Heinz Guderian - a famous colonel general who served in the German army. He is also known as a military theorist, author of The Memoirs of a German General, dedicated to German tank troops. It is considered one of the pioneers of the motorized way of war, the founder of tank building in Germany. For his outstanding achievements, he had several nicknames - Heinz-Hurricane and Fleet Heinz.
Childhood and youth
Heinz Guderian was born in 1888. He was born in the town of Kulm. At that time it was located in Prussia, now it is the village of Chelmno in Poland.
Heinz Guderian’s father was a career officer, which affected the career and the hero of our article. His ancestors were landowners who owned land in the Warta region. Mother, Klara Kirgof, was a hereditary lawyer.
In 1890, a brother named Fritz is born to Heinz Guderian. In 1901, both of them were admitted to the cadet corps for young children. In 1903, Heinz was transferred to an older building; he was leaving for Berlin. In 1907, having successfully passed all the necessary exams, he received a matriculation certificate.
Early career
After studying in the cadet corps, Heinz Wilhelm Guderian, this is the full name of the future officer, enters the military service in the jaeger battalion in Hanover. This happens in 1907. At that time, his father was just commanding him.
After a 6-month course at a military school, at the beginning of 1908 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant. Then, for about a year, Guderian served in the telegraph battalion, and after that at the military academy located in Berlin.
During the war
When the First World War began, Heinz Wilhelm Guderian was appointed head of the heavy radio station in the Fifth Cavalry Division.
In 1915, he became an auxiliary officer in the cryptographic service under the command of the Fourth Army. In November 1916 he received the First Class Iron Cross for diligent service.
The next year he was transferred to the Fourth Infantry Division, and from there to the headquarters of the First Army. Since February 1918, Heinz Guderian, whose photo you will find in this article, has served in the General Staff. The command appreciates his suggestions, so by the end of the war he even heads the operations department in the occupied Italian territories.
In addition to the Iron Crosses during the First World War, he also received the Knight's Cross, an Austrian commemorative military medal.
Peaceful time
Having suffered a defeat, the German army is in a disastrous situation. Guderian manages to continue serving in the Reichswehr. So now the German army is called, limited in number and composition under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles
Guderian leads the Jaeger battalion, commands the 20th Infantry Regiment. Since 1922 he has been serving in Munich on an ongoing basis. In April, he was appointed inspector for road transport in the Ministry of War. By 1928, Guderian was already an instructor in tactics at the headquarters in Berlin.
His track record also includes the command of the motor transport battalion, the leadership of the headquarters of motor transport troops. In the summer of 1932, Guderian came to the Soviet Union, to the Kama tank school, located in the Kazan region. In the USSR, he is with his immediate superior, General Lutz.
In 1934, Heinz led the headquarters of motorized troops, and in 1935 - already tank forces. He convinces everyone around that in the future the military successes of any army will directly depend on how successfully it can use the potential of the tank troops.
In September 1935, Guderian became commander of the Second Panzer Division, which is constantly located in the Wurzburg area.
Tank obsession
Of all the vehicles that can be used during the war, Guderian relies on tanks.
In 1937, he even published his own book called Attention, Tanks! The History of the Creation of Tank Forces. In it, he describes in detail and in all details how the tank troops appeared, what are the most effective ways of using them.
In February 1938, Heinz Guderian, whose biography is described in this material, becomes commander of the German tank forces. He bases the headquarters on the basis of the 16th motorized corps. Becomes a commander in the rank of lieutenant general.
Attack on Poland
As you know, the Second World War began with the invasion of German troops on the territory of Poland. Guderian takes a direct part in this, commanding the 19th motorized corps. For a successful operation, he is awarded the Iron Cross of the first degree, and a month later - and the Knight's Cross.
The next step in terms of the German command was the invasion of France. Guderian carries it out at the head of the 19th Corps, which immediately includes three tank divisions and a motorized infantry regiment, bearing the proud name of "Great Germany." These units are part of the army under the command of von Kleist, which carries out the main hostilities in France.
Tactics
In these battles, Guderian actively uses the blitzkrieg tactics, which remains true in most battles. At the same time, he carefully coordinates all his actions with directives from the command. Going forward with his tanks, Guderian is significantly devastating far beyond the proposed front line, actively blocking the enemy’s access to any communications, capturing entire headquarters.
So, for example, German troops manage to capture several French headquarters, in which officers believe that the Germans are on the west bank of the Meuse River, but in reality they have long crossed over to the other bank, depriving the French of operational command and direct command.
During many of these operations, Guderian acts waywardly, earning himself a reputation as a poorly managed commander, from whom you can expect anything. In May 1940, in the midst of an offensive operation, the commander of a group of troops, von Kleist, even temporarily removed Guderian from fulfilling his immediate duties because he refused to obey a direct order. The incident manages to quickly settle, Heinz returns to combat positions.
According to the results of the French campaign, his actions are recognized as successful, Guderian receives the rank of colonel general. In November 1940 he became commander of the Second Tank Group of Forces.
Invasion of the USSR
It was at the head of the Second Panzer Group that Guderian invades the territory of the USSR in the summer of the 41st year. The eastern campaign of Army Group Center involves the seizure of the Brest region from two directions at once - from the north and south.
Blitzkrieg tactics in Soviet territory are a resounding success. Guderian acts by quickly breaking through enemy lines of defense, followed by tank wedges. German troops are advancing rapidly. Captured Minsk and Smolensk. The Red Army on the Western Front in 1941 suffers a crushing defeat largely due to the decisive actions of Guderian. In July, he already receives Oak leaves to the Knight's Cross.
Course change
However, at this moment Hitler decides to drastically change the plan of the entire campaign. Instead of continuing a swift attack on Moscow, he orders Guderian’s tank groups to turn around and strike in the direction of Kiev. At this time, another part of Army Group Center was advancing on Leningrad.
Guderian is forced to obey the order, although he himself considered it more promising to move forward to Moscow. The Soviet forces of the Bryansk Front are attempting to defeat the Guderian group with a sudden flank strike. This happens in the framework of the so-called Roslavl-Novozybkov operation. Soviet troops manage to create a real threat to the Germans, but Guderian, using only part of his forces, stops the strike, continuing to carry out the main task assigned to him by the command.
In mid-September, in the Kiev area, he manages to connect with the First Tank Group of the Army South, which at that time was commanded by von Kleist. As a result of this maneuver, the entire South-Western Front of the Red Army finds itself in the so-called Kiev Cauldron, which Hitler sought with his unexpected maneuvers.
At the same time, in the Moscow direction, the German army was losing the frisky pace of the offensive, which later became one of the key reasons for the failure of the Barbarossa plan. Guderian even believed that the main reason. After the start of the offensive on Moscow, Mtsensk and Oryol were captured, but Tula did not give up.
At this stage of the offensive, disagreements begin between Field Marshal Kluge, who commands the Army Group Center, and Guderian. Kluge is opposed to his career advancement, as he does not want to have an uncontrollable commander next to him. When Heinz leads the tanks from a dangerous position, breaking the order, he is again removed from command. This leads to large losses in people and technology.
To reserve
At the end of December of the 41st year, Guderian was sent to the reserve of the High Command from the front line.
Only in February 43rd, after the defeat in the Battle of Stalingrad, he was returned to the front. He receives an appointment as inspector of armored forces. Guderian manages to establish mutual understanding with the Minister of Supply and Arms Speer. Due to this, the number of produced tanks increases many times. In addition, their design is being amended by Guderian himself, regularly visiting shooting ranges, factories and test sites.
In May of the 43rd at the meeting on Operation Citadel, Guderian again clashes with Kluge, even challenges him to a duel. There was an insult in him for removal from command in the 41st. The duel did not take place, as Guderian himself later recalled, Kluge was its initiator, but Hitler spoke out against. The Führer sent a letter to the field marshal, in which he expressed regret over the disagreements that arose between his officers, urging him to solve all problems peacefully.
In 1944, after a failed assassination attempt on Hitler, faithful Guderian was made chief of the General Staff of the ground forces. In March 45th, he was already in conflict with Hitler, who was trying to intervene in the control of tank units. Guderian is again in disgrace, he is removed from his post and sent on forced leave.
Defeat in war
After the surrender of German troops, Guderian is captured by American troops on the territory of Tyrol. He was brought to Nuremberg, but at the famous trial he acted only as a witness.
The Soviet side sought to bring charges of war crimes to him, but the allies did not agree with them. In particular, he was blamed for the execution of captured Red Army soldiers in the 41st year. In this case, direct orders Guderian failed. The accusation was based on the fact that the general could not know about them.
Guderian did not deny knowledge, explaining this by the revenge of German soldiers for the executions that were arranged for German tankmen. The Red Army often confused them with members of the SS due to their dark uniforms. And in 1946, Guderian was imprisoned in Allendorz, later transferred to Neustadt. In 1948 he was released.
For some time he was a military adviser in Germany.
A family
Heinz Guderian’s personal life was successful. In 1909, he met Margarita Guerne, they got married, but their parents felt that both were too young for marriage. The wedding took place only in 1913.
The following year, the first son of Heinz Guderian, Heinz Gunter, was born, and four years later, Kurt. Both served in the armored forces during World War II. Heinz was promoted to major general.
Guderian himself died in 1954, at the age of 65, from liver disease.
Proceedings
The books of Heinz Guderian were of great importance for the development of all tank troops. He is considered one of the best German military theorists of the time.
Heinz Guderian in the book "Memoirs of the German General" talks about the creation and development of tank troops. These memoirs of Heinz Guderian describe the preparation for the largest operations of the German command. This is an important historical document in which the general shares his knowledge and experience.
Many quotes from Heinz Guderian are still being studied by the modern military.
Be worthy citizens of your people today! Do not give up and do not refuse to help your homeland in such a difficult time for him! Gather all your physical and spiritual strengths and give them to the cause of rebuilding the homeland, everyone should work where his fate has thrown, equally difficult for all of us. No, even the blackest work is not shameful if it is done with all my heart and with clean hands. Cheer up if you find it difficult. If we work together for the benefit of our people, then the sun of success will rise for us, and Germany will be reborn again.
So he inspired his compatriots in another of his memoirs - "Memoirs of a Soldier."