Wehrmacht

Wehrmacht {{Audio|De-Wehrmacht-pronunciation.ogg|listen}} was the name of the armed forces of Germany from 1935 to 1945. It replaced the old Reichswehr and was succeeded by the current Bundeswehr.

Command structure

Legally, the Commander-in-Chief of the Wehrmacht was the German Chancellor, a position Adolf Hitler held from 1933 until his suicide in late April 1945. Administration and military authority initially lay with the war ministry under Werner von Blomberg. After von Blomberg resigned in the course of the Blomberg-Fritsch Affair (1938) the ministry was dissolved and the Armed Forces High Command (Oberkommando der Wehrmacht or OKW) under Wilhelm Keitel was put in its place.

Related Topics:
Commander-in-Chief - German Chancellor - Adolf Hitler - 1933 - 1945 - Werner von Blomberg - Blomberg-Fritsch Affair - 1938 - Oberkommando der Wehrmacht - Wilhelm Keitel

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The OKW coordinated all military activities but Keitel's sway over the three branches of service (army, air force, and navy) was rather limited. Each had its own High Command, known as Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH, army), Oberkommando der Marine (OKM, navy), and Oberkommando der Luftwaffe (OKL, air force). Each of these high commands had its own general staff.

Related Topics:
Oberkommando des Heeres - Oberkommando der Marine - Oberkommando der Luftwaffe

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• OKW — Armed Forces High Command

::Chief of the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces - Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel

Related Topics:
Field Marshal - Wilhelm Keitel

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:: Chief of the Operations Staff - Colonel General Alfred Jodl

Related Topics:
Colonel General - Alfred Jodl

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• OKH — Army High Command

:Army Commanders-in-Chief

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::Colonel General Werner von Fritsch (1935 to 1938)

Related Topics:
Colonel General - Werner von Fritsch - 1935 - 1938

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::Field Marshal Walther von Brauchitsch (1938 to 1941)

Related Topics:
Field Marshal - Walther von Brauchitsch - 1938 - 1941

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::Führer and Reich Chancellor Adolf Hitler (1941 to 1945)

Related Topics:
Führer - Reich Chancellor - Adolf Hitler - 1941 - 1945

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::Field Marshal Ferdinand Schörner (1945)

Related Topics:
Field Marshal - Ferdinand Schörner - 1945

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• OKM — Navy High Command

:Navy Commanders-in-Chief

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::Grand Admiral Erich Raeder (1928-1943)

Related Topics:
Grand Admiral - Erich Raeder - 1928 - 1943

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::Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz (1943-1945)

Related Topics:
Grand Admiral - Karl Dönitz - 1943 - 1945

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::General Admiral Hans-Georg von Friedeburg (1945)

Related Topics:
General Admiral - Hans-Georg von Friedeburg - 1945

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• OKL — Airforce High Command

:Air Force Commanders-in-Chief

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::Reich Marshal Hermann Göring (to 1945)

Related Topics:
Reich Marshal - Hermann Göring - 1945

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::Field Marshal Robert Ritter von Greim (1945)

Related Topics:
Field Marshal - Robert Ritter von Greim - 1945

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