Walther von Brauchitsch

German field marshal (1881-1948)

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Lived 1881–1948, aged 67Germany

Germany Historical Figures

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Wikipedia
49 languages
Cross-language footprint
Rank in Germany
#91
Historical Figures
Era
1881–1948
Aged 67

Summary

Updated 2026-05-29

German Army commander-in-chief during WWII's first two years, navigating the impossible position between Hitler's demands and military reality. Von Brauchitsch rose through WWI staff ranks before inheriting one of history's most fraught leadership posts.

Biography

About

Walther Heinrich Alfred Hermann von Brauchitsch was a German Generalfeldmarschall and Commander-in-Chief (Oberbefehlshaber) of the German Army during the first two years of World War II. Born into an aristocratic military family, he entered army service in 1901. During World War I, he served with distinction on the corps-level and division-level staff on the Western Front.

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