Werner von Fritsch
Werner Freiherr von Fritsch | |
|---|---|
Fritsch in 1932 | |
| Chief of the German Army High Command | |
| In office 1 June 1935 – 4 February 1938 | |
| Chancellor | Adolf Hitler |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Walther von Brauchitsch |
| 5th Chief of the German Army Command | |
| In office 1 February 1934 – 1 June 1935 | |
| President | Paul von Hindenburg Adolf Hitler |
| Chancellor | Adolf Hitler |
| Preceded by | Kurt von Hammerstein-Equord |
| Succeeded by | Himself as Commander-in-Chief of the German Army |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Thomas Ludwig Werner von Fritsch 4 August 1880 |
| Died | 22 September 1939 (aged 59) |
| Resting place | Invalidenfriedhof, Berlin |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | |
| Branch/service | German Army |
| Years of service | 1898–1939 |
| Rank | Generaloberst |
| Commands | |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | |
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Thomas Ludwig Werner Freiherr von Fritsch (4 August 1880 – 22 September 1939) was a German Generaloberst ('full general') who served as commander-in-chief of the German army from February 1934 until February 1938, when he was forced to resign after he was falsely accused of being homosexual.
The ousting of Fritsch and War Minister Blomberg, in the Blomberg-Fritsch affair, was a major step in Adolf Hitler's establishment of tighter control over the armed forces. Just over a year later, before the outbreak of World War II, Fritsch was recalled as colonel-in-chief of the 12th Artillery Regiment. He died in battle in Poland early in the war, the second German general to perish in that conflict after Wilhelm Fritz von Roettig.