1. Kurt Zeitzler was a Chief of the Army General Staff in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II.
12 Facts About Kurt Zeitzler
1. 2.
Kurt Zeitzler lost faith in Hitler's judgement, and abandoned his position in July 1944 after suffering a nervous breakdown.
3.
Kurt Zeitzler was regarded as an energetic and efficient staff officer, noted for his ability in managing the movement of large mobile formations.
4.
Kurt Zeitzler was promoted to lieutenant in December 1914, and commanded various units, including a pioneer detachment.
5.
Kurt Zeitzler was chosen as one of the 4,000 officers selected to serve in the Reichswehr, the small German army permitted under the limits of the Treaty of Versailles.
6.
Kurt Zeitzler continued in this post through the successful invasion of Yugoslavia and Battle of Greece.
7.
On 18 May 1941 Kurt Zeitzler was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
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Franz Halder 8.
In January 1942, Zeitzler was made chief of staff to General Gerd von Rundstedt, OB West and commander of Army Group D He played an important role in responding to the Canadian raid on Dieppe on 19 August 1942.
9.
On 24 September 1942 Kurt Zeitzler was promoted to General der Infanterie and simultaneously was appointed Chief of the OKH General Staff, replacing Franz Halder.
10.
Kurt Zeitzler recommended that Sixth Army immediately break out and withdraw from Stalingrad to the Don bend, where the broken front could be restored.
11.
Kurt Zeitzler appeared as a witness for the defense during the Nuremberg trials, and worked with the Operational History Section of the Historical Division of the US Army.
12.
Kurt Zeitzler died of lung cancer in 1963 in Hohenaschau of Upper Bavaria.