Ferdinand Schörner

German field marshal (1892–1973)

Fame58.9
Momentum3.3
Germany rank#248

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Fame58.9
Momentum3.3
Germany rank#248
Journalists rank#249
Wikipedia32.2K

Lived 1892–1973, aged 81Germany

Germany JournalistsJournalist

Wikipedia
42 languages
Cross-language footprint
Rank in Germany
#248
Journalists
Era
1892–1973
Aged 81
Awards
23
recognised works

Summary

Updated 2026-06-21

Hitler's favourite commander by war's end, and the last man he promoted to Field Marshal. Schörner was a dedicated Nazi who climbed from volunteer to the Wehrmacht's final Commander-in-chief — and became notorious among his own soldiers for executing "deserters".

Biography

About

Ferdinand Schörner was born 12 June 1892, the only German soldier to rise to Field Marshal from the rank of one-year volunteer. He commanded several army groups during World War II, his ruthlessness earning him Hitler's particular favour as the Reich collapsed. In the final days he was named Commander-in-chief of the German Army, the Wehrmacht's last leader in a war already lost. After Germany's defeat, courts in the Soviet Union and West Germany convicted him of war crimes. He spent years imprisoned in the Soviet Union, East Germany, and West Germany, dying 2 July 1973.

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