Dietrich von Choltitz

Dietrich Hugo Hermann von Choltitz (9 November 1894 – 5 November 1966) was an officer of the German Army in World War II. Choltitz was born in Gräflich Wiese (now Łąka Prudnicka) next to Neustadt (now Prudnik).

Dietrich Hugo Hermann von Choltitz
Von Choltitz in 1940
AllegianceGerman Empire (to 1918)
Germany Weimar Republic (to 1933)
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
Years of service1907–1945
RankGeneral
Commands heldLXXVI Panzer Corps
11th Panzer Division
Battles/warsWorld War I
  • Western Front

World War II

  • German invasions
  • Eastern Front
    • Siege of Sevastopol (1941)
    • Battle of Kursk (1943)
  • Italian Campaign
    • Battle of Anzio (1944)
  • Western Front
    • Battle of Normandy (1944)
    • Liberation of Paris (1944)

He participated in occupation of Sudetenland in 1938 and in the invasion of Poland in 1939.

On 7 August 1944 he became the military governor of Paris. On 25 August he surrendered Paris to the Allies. [1][2]

He has been called the "Saviour of Paris" because he prevented its destruction. Choltitz said he defied Hitler's direct order for its destruction because it was militarily useless. Other reasons were his affection for Parisian history and culture, and his belief that Hitler had become insane.

Choltitz died on 5 November 1966 in Baden-Baden.

Dietrich Von Choltitz Media

References

  1. "Paris liberated - Aug 25, 1944 - HISTORY.com". Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  2. "World War II: The Liberation of Paris - HistoryNet". Retrieved 3 January 2017.