Erich von Manstein

German field marshal (1887-1973)

  • Fame63.8
  • Momentum12.8
  • Historical Figures rank#214
Source-basedStable
  • Fame63.8
  • Momentum12.8
  • Historical Figures rank#214
  • Wikipedia112K
Lived 1887–1973, aged 86Germany
  • Wikipedia
    58 languages
    Cross-language footprint
  • Era
    1887–1973
    Aged 86
  • Awards
    16
    recognised works
Summary
Updated 2026-06-21

The Prussian field marshal who designed the sickle cut through the Ardennes that broke France in 1940, then commanded German forces through the sieges of Sevastopol and Leningrad before a failed relief at Stalingrad ended his streak. Convicted of war crimes in 1949, he served four years and spent his freedom crafting the myth that the Wehrmacht's hands were

Biography

About

Fritz Erich Georg Eduard von Lewinski was born into Prussian military aristocracy in 1887 and took the Manstein name, rising to captain in the First World War. In 1940, as chief of staff to Army Group South, he devised the Sichelschnitt — the surprise thrust through the Ardennes that cut the Allied armies in two and delivered France in six weeks. Promoted to field marshal after the siege of Sevastopol in July 1942, he led forces at Leningrad, then commanded the doomed Winter Storm relief attempt at Stalingrad in December. His backhand blow at Kharkov in early 1943 destroyed three Soviet armies…

Voice

In their own words

Sourced, dated quotes from Erich von Manstein

Erich von Manstein
said
I tried at that time to relieve the Sixth Army, of which I was supreme commander, above Paulus, by counterattacks - but it was not possible.
To Leon Goldensohn (14 June 1946). Quoted in The Nuremberg Interviews - by Leon Goldensohn, Robert Gellately - History - 2004
Erich von Manstein
saidundated
But it is a well-known maxim of war that whoever tries to hold on to everything at once, finishes up by holding nothing at all.
Lost Victories, The Winter Campaign In South Russia
Deep cuts

Era & geography

No era information yet.
Deep cuts

Legacy

No legacy summary indexed yet.
Where to find them

Platforms

No platforms connected yet.

By the numbers

Score breakdown

The six component signals behind the Fame score, and their ranks across the leaderboards.

Fame
Stable
63.8
Composite of search demand, mentions, audience & graph footprint.
Score components
Momentum12.8
Historical28.0
Now attention27.3
Source confidence60.0
Completeness70.0
Global rank
Country rank
Category rank
#214
Receipts

Sources

  • Wikidata
    wikidata · wikidata.org
    High confidence
  • Wikipedia
    wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org
    High confidence
  • Pantheon 2.0
    database · pantheon.world
    High confidence