The collapse of the Third Reich in 1945 marked not only the end of Nazi Germany but also the fall of the Wehrmacht's once-revered military leaders. German generals who had commanded the Wehrmacht during World War II faced grim and often brutal consequences after the war, ranging from trials and executions to imprisonment and public disgrace. For many, their post-war lives were shaped by the horrors of the crimes they committed—or allowed to happen—and the Allied demand for justice.
1. The Nuremberg Trials: Justice Delivered
One of the most prominent reckonings for German military leaders occurred during the Nuremberg Trials (1945–1946). These trials aimed to hold Nazi officials accountable for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and crimes against peace. Several high-ranking generals were among those prosecuted.
Wilhelm Keitel, the chief of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW), and Alfred Jodl, his deputy, faced charges for their roles in planning and executing aggressive wars and implementing brutal orders, such as the Commissar Order, which called for the execution of captured Soviet political officers. Both men were found guilty and sentenced to death. They were executed by hanging on October 16, 1946.
Keitel and Jodl’s defense—that they were "just following orders"—was rejected by the tribunal, setting a precedent that obedience to superior orders did not absolve individuals of responsibility for war crimes.
2. Soviet Retribution: No Mercy
The Soviet Union, having suffered immense losses during the war, took a particularly harsh approach toward captured German generals. Unlike the formalities of the Nuremberg Trials, Soviet justice was often swift and brutal.
Generals who had fought on the Eastern Front, where the Wehrmacht committed atrocities against Soviet civilians and prisoners of war, were singled out for punishment.
Friedrich Paulus, the commander of the 6th Army at the Battle of Stalingrad, avoided execution by cooperating with Soviet authorities. He became a vocal critic of the Nazi regime and testified against his former comrades during the Nuremberg Trials. However, Paulus’s collaboration with the Soviets led to his ostracization by many former Wehrmacht officers and accusations of betrayal.
Others, such as Hermann Hoth and Erich von Manstein, faced long sentences in Soviet labor camps. Many generals died in captivity due to the harsh conditions.
Public executions were also carried out in territories devastated by the Wehrmacht’s actions, serving as a grim spectacle of vengeance.
3. Trials in Occupied Territories
German generals who had commanded forces in occupied countries often faced local trials. These trials sought to deliver justice for atrocities committed against civilians during the occupation.
In Italy, General Albert Kesselring, who oversaw German operations in the region, was tried for his role in massacres, including the infamous Ardeatine Caves massacre, in which 335 Italian civilians were executed as a reprisal. Kesselring was initially sentenced to death, but his sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment, and he was eventually released on health grounds.
In Poland, Friedrich-Wilhelm Krüger, a high-ranking SS and Wehrmacht officer involved in suppressing resistance movements and overseeing mass executions, faced justice for his crimes against the Polish population.
These trials highlighted the atrocities committed during the occupation and reinforced the determination of occupied nations to hold perpetrators accountable.
4. Imprisonment and Public Disgrace
For many German generals, post-war life meant imprisonment and disgrace. Allied tribunals and national courts sentenced numerous generals to long prison terms.
One of the most famous cases was Erich von Manstein, a highly respected strategist who had led successful campaigns in France and on the Eastern Front. Despite his tactical brilliance, he was convicted by a British military tribunal for war crimes, including the mistreatment of Soviet prisoners of war and the deportation of civilians. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison but was released after serving just four years due to health issues.
Some generals, such as Heinz Guderian, avoided imprisonment by emphasizing their military professionalism and denying involvement in war crimes. Guderian, a pioneer of blitzkrieg tactics, distanced himself from the Nazi regime in his post-war memoirs, though critics argue he downplayed his complicity.
5. Suicides and Resistance to Reckoning
Unable to face the consequences of their actions or fearing the disgrace of trial, several generals took their own lives.
Erwin Rommel, the famed "Desert Fox," was implicated in the July 20, 1944, plot to assassinate Hitler. Although he was given the option of suicide to spare his family from retaliation, his death spared him from post-war trials.
Others, such as Generaloberst Ludwig Beck, also chose suicide, preferring death over capture or humiliation.