Fritz Todt

German engineer and senior Nazi figure (1891-1942)

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Lived 1891–1942, aged 51Germany

Germany ScientistsScientist

Wikipedia
45 languages
Cross-language footprint
Era
1891–1942
Aged 51
Awards
19
recognised works

Summary

Updated 2026-06-09

He built the autobahns and the Atlantic Wall, ran the Nazi wartime economy, and founded the forced-labor machine that enslaved 800,000 people. An engineer who rose through Hitler's ranks, his organization worked hand-in-glove with the SS to murder laborers — especially Jews — as policy.

Biography

About

Todt was a construction engineer who flew for Germany in World War I and earned the Iron Cross. He joined the Nazi Party in 1922, the SA in 1931, and climbed steadily as Hitler took power. Named Inspector General for German Roadways, he oversaw the autobahn system, then directed the Westwall and Atlantic Wall fortifications. In 1938 he founded Organization Todt, which funneled forced labor to German industry; in 1940 he became Reich Minister for Armaments and War Production, controlling the entire military economy. OT employed upwards of 800,000 slave laborers from occupied territories, and SS…

Voice

In their own words

Sourced, dated quotes from Fritz Todt

Fritz Todt

saidMay 1938

The external appearance of any construction projects that are created during the time of the National Socialist Reich must take on the sensibility of our time.

— Quoted in "Deutsche Technik", May 1938, p. 209.

Fritz Todt

saidJun 1935

For decades engineers have stood accused that their buildings do not have any cultural value. We have attempted to liberate engineering of this accusation.

— Quoted in "Deutsche Technik", June 1935, p. 270.

Fritz Todt

said1934