Hermann Foertsch

Hermann Foertsch
Born 4 April 1895
Died 27 December 1961(1961-12-27) (aged 66)
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
Service/branch Army (Wehrmacht)
Rank General of the Infantry
Commands held Chief of General Staff of Army Group F
Battles/wars Invasion of Yugoslavia
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Relations Friedrich Foertsch (brother)

Hermann Foertsch (4 April 1895 – 27 December 1961) was a German general during World War II who held commands at the divisional, corps and army levels. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany.

Foertsch was tried at the Hostages Trial in 1947. The trial resulted in Foertsch's acquittal because he was a staff officer at the time that the criminal orders were transmitted.

Hostages trial

As a chief of staff for several generals commanding Wehrmacht forces in Greece and Yugoslavia, Foertsch passed on orders to subordinate units to take hostages or conduct reprisals. These orders were deemed criminal in by the Tribunal, but staff officers were not considered culpable unless they drafted such criminal orders or made a special effort to distribute them to the troops that carried them out. Citing a lack of evidence of a commission of an unlawful act, the Tribunal acquitted Foertsch of war crimes.[1]

Later life

After his acquittal, Foertsch collaborated with Hans Speidel in the development of concepts for Germany's rearmament many years before the official foundation of the Bundeswehr, the German army, in 1955.[2] In 1950, Foertsch was the leading member of the select group of former Wehrmacht high-ranking officers invited by Chancellor Konrad Adenauer to take part in the conference to discuss West Germany's rearmament. The conference resulted in the Himmerod memorandum that contributed to the myth of the "clean Wehrmacht".[3] Foertsch was involved in the establishment of the European anti-communist organisation Interdoc.[4]

Awards and decorations

See also

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Heberer & Matthäus 2008, p. 99.
  2. ↑ Critchfield, James H. Partners at the Creation: The Men Behind Postwar Germany's Defense and Intelligence Establishments. Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, 2003. p.220.
  3. ↑ Wette 2007, pp. 236–238.
  4. ↑ Scott-Smith p.357.
  5. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 154.

Bibliography

  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
  • Heberer, Patricia; Matthäus, Jürgen (2008). Atrocities on Trial: Historical Perspectives on the Politics of Prosecuting War Crimes. University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 978-0-8032-1084-4.
  • Scott-Smith, Giles. Interdoc and West European Psychological Warfare: The American Connection. Intelligence and National Security Vol. 26, Nos. 2–3, 355–376, April–June 2011.
  • Wette, Wolfram (2007). The Wehrmacht: History, Myth, Reality. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. ISBN 9780674025776.
Military offices
Preceded by
None		 Chief of General Staff of Heeresgruppe F
12 August 1943 - 15 March 1944		 Succeeded by
Generalleutnant August Winter
Preceded by
Generalmajor Franz Sensfuß		 Commander of 21. Infanterie-Division
28 March 1944 - 22 August 1944		 Succeeded by
Generalmajor Heinrich Götz
Preceded by
General der Infanterie Friedrich Köchling		 Commander of X. Armeekorps
21 September 1944 - 21 December 1944		 Succeeded by
Generalleutnant Dr. Ing. Dr. Johannes Mayer
Preceded by
General der Infanterie Siegfried Rasp		 Commander of 19. Armee
15 February 1945 - 28 February 1945		 Succeeded by
General der Infanterie Hans von Obstfelder
Preceded by
General der Infanterie Hans von Obstfelder		 Commander of 1. Armee
28 February 1945 - 6 May 1945		 Succeeded by
General der Kavallerie Rudolf Koch-Erpach
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