The Shadow of the Field Marshal

🎖️ A Prominent German Field Marshal

Walter Karl Gustav August Ernst von Reichenau (1884–1942) was a distinguished German Generalfeldmarschall (Field Marshal) in the Heer (Army) of Nazi Germany during World War II. Known colloquially as "The Bull" (German: Der Bulle), Reichenau held significant commands throughout the early phases of the war.

🌍 Key Commands in WWII

Reichenau commanded the 6th Army during the pivotal invasions of Belgium and France. His leadership continued on the Eastern Front during Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union, where his 6th Army played a crucial role in capturing significant territories in Ukraine and advancing deep into Soviet territory.

⚖️ Complicity in War Crimes

Beyond his military commands, Reichenau is infamously associated with the issuance of the Severity Order in 1941, which explicitly sanctioned and encouraged the murder of Jewish civilians on the Eastern Front. His troops actively collaborated with the SS Einsatzgruppen in perpetrating mass atrocities, including the massacre of over 33,000 Jews at Babi Yar, and other crimes against humanity within his command areas during the Holocaust.

🛠️ Post-War Reconstruction and Rise

Following World War I, Reichenau joined the Grenzschutz Ost Freikorps as a General Staff officer, serving in Silesia and Pomerania. In 1919, he transitioned to the newly established Reichswehr of the Weimar Republic. Despite limitations on the officer corps and the absence of a formal General Staff, Reichenau secured a position in the Truppenamt, the clandestine equivalent of the General Staff formed by Hans von Seeckt. His promotions continued, reaching Major in 1924, Lieutenant Colonel on April 1, 1929, and Colonel on February 1, 1932. In 1930, he was appointed Chief of Staff to the Inspector of Signals at the Ministry of the Reichswehr.

🤝 Alliance with Nazism

Reichenau's diplomat uncle introduced him to Adolf Hitler in April 1932. Driven by ambition, Reichenau perceived the Nazi Party as a revolutionary vehicle for career advancement, leading him to abandon the pro-Monarchist stance of the Prussian military aristocracy and become a devoted Nazi. This political alignment brought him into conflict with Kurt von Schleicher, a cabinet member and future Chancellor, who used his authority to reassign Reichenau from his prestigious Berlin post to the less influential military district headquarters in East Prussia.

🌑 The Night of the Long Knives

In East Prussia, Reichenau served under General Werner von Blomberg, another figure marginalized by Schleicher. Reichenau and Blomberg forged a political alliance within the army, with Reichenau introducing Blomberg to Hitler. Blomberg, reportedly susceptible to Reichenau's influence, was captivated by Hitler. Both men leveraged their connections with the Nazi Party for their advancement. Upon Hitler's ascension to power in January 1933, Blomberg became Minister of War and promptly promoted Reichenau to head the powerful Ministerial Office, serving as the crucial liaison between the Army and the Nazi Party. Reichenau played a central role in convincing Nazi leaders like Göring and Himmler that the power of Ernst Röhm and the SA (Sturmabteilung) needed to be dismantled for the army to support the Nazi government. This directly precipitated the "Night of the Long Knives" on June 30, 1934, a purge that consolidated Hitler's power and eliminated the SA leadership.

🚫 Missed Opportunities for Top Command

In 1935, Reichenau was promoted to Lieutenant General (Generalleutnant) and given command of the 7th Army Corps in Munich. He was Hitler's preferred candidate for commander-in-chief of the Heer in 1934, but President von Hindenburg intervened, appointing General Werner von Fritsch instead. Following the Blomberg–Fritsch affair in 1938, which saw Fritsch's removal from Army command, Reichenau was again Hitler's first choice for the head of the Heer. However, senior leaders such as Gerd von Rundstedt and Ludwig Beck refused to serve under Reichenau, compelling Hitler to back down once more. Reichenau was subsequently assigned to Group Command at Leipzig, a position seen as a stepping stone to higher army roles. Interestingly, he is believed to have opposed the invasion of Austria in March 1938, which reportedly damaged his standing with Hitler.

🇵🇱 Invasion of Poland (1939)

In September 1939, Walter von Reichenau commanded the 10th Army during the German invasion of Poland. His aggressive leadership was notable, as he was the first German to cross the Vistula river, reportedly swimming across it while pushing his clothes ahead of him on a raft. For his decisive role as commander of the 10th Army during this campaign, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.

🇫🇷 Western Front (1940)

In 1940, Reichenau led the 6th Army during the invasions of Belgium and France. His successful command in these campaigns further solidified his standing within the Wehrmacht. Later that year, in recognition of his military achievements, Hitler promoted him to Generalfeldmarschall (Field Marshal) during the 1940 Field Marshal Ceremony.

🇷🇺 Operation Barbarossa (1941)

During the German invasion of the Soviet Union, known as Operation Barbarossa, Reichenau continued to command the 6th Army. As part of Army Group South, his forces advanced deep into the heart of Russia during the summer of 1941, capturing key cities such as Kiev, Belgorod, Kharkov, and Kursk. During this offensive, the German army encountered superior Soviet tank designs. Reichenau personally inspected captured Soviet tanks, including the formidable T-34, meticulously measuring their armor plating. According to general staff officer Paul Jordan, Reichenau famously remarked to his officers after examining a T-34: "If the Russians ever produce it on an assembly line we will have lost the war."

⬆️ Command of Army Group South

In November 1941, Hitler relieved Field Marshal von Rundstedt from his command of Army Group South and appointed Reichenau to take his place. Demonstrating his influence and patronage, Reichenau personally recommended Friedrich Paulus, a protégé and former member of his command staff, to be promoted and assume command of the 6th Army.

🚩 Political Alignment and Anti-Semitism

Walter von Reichenau's introduction to Adolf Hitler by his uncle in April 1932 marked a turning point in his career and ideology. He subsequently joined the Nazi Party, a direct violation of the army regulations established by Seeckt to maintain the military's political neutrality. Reichenau was a fervent anti-Semite, equating Jewish people with Bolshevism and perceiving them as a threat to European civilization. This deeply ingrained prejudice informed his actions and decisions on the Eastern Front.

📜 The Notorious Severity Order

While in command of the 6th Army during Operation Barbarossa in 1941, Reichenau issued the infamous "Severity Order" in October 1941. This directive explicitly encouraged German soldiers to murder Jewish civilians on the Eastern Front, framing the conflict as an ideological struggle against "Jewish Bolshevism" and advocating for severe punishment against what he termed "subhuman species." This order directly supported Nazi genocidal policies and served as a chilling authorization for widespread atrocities.

🩸 Complicity in Massacres

Reichenau's troops actively cooperated with the SS Einsatzgruppen in the commission of horrific massacres. He was in charge of the operational area where the massacre of over 33,000 Jews at Babi Yar occurred. Furthermore, in August 1941, Reichenau directly intervened to ensure the execution of ninety Jewish children during the Bila Tserkva massacre, despite a petition from Helmuth Groscurth to avert the killings. His only recorded objection to the Einsatzgruppen's activities in his sector was not on moral grounds, but due to concerns about ammunition shortages caused by the rapid pace of killings, leading him to recommend that the SS and SD limit themselves to "two bullets per Jew."

🏛️ Posthumous Indictment

Having died in 1942, Walter von Reichenau was never personally convicted of war crimes. However, he was part of the German General Staff and High Command of the Armed Forces, which were collectively indicted at the Nuremberg trials for their role in planning and executing aggressive war and crimes against humanity. The "Reichenau Order" was specifically cited in this indictment as evidence of the military leadership's complicity in Nazi genocidal policies.

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