Erich von Manstein

Erich von Manstein
Generalfeldmarschall von Lewinski genannt von Manstein officially changed his name in April 1943, the HPA reported on 3 April 1943: "Generalfeldmarschall von Lewinski, known as von Manstein, wishes to be referred to in speech, writing, and photographs only as Generalfeldmarschall von Manstein. Lewinski is to be dropped."
Birth date	24 November 1887(1887-11-24)
Place of birth	Berlin, Province of Brandenburg, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
Death date	9 June 1973 (aged 85)
Place of death	Irschenhausen, Bavaria, West Germany
Resting place	Dorfmark, Bad Fallingbostel, Lower Saxony
Allegiance	German Empire Weimar Republic National Socialist Germany West Germany
Service/branch	Prussian Army Imperial German Army Reichswehr Heer
Years of service	1906–1944/45
Rank	Generalfeldmarschall
Commands held	11th Army Heeresgruppe Süd
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Poland Campaign Western Campaign Operation Barbarossa Battle of the Sea of Azov Siege of Sevastopol Battle of the Kerch Peninsula Siege of Leningrad Battle of Stalingrad Operation Gallop Third Battle of Kharkov Battle of Kursk Dnieper campaign
Relations	∞ 1920 Jutta-Sibylle von Loesch
Other work	Military advisor to the West German government

Fritz Erich Georg Eduard von Lewinski genannt von Manstein (also Fritz-Erich; b. 24 November 1887 in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire; d. 9 June 1973 in Munich, Bavaria, West Germany) was a German officer of the Prussian Army, the Imperial German Army, the Reichswehr and the Wehrmacht. He served the German military as a lifelong professional soldier and became one of the most prominent commanders of Germany's armed forces (Wehrmacht). During World War II, he attained the rank of Generalfeldmarschall and was held in high esteem by his fellow officers as one of the Wehrmacht's best military minds.

He was the initiator and one of the planners of the Ardennes Offensive alternative (sickle cut) in the Invasion of France in 1940. He received acclaim from the German leadership for the victorious battles of Perekop Isthmus, Kerch, Sevastopol and Kharkov. He commanded the failed relief effort at Stalingrad and the Cherkassy pocket evacuation. He was dismissed from service by Adolf Hitler in March 1944, due to his frequent clashes with Hitler over military strategy.

After the war, he gave evidence for the defense at the Nuremberg trials, supporting the Clean Wehrmacht view. In 1949, possibly as a punishment for this, he was brought on trial in Hamburg for alleged war crimes, which convicted him of "Neglecting to protect civilian lives" and for using scorched earth tactics denying vital food supplies to the local population. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison, which was later reduced to 12 There was increasing public and other support for the view that he had been convicted of crimes that he did not commit, and he was released in 1953. As a military advisor to the West German government in the mid-1950s, he helped re-establish the German armed forces (→ Bundeswehr). Von Manstein stated that the number of Jews killed in the Holocaust was extremely exaggerated.

Life

Erich von Manstein with wife and son

Erich von Manstein and Hermann Hoth

The Führer during a meeting with officers in March 1943. Above the map from the left: Generalfeldmarschall Erich von Manstein, Generaloberst Richard Ruoff, Adolf Hitler, General der Infanterie Kurt Zeitzler and Generalfeldmarschall Ewald von Kleist.

Von Manstein was born in Berlin, the tenth child of a Prussian aristocrat, General of the Artillery Eduard Julius Ludwig von Lewinski (1829–1906), and Helene Pauline, née von Sperling (1847–1910). Hedwig von Sperling (1852–1925), Helene's younger sister, married Lieutenant General Georg von Manstein (1844–1913). The couple were not able to have children, so it was decided that this tenth, unborn child would be adopted by his uncle and aunt. When he was born, the von Lewinskis sent a telegram to the von Mansteins which stated: You got a healthy boy today. Mother and child well. Congratulations.

Not only were both Erich von Manstein's real and adopted father Prussian Generals, but his mother's brother and both his grandfathers had also been Generals of the Prussian Army (one of them leading a corps in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71). In addition, he was closely related to Paul von Hindenburg (married to his aunt Gertrud Wilhelmine, née von Sperling; 1860–1921), the future Generalfeldmarschall and Reich President of Germany. Thus, his career in the Prussian Army was assured from birth.

He attended elementary school and the Lycée in Strasbourg (Reichsland Elsaß-Lothringen). He spent six years in the cadet corps in Plön (1 April 1900 to March 1902) and Groß-Lichterfelde (as of 1 April 1902). During his education, he learned Spanish, French and English. On 6 March 1906, after achieving his Abitur, he joined the Third Guards Regiment of Foot as an officer cadet (Fähnrich). He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant in January 1907, and in October 1913, he entered the War Academy (Kriegsakademie).

During World War I, von Manstein served on both the German Western Front (Belgium/France 1916: Attack on Verdun, 1917–18: Champagne) and the Eastern Front (1915: North Poland, 1915–16: Serbia, 1917: Estonia). In Poland, he was severely wounded in November 1914. He returned to duty in 1915, was promoted to captain and remained as a staff officer until the end of the war. In 1918, he volunteered for the staff position in the Frontier Defense Force in Breslau (Wroclaw) and served there until 1919.

Chronology

• 1900 to 1906 Cadet Corps
• 6 March 1906 Joined the 3. Garde-Regiment zu Fuß of the Garde-Korps
• 1 January to 30 June 1910 Commanded to the Military Gymnastics Facility (Militär-Turnanstalt) in Berlin
• 1 July 1911 to 30 September 1913 Battalion adjutant and court officer
  • his successor as adjutant of the (III.) Fusilier Battalion/3rd Guards Regiment of Foot was Adolf Karl von Oven
• 1 October 1913 to 2 August 1914 Commanded to the War Academy
• 2 August 1914 Regimental adjutant of the new 2. Garde-Reserve-Regiment
  • Established in Berlin, subordinate to the 1st Guards Reserve Division; the reserve regiment was mobilized according to the mobilization plan. In addition to the regiment moving into the field, a replacement battalion and a recruit depot were established. In August 1914, von Manstein took part in the capture of Namur, the site of a massive citadel surrounded by outlying forts. In September, von Manstein's unit was one of two transferred to East Prussia and attached to the Eighth Army, commanded by Paul von Hindenburg. After seeing action in the First Battle of the Masurian Lakes, his unit was soon reassigned to the Ninth Army, which was in the process of advancing from Upper Silesia to Warsaw. Overstretched, the Ninth Army was forced to withdraw in the face of a Russian counterattack.
• 17 November 1914 Wounded (Eastern Front) during the retreat when he was among a detachment that stormed a Russian entrenchment. He was shot in the left shoulder and the left knee; one bullet hit his sciatic nerve, causing the leg to be numb. Recovery took six months in hospital in Beuthen and Wiesbaden.
• 17 June 1915 Assistant general staff officer of operations to the Armee-Gruppe Gallwitz, commanded by Max von Gallwitz
  • Soon promoted to captain, he learned first-hand how to plan and conduct offensive operations as the Tenth Army undertook successful attacks on Poland, Lithuania, Montenegro, and Albania.
  • 29 July 1915 At the same time commander of the Field Gendarmerie Troop of the Guard Reserve Corps (redesignated Armee-Gruppe Gallwitz)
  • Armee-Gruppe Gallwitz was redesignated as 12th Army on 7 August 1915 with von Gallwitz remaining in command.
• 9 August 1915 Adjutant of the 12th Army
• 20 September 1915 Adjutant of the "new" 11th Army, now commanded by General der Artillerie Max von Gallwitz
  • 22 January 1916 Officially appointed staff officer and transferred to the General Staff of the 11th Army
  • During offensive operations at Verdun in early 1916, Manstein was stationed with Gallwitz and his staff at a new headquarters near the action.
• 27 March 1916 Adjutant of the Angriffsgruppe Westliches Maasufer
  • The Western Meuse Bank Attack Group was a German military unit deployed during the Battle of Verdun and participated in the fighting on the west bank of the Meuse in April 1916, including the attacks on the "Dead Man" Hill. General von Gallwitz commanded this group, which aimed to break through the French positions on the west bank of the Meuse.
• 31 July 1916 Transferred to the General Staff of the 1st Army under Fritz von Below as Chief Supply Officer (Ib; Quartermaster)
• 7 September 1916 Administratively transferred to the General Staff of the Army remaining with the 1st Army
• 1 October 1917 Transferred to the General Staff of the 4th Cavalry Division, serving in Riga
  • Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in March 1918
• 4 May 1918 Transferred to the General Staff of the 213th Infantry Division near Reims
• 7 January 1919 Return to the 3. Garde-Regiment zu Fuß
• 16 January 1919 Transferred to the XVI. Armee-Korps (Fortress of Metz)
• 14 February 1919 General Staff of the Border Guard South
• 13 August 1919 General Staff of the Reichswehr-Gruppenkommando 2
  • Reichswehr Group Command 2 was established on 1 January 1920, in Kassel, in what was then Military District V. Its headquarters reported directly to the Reichswehr Ministry. With the formation of the 100,000-strong Reichswehr army on 1 October 1920, the headquarters was renamed Group Command 2. The 5th, 6th, and 7th Divisions of the Reichswehr, as well as the 3rd Cavalry Division, were now subordinate to the headquarters.
• 10 September with effect from 1 October 1921 Commander of the 6th Company/5. (Preußisches) Infanterie-Regiment in Prenzlau
• 15 September with effect from 1 October 1923 General Staff of the 2. Division in Stettin
• 30 August with effect from 1 October 1924 General Staff of the 4. Division in Dresden
• 6 September with effect from 1 October 1927 Transferred to the staff of the Infanterieführer IV
• 17 July with effect from 1 September 1929 Transferred to the Reichswehr Ministry (RWM)
• 1 October 1932 Commander of the II. (Jäger) Battalion/4. (Preußisches) Infanterie-Regiment in Kolberg
• 5 January with effect from 1 February 1934 Appointed Chief of Staff of the 3. Division in Berlin under Erwin von Witzleben
• 1 July 1935 General Staff of the Heer as head of the 1st Department (Operations)
• 2 July with effect from 6 October 1936 Senior Quartermaster I of the General Staff of the Heer
• 4 February 1938 Delegated with the leadership of the 18. Division in Liegnitz
  • according to his military files, he was appointed commander of the division on 1 April 1938 as successor to Hermann Hoth.
• 18 August 1939 Chief of the General Staff of the Army Group South
  • renamed Commander-in-Chief East on 3 October 1939
• 23 October 1939 Chief of the General Staff of the Army Group A

World War II

Poland Campaign

On 18 August 1939, in preparation for Operation Fall Weiß, the German Poland campaign, von Manstein was appointed Chief of Staff to Gerd von Rundstedt’s Army Group South. Here he worked along with von Rundstedt’s Chief of Operations, Colonel Günther Blumentritt in the development of the operational plan. Von Rundstedt accepted von Manstein’s plan calling for the concentration of the majority of the army group’s armored units into Walther von Reichenau’s 10th Army, with the objective of a decisive breakthrough which would lead to the encirclement of Polish forces west of the River Vistula. In von Manstein’s plan, two other armies comprising Army Group South, Wilhelm List’s 14th Army and Johannes Blaskowitz’s 8th Army, were to provide the flank support for Reichenau’s armored thrust towards Warsaw, the Polish capital.

Privately, von Manstein was lukewarm about the Polish campaign, thinking that it would be better to keep Poland as a buffer between Germany and the Soviet Union. He also worried about an Allied attack on the West Wall once the Polish campaign started, thus drawing Germany into a two-front war.

Launched on 1 September 1939, the campaign began successfully. In Army Group South’s area of responsibility, armored units of the 10th Army pursued the retreating Poles, giving them no time to set up a defense. The 8th Army prevented the isolated Polish troop concentrations in Łódź, Radom and Poznań from merging into a cohesive force. Deviating from the original plan that called for heading straight for the Vistula and then proceeding to Warsaw, von Manstein persuaded von Rundstedt to encircle the Polish units in the Radom area. The plan succeeded, clearing the bulk of Polish resistance from the southern approach to Warsaw.

On 27 September 1939, Warsaw formally surrendered, although isolated pockets of resistance remained. That same day, Hitler ordered the Army High Command, led by Franz Halder, to develop a plan for action in the west against France and the Low Countries. The different plans that the General Staff suggested were given to von Manstein and Gerd von Rundstedt and together they formalised an alternative plan for Fall Gelb (Case Yellow). This plan received Hitler's attention in February 1940 and finally his agreement.

Western Campaign

By late October, the bulk of the German Army was redeployed to the west. Von Manstein was made Chief of the General Staff of von Rundstedt’s Army Group A in western Germany on 21 October with effect from 23 October 1939. Like many of the army's younger officers, von Manstein opposed Fall Gelb, criticizing it for its lack of ability to deliver strategic results and the uninspired utilization of the armored forces, which may have come from OKH's inability to influence Hitler's planning. Von Manstein pointed out that a repeat of the Schlieffen Plan, with the attack directed through Belgium, was something the Allies expected, as they were already moving strong forces into the area. Bad weather in the area caused the attack to be cancelled several times and eventually delayed into the spring.

Erich von Manstein was instrumental in the development of the Ardennes Offensive in 1940 and was the brainchild of an alternative strategy for the French campaign. This plan envisaged a surprise tank attack through the Ardennes, parallel to the Belgian advance. This plan, later dubbed the "Sickle Cut Plan" by Winston Churchill, led to the encirclement of Allied troops in Flanders and the rapid defeat of France.

During the autumn, von Manstein, with the informal cooperation of Heinz Guderian, developed his own plan; he suggested that the Panzer divisions attack through the wooded hills of the Ardennes where no one would expect them, then establish bridgeheads on the Meuse River and rapidly drive to the English Channel. The Germans would thus cut off the French and Allied armies in Belgium and Flanders. Von Manstein's proposal also contained a second thrust, outflanking the Maginot Line, which would have allowed the Germans to force any future defensive line much further south. This second thrust would perhaps have avoided the need for the Fall Rot second stage of the Battle of France.

Oberkommando der Wehrmacht originally rejected the proposal. Franz Halder allegedly had von Manstein removed from von Rundstedt's headquarters and sent him to the eastern border. On 9 February with effect from 15 February 1940, he was appointed commanding general of the XXXVIII. Armee-Korps. But Hitler, looking for a more aggressive plan, approved a modified version of von Manstein's ideas, which today is known as the Manstein Plan. This modified version, formulated by Halder, did not contain the second thrust. Von Manstein and his corps played a minor role during the operations in France, serving under Günther von Kluge's 4th Army. However, it was his corps which helped to achieve the first breakthrough during Fall Rot, east of Amiens, and was the first to reach and cross the River Seine. The invasion was an outstanding military success and von Manstein was promoted to full general and awarded the Knight's Cross for suggesting the plan.

Operation Barbarossa

On 7 March with effect from 15 March 1941, von Manstein was appointed commanding general of the LVI Army Corps (mot.). He became involved in Operation Barbarossa, serving under the Panzergruppe 4 of General Erich Hoepner. Attacking on 22 June 1941, von Manstein advanced more than 100 miles in only two days and seized two vital bridges over the Dvina River at Dvinsk.

In September 1941, von Manstein was appointed commander of the 11th Army. Its previous commander, Generaloberst Eugen Ritter von Schobert, had perished when his plane landed in a Russian minefield. The 11th Army was tasked with invading the Crimea, capturing Sevastopol and pursuing enemy forces on the flank of Army Group South during its advance into Russia. Hitler also intended to use the Kerch Peninsula to land forces in the Caucasus. This, however, would turn out to be tougher than anticipated.

The initial objective was to force a crossing over the Isthmus of Perekop, which connects the Crimean peninsula to the mainland. The area was defended by about 50,000 Soviet troops, out of a total of 230,600 Soviet troops on the whole of the Crimea peninsula, while the Germans attacked with six infantry, one Panzergrenadier and two mountain (Gebirgsjäger) divisions, supported by six Romanian brigades. The assault began on 24 September 1941. Shortly before it began, a Soviet counterattack ordered by Stalin both cost the Soviets men and interrupted work on fortifications.

After the initial German breakthrough, the rest of the Perekop area had to be secured. Von Manstein, deprived of three divisions needed elsewhere, launched the assault on 16 October 1941 against eight rifle and four cavalry divisions, most of whom had been evacuated from Odessa and were thus under-strength. The assault on Perekop was frontal in nature, the axis of advance was on three narrow strips of land, defended by troops with prepared defensive positions. Though numerically inferior, the Soviets had local numerical tank and air superiority. After ten days of bitter fighting, the defensive line was overrun on 28 October, with the German forces eagerly pursuing the retreating Soviet forces into Crimea. The Germans quickly seized control over the whole peninsula, and by 17 November, only the city of Sevastopol held out. Manstein claimed that these operations resulted in over 100,000 Soviet troops taken prisoner, and many killed. Actual Soviet losses of all kind totaled 63,860.

The first attack on Sevastopol was launched on October 30, 1941. Von Manstein, overly impressed by its weaker fortifications, attacked the southern flank, only to discover the terrain in this area prohibitively difficult. On December 4, the local Soviet command reported that the attack had been checked. A renewed attempt was launched from the north on December 17. By then, winter had set in and the Luftwaffe was fogged out. On 21 December, just as the Germans were preparing for their last push, the Soviets launched a spoiling attack, forcing them back. Shortly thereafter the Soviet winter offensive began, producing the Wehrmacht's so-called "Winter Crisis."

Just over a week later, on 26 December 1941, the Soviets landed on the Kerch straits, and on December 30, executed another landing near Theodosia, where 41,930 troops were initially committed. These landings were soon reinforced. Only a hurried withdrawal from the Kerch straits, in contravention of Manstein's orders, by 46 Infantry Division under General Hans Graf von Sponecks command prevented a collapse of the eastern part of the Crimea, although the division lost most of its heavy equipment. This situation forced von Manstein to cancel a resumption of the attack on Sevastopol and send most of his forces east to destroy the Soviet bridgehead. In that sense, it may have been a blessing in disguise for the Germans as conditions for a continued attack were impossible. The situation was stabilized by late April 1942.

Operation Trappenjagd, launched on 8 May 1942, aimed at expelling the Russian forces from the Kerch peninsula. Opposing the German forces were 17 rifle (infantry) divisions, along with several independent brigades. The Germans had 7 infantry divisions and a panzer division. Approximately one third of the German forces were Romanian. After feinting against the north, the 11th army attacked in the south, and the Soviets were soon reduced to fleeing for the Kerch straits. The operation was completed successfully on 18 May. Manstein claimed that next to no Soviet troops were evacuated across the straits, leading to 170,000 Soviet troops taken prisoners and some 100,000 killed, while Soviet sources claim that some 140,000 were evacuated, though many of these were infirm. Krivosheev puts total Soviet losses at 176,566.

Wehrmachtbericht references

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
Saturday, 11 October 1941 (extra)	Die Schlacht am Asowschen Meer ist abgeschlossen. Im Zusammenwirken mit der Luftflotte des Generaloberst Löhr hat die Armee des Generals der Infanterie von Manstein, die rumänische Armee des Korpsgenerals Dumitrescu und die Panzerarmee des Generaloberst von Kleist die Masse der 9. und 18. sowjetischen Armee geschlagen und vernichtet.	The battle at the Sea of Azov has finished. The Army of General der Infantery von Manstein, the Romanian Army of Corps General Dumitrescu and the Panzer-Army of von Kleist in combination with the Air Fleet of Generaloberst Löhr, defeated and annihilated the bulk of the Soviet 9th and 18th Army.
Sunday, 12 October 1941	Wie die gestrige Sondermeldung bekanntgab, ist die Schlacht am Asowschen Meer abgeschlossen. Im Zusammenwirken mit der Luftflotte des Generaloberst Löhr hat die Armee des Generals der Infanterie von Manstein, die rumänische Armee des Korpsgenerals Dumitrescu und die Panzerarmee des Generaloberst von Kleist die Masse der 9. und 18. sowjetischen Armee geschlagen und vernichtet.	As reported in yesterdays special report, the battle at the Sea of Azov has finished. The Army of General der Infantery von Manstein, the Romanian Army of Corps General Dumitrescu and the Panzer-Army of von Kleist in combination with the Air Fleet of Generaloberst Löhr, defeated and annihilated the bulk of the Soviet 9th and 18th Army.
Friday, 31 October 1941	Von deutschen und rumänischen Truppen scharf verfolgt, ist der Feind auf der Krim in voller Flucht. Damit haben die langen und schweren Durchbruchskämpfe ihre Krönung gefunden, mit denen die Infanteriedivisionen der Armee des Generals der Infanterie von Manstein im Verein mit dem Fliegerkorps des Generalleutnants Pflugbeil die schmale Landengen bezwungen haben, die zur Halbinsel führen.	Sharply pursued by German and Romanian troops, the enemy in the Crimea is in full retreat. With this, the long and heavy breakthrough battles have found their coronation. The infantry divisions of the army of General of Infantry von Manstein in conjunction with the Air Corps of Lieutenant General Pflugbeil have concurred the narrow isthmus leading to the peninsula.
Tuesday, 19 May 1942 (extra)	Auf der Krim haben deutsche und rumänische Truppen unter dem Oberbefehl des Generalobersten von Manstein in der Verfolgung des geschlagenen Feindes die Meerenge von Kertsch in ganzer Breite erreicht.	In the Crimea, German and Romanian troops, under the overall command of Colonel General von Manstein, in pursuit of the defeated enemy, have reached the entire width of the Kerch Strait.
Wednesday, 20 May 1942	Wie durch Sondermeldung bekanntgegeben, haben deutsche und rumänische Truppen unter dem Oberbefehl des Generalobersten von Manstein, unterstützt von starken Luftwaffenverbänden unter Führung der Generalobersten Löhr und Freiherr von Richthofen, in der Verfolgung des geschlagenen Feindes die Meerenge von Kertsch in ganzer Breite erreicht und die letzten stark befestigten Brückenköpfe beiderseits der Stadt nach erbittertem Widerstand genommen.	As announced by special message, German and Romanian troops under the command of General von Manstein, supported by strong air forces under the command of Generoberst Löhr, and Freiherr von Richthofen, in pursuit of the defeated enemy, reached the Strait of Kerch in full-width and took the remaining strong fortified bridgeheads after fierce resistance on both sides of the city.
Thursday, 2 July 1942	Wie bereits durch Sondermeldung bekanntgegeben, haben deutsche und rumänische Truppen unter Führung des Generalfeldmarschalls von Manstein, hervorragend unterstützt von den bewährten Nahkampffliegerkorps des Generalobersten Freiherrn von Richthofen, nach fünfundzwanzigtägigem erbitterten Ringen am Mittag des 1. Juli 1942 die bisher stärkste Land- und Seefestung Sewastopol, bezwungen.	As announced by special message, German and Romanian troops under the command of Field Marshal von Manstein, superbly supported by the proven close air support Corps of Colonel General Freiherr von Richthofen, defeated after twenty-five days of bitter struggle at noon on 1 July 1942 the strongest land and naval fortress of Sevastopol.
20 March 1943	Die unter dem Oberbefehl des Generalfeldmarschalls von Manstein stehenden Truppen des Heeres und der Waffen-SS haben in hervorragendem Zusammenwirken mit Verbänden der Luftwaffe unter dem Oberbefehls des Generalfeldmarschall von Richthofen im Verlaufe der deutschen Gegenoffensive zwischen Donez und Dnjepr, die zur Wiedereroberung der Städte Charkow und Bjelgorod führte, dem Feind schwerste Verluste an Menschen und Material zugefügt.	The troops of the Army and the Waffen-SS, under the command of Field Marshal von Manstein, in excellent cooperation with units of the Luftwaffe under the supreme command of Field Marshal von Richthofen, during the German counter-offensive between the Donets and the Dnieper, which led to the re-conquest of the city Kharkov and Bielgorod, inflicted heavy losses in men and material to the enemy.
4 August 1943	In der Schlacht am Mius haben Infanterie- und Panzerverbände des Heeres und der Waffen-SS unter Führung des Generalfeldmarschalls von Manstein und des Generals der Infanterie Hollidt mit vorbildlicher Unterstützung der von General der Flieger Deßloch geführten Luftwaffenverbände wiederholt Durchbruchsversuche starker feindlicher Kräfte vereitelt und im schwungvollen Gegenangriff den nördlich Kuibyschewo eingebrochenen Feind geschlagen.	In the Battle at the Mius, infantry and tank units of the Army and Waffen-SS under the command of Field Marshal von Manstein and General of Infantry Hollidt with exemplary support of Luftwaffe units led by General of the Flyers Deßloch, have repeatedly thwarted attempts of strong enemy forces to break through, and in a bold counter-attack struck the north Kuibyschewo broken through enemy.

Führerreserve and post-war

Walther Wenck (de), Theodor Busse (de) and Erich von Manstein during a post-war meeting

Sick and assigned to the Führerreserve as of 31 March 1944, von Manstein never returned to active service, but also was not retired. He was arrested by the British occupation authorities in Holstein on 26 August 1945, was sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment by a British military court on 19 December 1949 for alleged war crimes, but was granted parole in 1952 and officially released from Werl Prison on 7 May 1953.

Until 1960, von Manstein, "albeit not in an official capacity," was the only field marshal of the former Wehrmacht to advise the German government on the establishment of the Bundeswehr, exerting a certain influence on its subsequent structure and organizational form. For example, he proposed abandoning regiments and instead establishing brigades as the smallest operational units.

Along with ten other former senior officers, von Manstein was called on by the Amt Blank to formulate plans for the re-founding of the German army. His opinion was that the length of service for Bundeswehr conscripts should be at least 18 months, preferably 24 months. His idea to form a reserve force was later implemented.

On von Manstein's 80th birthday, he received congratulations from the Bundeswehr's supreme high commander, General Ulrich de Maizière (Generalinspekteur of the Bundeswehr) and Dr. Hans Speidel (former SACEUR), with entourage. On the eve of Remembrance Day, at the traditional meeting of the Panzer troops in Munsterlager, the Bundeswehr held a Grand Tattoo in his honor. On 24 November 1972, Inspector General Admiral Armin Zimmermann and Army Inspector General Lieutenant General Ernst Joseph Friedrich Ferber officially congratulated him on his 85th birthday.

Death

Erich von Manstein died of a stroke on the night of 9 June 1973 at the age of 85. As the penultimate surviving German Generalfeldmarschall (Ferdinand Schörner died 2 July 1973), he was buried with full military honours with an honor company of the Bundeswehr. His funeral was attended by thousands of former and active soldiers of all ranks and civilians.

Family

Von Manstein with son Gero

Grave in Dorfmark near Fallingbostel

Son Rüdiger died 2019

Marriage

On 10 June 1920 in Lorzendorf, Landkreis Ohlau, Province of Silesia, Captain von Manstein married his fiancée Jutta-Sibylle Viktoria Elisabeth von Loesch (1900–1966), the daughter of a Silesian landowner. He proposed marriage after having known her for only three days. They had three children:

• Gisela Jutta-Sibylle Amaly Hedwig (1921–2013)
  • Gisela, born on 24 April 1921 in Kassel, was married to Major Edel-Heinrich Zachariae von Lingenthal (1916–1998), a highly decorated officer who commanded the 2nd Battalion/Panzer-Regiment 15 during the Second World War.
• Gero Erich Sylvester (born 31 December 1922 in Prenzlau)
  • Gero fell on the battlefield in the northern sector of the Eastern Front on 29 October 1942 while serving as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Wehrmacht.
• Rüdiger Erich Georg Arthur (b. 19 November 1929 in Berlin; d. 23 August 2019)

Promotions

• 6 March 1906 Fähnrich (Officer Cadet)
• 27 January 1907 Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant) with Patent from 14 June 1905
• 19 June 1914 Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
• 24 July 1915 Hauptmann (Captain)
  • 22 January 1916 Hauptmann i. G. (Captain in General Staff)
• 1 February 1928 Major with Rank Seniority (RDA) from 1 February 1927 (31b)
• 1 April 1931 Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel)
• 1 December 1933 Oberst (Colonel)
• 2 October 1936 Generalmajor (Major General) with effect and RDA from 1 October 1936
• 31 March 1938 Generalleutnant (Lieutenant General) with effect and RDA from 1 April 1938
• 17 May 1940 General der Infanterie (General of the Infantry) with effect and RDA from 1 June 1940
• 6 March 1942 Generaloberst with effect and RDA from 1 January 1942
• 5 July 1942 Generalfeldmarschall with effect and RDA from 1 July 1942

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross of 1914, 1st and 2nd class
  • 2nd Class on 5 October 1914
  • 1st Class on 13 November 1915
• Military Merit Cross (Austria-Hungary), 3rd Class with the War Decoration (ÖM3K) on 8 March 1916
• Friedrich Order, Knight 1st Class with Swords (WF3a⚔) on 23 November 1916
• Gallipoli Star (TH) on 24 March 1917
• Cross for Faithful Service (Fürstlich Schaumburg-Lippisches Kreuz für treue Dienste 1914; SLK) on 21 March 1917
• Hanseatic Cross of Hamburg (HH) on 17 April 1918
• Prussian Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, Knight's Cross with Swords (HOH3⚔) on 22 April 1918
• Wound Badge (1918) in Black on 27 April 1918
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 with Swords on 24 December 1934
• Wehrmacht Long Service Award (Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung), 4th to 1st Class on 2 October 1936
• Bulgarian Order of Saint Alexander, II. Grade (Grand Officer Cross) on 12 January 1938
• Anschluss Medal on 21 November 1939
• Sudetenland Medal on 22 May 1939
• Repetition Clasp 1939 to the Iron Cross 1914, 2nd and 1st Class
  • 2nd Class (16 September 1939)
  • 1st Class (21 September 1939)
• Romanian Order of Michael the Brave, 3rd and 2nd Class
  • 3rd Class on 25 November 1941
  • 2nd Class on 16 July 1942
• Eight references by name in the Wehrmacht report (Namentliche Nennung im Wehrmachtbericht): 11, 12 and 31 October 1941; 19 and 20 May 1942; 2 July 1942; 20 March 1943; 4 August 1943
• Winter Battle in the East 1941–42 Medal
• Crimea Shield (Krimschild) in gold-plated version on 24 November 1943
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
  • Knight's Cross on 19 July 1940 as General der Infanterie and Commanding General of the XXXVIII. Armeekorps
  • 209th Oak Leaves on 14 March 1943 as Generalfeldmarschall and Commander-in-Chief of the Heeresgruppe Süd
  • 59th Swords on 30 March 1944 as Generalfeldmarschall and Commander-in-Chief of the Heeresgruppe Süd

Writings

• Das Deutsche Heer von 1920–1945, 1945 for the Nuremberg show trials
  • The treatise was written by Generals Walther von Brauchitsch (1938–1941 Commander-in-Chief of the Army), Erich von Manstein (Commander-in-Chief of the 11th Army and Army Group South), Franz Halder (1938–1942 Chief of the Army General Staff), Walter Warlimont (1938–1944 Deputy Chief of the Wehrmacht General Staff) and Siegfried Westphal (Chief of Staff of the Commander-in-Chief West).
• Verlorene Siege, Athenäum, Bonn 1955 (PDF); 18th Edition: Bernard und Graefe, München 2009, ISBN 3-7637-5253-6; translated in several languages, among them:
  • English: Lost Victories, 1958
  • French: Victoires perdues, 1958
• Aus einem Soldatenleben – 1887–1939, Athenäum, Bonn 1958
• Werner Buxa (de) / Erich von Manstein / Harry Hoppe: Die Deutsche Infanterie 1939–1945, Podzun Verlag, 1967
• Soldat im 20. Jahrhundert. Bernard & Graefe, München 1981 (zuletzt in 5. Auflage, 2002, ISBN 3-7637-5214-5)

See also

• Einsatzgruppen: The Manstein Trial

Further reading

• Mungo Melvin: Manstein - Hitler's Greatest General, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 2010, ISBN: 978-0-297-84561-4

German sources

• Gerhard von Seemen:Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 – Die Ritterkreuzträger sämtlicher Wehrmachtteile, Brillanten-, Schwerter- und Eichenlaubträger in der Reihenfolge der Verleihung (in German), Podzun-Verlag, Friedberg 1976 ISBN 978-3-7909-0051-4
• Franz Thomas: Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945, Band 1: A–K (in German), Biblio-Verlag, Osnabrück 1998, ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6
• Walther-Peer Fellgiebel: Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile (in German), Podzun-Pallas, Wölfersheim 2000, ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6
  • English: The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches, expanded edition, 2000
• Klaus D. Patzwall / Veit Scherzer: Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941–1945 Geschichte und Inhaber, Band II (in German), Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt 2001, ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8
• Veit Scherzer: Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 – Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives (in German), Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag, Jena 2007, ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2