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Paul von Kleist

Surname Kleist Given Name Paul Born 8 Aug 1881 Died 13 Nov 1954 Country Germany Category Military-Ground Gender Male

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbasePaul Ludwig Ewald von Kleist was born into a Prussian aristocratic family in 1881. He graduated from a military academy in 1900 and served as a commander at the regiment level during WW1. He rose to divisional command in 1932 and retired from service in 1935. In Aug 1939, aged 58, he was recalled to duty as Germany made the final preparations for war. He participated in the invasion of Poland as the commanding officer of 22nd Panzer Corps, in the invasion of France as the commanding officer of Panzergruppe von Kleist, and in both the Balkans campaign and the invasion of the Soviet Union as the commanding officer of 1st Panzergruppe. In Nov 1942, he was made the commanding officer of Army Group A, in which role he participated in the failed attempt to capture the oil producing regions of southern Russia. He was promoted to the rank of field marshal in 1943. In Mar 1944, Adolf Hitler relieved him of his command for ordering German 8th Army to fall back without Hitler's permission; Kleist would hold no further active roles in the European War. He was captured by the Americans in 1945 and was handed over to Yugoslavia to face war crimes charges in 1946. In 1948, he was handed over to the Soviet Union for war crimes trials. Found guilty in 1952, he was sentenced to a 10-year prison term. He died while in captivity at the Vladimir Prison in Vladimir Oblast in Russia; he was the highest ranked German officer to die in Soviet captivity.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia

Last Major Revision: Jun 2013

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