to the 3rd Telegraph Battalion located in Koblenz -Bataillon Nr.3). Here Guderian had the opportunity to study radio and appreciate the advantages provided by good communications - later he would insist that communications in the German tank forces be at a high level and that all tanks, without exception, be equipped with radio stations. This gave German tank units a great advantage, for example, over Soviet tank formations, where radio stations were only on command tanks.
October 1, 1913 became one of the most memorable dates of his life for Heinz Guderian: on this day he received a message about his enrollment as a student at the Berlin Military Academy.
However, Guderian never managed to obtain a full-fledged education as an officer of the General Staff. The Military Academy course was designed for three years, but Heinz managed to study for less than one. On August 1, 1914, general mobilization was announced in Germany, and the Ambassador of His Majesty the German Kaiser in St. Petersburg, Count Friedrich Pourtales, presented the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chamberlain Sergei Sazonov, with a note on Germany’s declaration of war on the Russian Empire. The First World War began. All military educational institutions urgently carried out accelerated graduation of specialists. However, a year of study was clearly not enough to be assigned to the “Abode of the Gods” - the German General Staff - and Lieutenant Heinz Guderian was simply sent to the active army, to the branch of the military in which he served before entering the academy. On August 2, 1914, Guderian took command of the 3rd Heavy Radio Station of the 5th Cavalry Division, Lieutenant General Baron Manfred von Richthofen. The division was sent to the West as part of the 3rd Army of Colonel General Baron Max von Gausen. Guderian had the opportunity to fight the first battles of the World War on the Meuse, and in September 1914, during the Battle of the Marne, he proved himself to be an excellent commander and received his first military award - the Iron Cross 2nd class.
Already on October 4, he received a more responsible appointment - the head of the 4th heavy radio station at the headquarters of the 4th Army operating in Flanders. The army, led by Colonel General Duke Albrecht of Württemberg, fought on the Lys - at Ypres and on the Iser. In October, the army took part in the bloody battle on the Isère, crossed the river and defeated the French. On November 8, 1914, Heinz Guderian was promoted to chief lieutenant. The memory of serving under the banner of the Duke of Württemberg remained with Guderian in his reward: he was awarded the Knight's Cross 2nd class of the Royal Württemberg Order of Frederick with swords.
A new offensive on Ypres began at the end of April 1915 and, although it had local success, at the cost of heavy losses, it failed to achieve the initially set goal of capturing the Ysere Canal up to and including Ypres. The command noted the capable officer and on May 17, 1915 he was transferred to the post of auxiliary officer of the secret communications service under the command of the 4th Army. In this post, Guderian was able to gain experience as an intelligence officer, directly related to working with technical means. Already on December 18, 1915, he was promoted to captain - such a quick career for a chief officer was generally not typical for the German army, even taking into account military operations.
Guderian spent 1916 at army headquarters. First, on January 27, 1916, he was assigned (and a little later officially transferred) to the headquarters of the 5th Army, where on February 9 he took a position similar to the one he had in the 4th Army. On July 18, 1916, he was again returned to the headquarters of the 4th Army, this time as a liaison officer. Although Guderian did not receive the usual training as a General Staff officer, the command decided to “promote” a promising officer: there was a war going on and it was necessary to make up for losses in the General Staff, as well as fill vacancies in the newly formed formations. In this regard, the generals had to turn a blind eye to whether officers had the appropriate diploma and promote the most trained specialists to staff positions. Captain Guderian was among these “wartime General Staff officers”. On April 3, 1917, he was appointed 2nd General Staff officer to the headquarters of the 4th Infantry Division. The 2nd officer of the General Staff (according to the staff list lb) headed the Quartermaster Department of the headquarters and was responsible for providing support for the division, as well as for prisoners of war, maintaining order in the rear area of the division, and so on. Thus, Heinz actually began serving as an officer of the General Staff, but not yet being officially assigned to this military department - this will happen later, only on February 27, 1918, after completing a number of formalities.
It so happened that in 1917 Guderian had to change a significant number of duty stations - he was constantly transferred from one headquarters to another. First, on April 27, he was assigned to the Quartermaster Department of the 1st Army headquarters, where he took the position of supply officer. Then in May he became a quartermaster (that is, the 2nd officer of the General Staff) at the headquarters of the 52nd Reserve Division, with which he took part in the battles on the Aisne River. The following month, he headed the Quartermaster Department of the Guards Corps headquarters, and in July he became the head of intelligence (or, according to the staff schedule, the 3rd officer of the General Staff - 1c) at the headquarters of the X Reserve Corps. However, on August 11 he was transferred to the headquarters of the 4th Infantry Division, and in September he was appointed commander of the 2nd Battalion of the 14th Infantry Regiment. This was the only command position that Guderian held in wartime, so it can be said that he had almost no experience in performing the duties of a commander during hostilities. That, however, did not prevent Guderian from later becoming one of the best tank commanders of the Wehrmacht - the commander’s talent in him was, so to speak, from God.
