Franz Halder

Franz Halder was a German general who served as the chief of staff of the Army High Command (OKH) in Nazi Germany from 1938 until 1942. He was involved in the planning and execution of several military operations during World War II, most notably Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941. He was also instrumental in drafting the Commissar Order and the Barbarossa Decree, which authorized the killing of Soviet prisoners of war and civilians without legal consequences. Halder was born into a military family in Würzburg, Bavaria, in 1884. He joined the army in 1902 and fought in World War I as a staff officer. He remained in the army after the war and rose through the ranks to become a colonel in 1931. He was appointed as the chief of staff of the Inspectorate of Training and Education in 1934 and became a major general in 1936. He was promoted to lieutenant general in 1937 and became the chief of staff of the Army High Command in 1938, succeeding Ludwig Beck, who resigned in protest against Hitler's plans to invade Czechoslovakia. As the chief of staff, Halder was responsible for overseeing the army's operations and strategy during World War II. He supported Hitler's decision to invade Poland in 1939, which triggered the war, and also participated in the planning of the campaigns in Norway, France, and the Balkans in 1940. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for his role in these victories³. However, he also had frequent disagreements with Hitler over military matters, especially regarding the invasion of the Soviet Union, which he considered a risky and premature move. He nevertheless prepared and implemented Operation Barbarossa, which began on June 22, 1941, with initial success but soon faced serious difficulties due to Soviet resistance, logistical problems, and harsh weather conditions. Halder clashed with Hitler over the direction of the campaign, as he favored a more cautious and flexible approach while Hitler insisted on pursuing unrealistic objectives and rigid orders. Halder also opposed Hitler's interference in operational matters and his dismissal of several competent generals. He was involved in a failed plot to overthrow Hitler in September 1941, along with other senior officers who were dissatisfied with his leadership. He continued to serve as the chief of staff until September 1942, when he was dismissed by Hitler after the failure of Operation Typhoon, the attempt to capture Moscow. He was replaced by Kurt Zeitzler. Halder was arrested by the Gestapo in July 1944, after the failed assassination attempt on Hitler by Claus von Stauffenberg and other conspirators. He was suspected of being involved in the plot, but there was no conclusive evidence against him. He was nevertheless sent to Flossenbürg concentration camp and later to Dachau concentration camp. He was liberated by American troops in April 1945. After the war, Halder worked as a consultant for the US Army Historical Division and helped to write a series of studies on German military operations during World War II. He also testified as a witness for the defense at several war crimes trials, including those of Erich von Manstein and Wilhelm List. He claimed that he was not aware of or responsible for any atrocities committed by the German army on the Eastern Front, and that he had tried to resist Hitler's orders whenever possible. However, his role in drafting and implementing the Commissar Order and the Barbarossa Decree, which he later admitted to, contradicted his claims of innocence and ignorance. Halder retired to Aschau im Chiemgau, Bavaria, where he died of a heart attack in 1972. He was 87 years old. He was buried in the local cemetery. He left behind his diaries and war journals, which are valuable sources of information on the German army and its operations during World War II. They also reveal his complex and contradictory personality, as he was a professional soldier who served a criminal regime, a strategist who opposed Hitler's decisions but also followed them, and a witness who denied his involvement in war crimes but also confessed to them.