OKW – The Fifth Field

Wilhelm Keitel

Wilhelm Keitel, Army Field Marshal, born 22 September 1882 in Helmscherode, winner of the Iron Cross 1^st Class in World War I, Chief of the Armed Forces High Command (OKW), winner of the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross, survived the bomb explosion during the 20 July 1944 attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler, convicted of crimes against peace, war crimes and crimes against humanity at Nürnberg, executed by hanging on 16 October 1946 at Nürnberg, autobiography In the Service of the Reich published after his death, said to Wilhelm Canaris:

“My dear Canaris, you may know something about military intelligence. Being a sailor, you surely don’t propose to give us any lessons in strategic planning.”

Alfred Jodl

Alfred Jodl

Alfred Jodl, Army Colonel General, born 10 May 1890 in Würzburg, Chief of the Operations Staff of the German Armed Forces High Command (OKW), winner of the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, survived the bomb explosion during the 20 July 1944 attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler, convicted of crimes against peace, war crimes and crimes against humanity at Nürnberg, executed by hanging 16 October 1946 at Nürnberg, said the following concerning loyalty:

“My conception of loyalty is not something to be bought and sold like a banker’s stock. I wouldn’t greet a man with both hands when he is victorious and start looking for a dagger as soon as his stock looks as if it is going down. Bankers can do that but not officers.”

The Allies decided that after the execution, the remains of the condemned would be cremated and the ashes dumped into the Isar River, so as to preclude any memorial later be constructed to venerate them. Jodl’s family placed this marker to remember the general: