Dismissal of General Gustav von Wietersheim

[Charlie645]

Why did Hitler relieve von Wietersheim of command of XIV Panzer Corps near Stalingrad in September of 1942? I have read two reasons: 1) because von Wietersheim could sense the impending Soviet counterattack and wanted to withdraw before it was too late; 2) because he had "questioned Hitler's plan for operations in the West". I have also read that von Wietersheim never received another command and ended the war fighting as a common soldier in the Volksturm. Is that true? If so he must have been a very interesting man and I would like to know more about him. Thanks for any help.

Charlie645

[Phil Nix]

Here is the entry in Keiligs book on the army
Phil Nix

[Charlie645]

Thanks, Phil. It is now clear to me that von Wietersheim, being of Prussian (Silesian) nobility, had several serious disagreements with Hitler going back at least to the occupation of Czechoslovakia. I have learned that Alan Clark in his book "Barbarossa" asserts that von Wietersheim cited the heavy casualties XIV Panzer Corps was taking from Soviet artillery in its narrow northern corridor to the Volga as cause for withdrawal. It was von Paulus who first relieved him, and Hitler then finished his career. I am still looking for more details of this dismissal, and am very interested in von Wietersheim's activities during the rest of WW2. I do read German, perhaps there is a full biography of him out there somewhere?

Charlie

[hucks216]

Here is what Lexikon has on him...

http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Per ... ustavv.htm

...and good old Wiki...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustav_Ant ... ietersheim

[Charlie645]

Thanks, Hucks. I am still looking for more detailed information about this interesting officer. For example, where in Pomerania did he fight with the Volksturm, and what did he testify about at Nuremburg?

[genstab]

Charlie
Friedrich Paulus was not nobility and didn't have "von" in front of his last name. This is a very common misconception which has been mistakenly promulgated in various books and articles by people who unthinkingly believe that German Field Marshals and senior generals are automatically nobility- which of course didn't exist after World War I.

Best regards,
Genstab

[Charlie645]

Dear Genstab, thanks for trying to help, but my post has nothing to do with Paulus. It deals with General Gustav von Wietersheim, who did indeed have a "von" in his name and was from the nobility.

Charlie645