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EspañolLUDWIG BECK
'Ludwig August Theodor Beck' (June 29, 1880 – July 21, 1944) was a German general and the Chief of the General Staff of the Oberkommando des Heeres during the early years of the Nazi regime in Germany before World War II.
Born in Biebrich in Hessen-Nassau, he was educated in the Prussian military tradition. After serving on the Western Front in World War I, he was eventually promoted to the General Staff in 1933. Two years later, he replaced General Kurt von Hammerstein-Equord as Chief of Staff.
In 1930, Beck was a leading witness for the defense at the trial in Ulm of two junior officers, Lieutenants Richard Scheringer and Hans Ludin, both of whom were charged with membership in the Nazi Party, which at that time was forbidden for members of the ''Reichswehr.'' Both officers admitted to Nazi Party membership, and used as their defence, the claim that the Nazi Party membership should not be forbidden to ''Reichswehr'' personell. As a commanding officer of the 5th Artillery Regiment, which the two Nazi officers belonged to, Beck testified as to the good character of both officers, described the Nazi Party as a positive force in German life, and proclaimed his belief that the ''Reichswehr'' ban on Nazi Party membership in his opinion should be rescinded,[1].
Beck gained respect with the publication of his German Army tactical manual, ''Die Truppenführung'', prepared during the period of 1931-33. Both Beck and General Werner von Fritsch commanded the ''1st Cavalry Division, Frankfurt an der Oder'' prior to assuming their command positions, and both cited as being the only serious opposition to German dictator Adolf Hitler's power prior to the war.
Beck resented Adolf Hitler for his efforts to curb the army's position of influence and because Beck opposed wars of conquest. Beck tried very early as Chief of the General Staff to deter Hitler from annexing the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia in 1938. Hitler was convinced that, since the United Kingdom and France had allowed him to annex Austria during the Anschluss earlier in the year, they would not stand in his way when he would try again to enlarge the Reich. Beck, however, believed that they would defend the country that they had created at the end of World War I and, if necessary, declare war on Germany to protect it. Since he knew that the Wehrmacht would not be strong enough to win a war against the Allies and since he was extremely respected by his fellow officers, he tried to convince all to resign en masse to prevent Hitler from carrying out his plans. While most of the generals rejected the war, none of them would confront Hitler with a refusal to carry out orders. He resigned alone in August to be replaced as the head of the General Staff by General Franz Halder. Beck ceased to have any meaningful influence in German military affairs.
His opposition to Hitler brought him in contact with a small number of senior officers intent on deposing the dictator. Some of them, including Carl Goerdeler and Ulrich von Hassell, would take part in the July 20 Plot in 1944.
Beck and his conspirators knew that Germany faced certain and rapid defeat if the French and British alliance came to the Czechs' aid in 1938. Accordingly, they contacted the British Foreign Office, informed Britain of their plot, and asked for support and assistance. At the time, the British regarded Nazism as a useful bulwark against Russia, and failed to act. Instead, in September 1938, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, French President Edouard Daladier and Italian dictator Benito Mussolini signed the Munich Pact, compelling Czechoslovakia to give up the Sudetenland.
In 1943, Beck planned two abortive attempts to kill Hitler by means of a bomb. In 1944 he was one of the driving forces of the July 20 Plot with Carl Goerdeler and Colonel Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg. It was proposed that Beck would become the head of the provisional government that would assume power in Germany after Hitler had been eliminated. The plot failed, however, and by the next morning Beck was under the custody of General Friedrich Fromm, and ordered to commit suicide. In severe distress, Beck succeeded only in wounding himself, and a sergeant was brought in to execute him.
1. Wheeler-Bennett, John ''The Nemesis of Power The German Army In Politics'', Macmillan, London, 1964, 1967, page 217
★ ''Hitler's Generals '' Barnett, Correlli, ed., 1989, Grove Weidenfeld, New York, NY.
★ ''German Resistance to Hitler'' Hoffmann, Peter, 1988, Harvard, Cambridge, MA.
★ ''The Nemesis of Power The German Army In Politics'' Wheeler-Bennett, John , Macmillan, London, 1964, 1967.
★ Ludwig Beck's Memorial
| Contents |
| Early life |
| In Nazi Germany |
| Conflict with Hitler |
| July 20 Plot |
| Endnotes |
| References |
| External links |
Early life
Born in Biebrich in Hessen-Nassau, he was educated in the Prussian military tradition. After serving on the Western Front in World War I, he was eventually promoted to the General Staff in 1933. Two years later, he replaced General Kurt von Hammerstein-Equord as Chief of Staff.
In Nazi Germany
In 1930, Beck was a leading witness for the defense at the trial in Ulm of two junior officers, Lieutenants Richard Scheringer and Hans Ludin, both of whom were charged with membership in the Nazi Party, which at that time was forbidden for members of the ''Reichswehr.'' Both officers admitted to Nazi Party membership, and used as their defence, the claim that the Nazi Party membership should not be forbidden to ''Reichswehr'' personell. As a commanding officer of the 5th Artillery Regiment, which the two Nazi officers belonged to, Beck testified as to the good character of both officers, described the Nazi Party as a positive force in German life, and proclaimed his belief that the ''Reichswehr'' ban on Nazi Party membership in his opinion should be rescinded,[1].
Beck gained respect with the publication of his German Army tactical manual, ''Die Truppenführung'', prepared during the period of 1931-33. Both Beck and General Werner von Fritsch commanded the ''1st Cavalry Division, Frankfurt an der Oder'' prior to assuming their command positions, and both cited as being the only serious opposition to German dictator Adolf Hitler's power prior to the war.
Conflict with Hitler
Beck resented Adolf Hitler for his efforts to curb the army's position of influence and because Beck opposed wars of conquest. Beck tried very early as Chief of the General Staff to deter Hitler from annexing the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia in 1938. Hitler was convinced that, since the United Kingdom and France had allowed him to annex Austria during the Anschluss earlier in the year, they would not stand in his way when he would try again to enlarge the Reich. Beck, however, believed that they would defend the country that they had created at the end of World War I and, if necessary, declare war on Germany to protect it. Since he knew that the Wehrmacht would not be strong enough to win a war against the Allies and since he was extremely respected by his fellow officers, he tried to convince all to resign en masse to prevent Hitler from carrying out his plans. While most of the generals rejected the war, none of them would confront Hitler with a refusal to carry out orders. He resigned alone in August to be replaced as the head of the General Staff by General Franz Halder. Beck ceased to have any meaningful influence in German military affairs.
His opposition to Hitler brought him in contact with a small number of senior officers intent on deposing the dictator. Some of them, including Carl Goerdeler and Ulrich von Hassell, would take part in the July 20 Plot in 1944.
Beck and his conspirators knew that Germany faced certain and rapid defeat if the French and British alliance came to the Czechs' aid in 1938. Accordingly, they contacted the British Foreign Office, informed Britain of their plot, and asked for support and assistance. At the time, the British regarded Nazism as a useful bulwark against Russia, and failed to act. Instead, in September 1938, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, French President Edouard Daladier and Italian dictator Benito Mussolini signed the Munich Pact, compelling Czechoslovakia to give up the Sudetenland.
July 20 Plot
In 1943, Beck planned two abortive attempts to kill Hitler by means of a bomb. In 1944 he was one of the driving forces of the July 20 Plot with Carl Goerdeler and Colonel Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg. It was proposed that Beck would become the head of the provisional government that would assume power in Germany after Hitler had been eliminated. The plot failed, however, and by the next morning Beck was under the custody of General Friedrich Fromm, and ordered to commit suicide. In severe distress, Beck succeeded only in wounding himself, and a sergeant was brought in to execute him.
Endnotes
1. Wheeler-Bennett, John ''The Nemesis of Power The German Army In Politics'', Macmillan, London, 1964, 1967, page 217
References
★ ''Hitler's Generals '' Barnett, Correlli, ed., 1989, Grove Weidenfeld, New York, NY.
★ ''German Resistance to Hitler'' Hoffmann, Peter, 1988, Harvard, Cambridge, MA.
★ ''The Nemesis of Power The German Army In Politics'' Wheeler-Bennett, John , Macmillan, London, 1964, 1967.
External links
★ Ludwig Beck's Memorial
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