Werner Freiherr von Fritsch (August 4th, 1880-September 22, 1939) was a prominent Wehrmacht officer prior to 1938.
Von Fritsch was born in Benrath in 1880.
He entered the army at the age of 18, and won the attention of the General Staff with his superior military qualities.
In 1901, at the age of 21, he transferred to the War Academy. As a 1st Lieutenant in 1911, he was appointed to the General Staff.
Between 1914 and 1918, during World War I, he gradually increased in importance.
After the war, he served in the Reichswehr.
He was promoted to Lieutenant General in 1932.
After the Nazis came to power in 1933, Fritsch was appauled by their lawlessness and supression of civil liberties, but he did not openly criticise them.
He was worried, however, that Hitler would cause a war with the USSR, as he has supported the Weimar liason with them.
In 1934, Fritsch was promoted into the High Command, the OKH, and made Commander in Chief the next year.
He, alongside Werner von Blomberg, set about rearming Germany.
Von Fritsch was among the officers present at the Hossbach Conference in 1937 where Hitler made his aggressive intentions known, but was appalled at this, as he knew the army was not ready.
Von Fritsch was accused of engaging in homosexual activity by Himmler and Göring, and this led to the Blomberg-Fritsch Krise. Von Fritsch had never been a womaniser, and had never married, preferring to concentrate on his army career.
Von Fritsch was forced to resign on February 4th 1938, and was replaced by Walther von Brauchitsch.
He was acquitted by an honour court of officers, and recalled just before the outbreak of WWII.
He was killed in combat near Warsaw on September 22, 1939.
It is believed he deliberately sought death.
