Germans
Born on 12 June 1892 in Munich. He was decorated for his service in the First World War. During the Second World War he played a key role in the invasion of Poland in 1939, and later during the invasion of Greece. During the unsuccessful advance on Murmansk in 1942, Schörner became notorious for his claim that the harsh climate could not stop the German forces’ progress; this later proved to be an over-optimistic assessment. After leading the retreat on the Eastern front, he was appointed the commander of the Army Group Centre, tasked with defending the German-occupied Czech lands. During the battle to defend Ostrava from the Red Army Advance, Schörner had several German officers executed for voicing “defeatist” opinions. He was known by his subordinates as “Bloody Ferdinand” for his harsh methods.
Born 25 December 1886 in Gumbinnen, East Prussia. He was a cousin of Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt. His wife was Jewish. During the First World War he fought on both the Eastern and Western fronts. In the Second World War he became renowned as a capable commander in retreat situations. In 1943 he refused to obey an order to destroy the city of Smolensk by fire before the German army’s retreat, and he was temporarily dismissed from his post as commander. On 20 March he was appointed to command the Army Group Vistula, which was tasked with preventing the Soviets from crossing the Oder (Odra) River. In the final stages of the war he was captured by the British, spending three years in a prisoner-of-war camp. He died on 13 December 1971.
