Franz Halder, German General: Biography, Arrest and Dachau Concentration Camp. Franz Halder: biography of Halder about the war with the USSR

Born into a military family, the son of a major general. In 1902 he entered the army, in 1904 he was promoted to lieutenant. In 1914 he graduated from the Bavaria military academy. Participated in the First World War, served in headquarters at various levels, was awarded the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd classes. After the demobilization of the German army, he remained in the Reichswehr. In 1923-1924 he commanded a battery of the 7th artillery regiment, then at the headquarters of the 7th division and the military district. Since 1926 - chief quartermaster of the Military Directorate. From August 1931 he was chief of staff of the 6th military district. From October 1934 - commander of artillery of the 7th division, from October 1935 commander of the 7th division. From October 1937, the second, and from February 1938 - the first quartermaster of the General Staff of the Ground Forces. On August 27, 1938, he became Chief of the General Staff of the Ground Forces instead of the resigned Ludwig Beck. In September 1942, Hitler was removed from this post due to the failure of the strategy of the German command in the battle on the Volga and the North Caucasus.

Halder was privy in 1938 and 1939 to the plots of the conspirators who wanted to overthrow the Hitler regime in a military coup in order to avoid Germany being drawn into the war.

Career in OKH

Being an opponent of the war that began in 1939 and resisting Hitler's aggressive policy, Halder, however, continued to carry out the orders of the Fuhrer. He actively participated in the creation of the Nazi army, the development and implementation of plans of aggression against Poland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Yugoslavia, Greece and the USSR. After the failure of Hitler's strategy in the fall of 1942, Halder was removed from office on September 24, 1942.

Arrest and concentration camp Dachau

On July 23, 1944, Halder was arrested on suspicion of involvement in the assassination attempt on Hitler and on July 25, 1944 was placed in the Dachau concentration camp. On October 7, Halder was transferred for interrogation to the RSHA prison on Prinz-Albrechtstrasse, after which he was transferred to Flossenburg on February 7, 1945, and again to the Dachau concentration camp on April 9. At this time, on January 31, 1945, he was already dismissed from active military service with the deprivation of awards and the prohibition to wear military uniform. On April 28, 1945, he was released by the Americans and was held in a POW camp. As a witness, Halder testified at the Nuremberg trials, where he stated that, if Hitler’s intervention in military affairs had not happened, Germany in 1945 could have made peace on “honorable” terms: “Although it would not have been possible to win the war, it was possible, at least avoid the shame of defeat."

On June 20, 1947, Halder was transferred to a civilian internment camp. While in American captivity, he participated in the writing of military-historical works. In 1948, he successfully passed the denazification and, after a series of appeals, from September 12, 1950, he officially began to be considered "free from charges."

Career in the USA

Since 1950, an expert with the federal government, at the same time until 1959 he worked in the historical department of the US Army. Since 1959 he has been a senior consultant to the US Army Historical Relations Group. In June 1961, Halder, having finished commenting on his own diary, retired. In November 1961 he was awarded the highest US award given to foreign civil servants.

Literary works

He wrote the pamphlet "Hitler as a Commander" (1949), in which he tried to present Hitler as the only culprit in the defeat of Germany and to prove the infallibility of the German generals and his strategy. The country was stabbed in the back, he argued, but not by the Social Democrats of that period, but by none other than Adolf Hitler.

He published his "War Diary" (in 3 volumes), which contains a huge amount of factual material about the actions of the Wehrmacht in 1939-42. In 1950, he headed the "Halder Workers Headquarters" created in the FRG, which developed the "Plan G.", which outlined the creation of the armed forces of the FRG.

• "War Diary" (vols. 1-3, 1962-64) Halder is an important source on the history of the 2nd World War. In the USSR, "Military Diary" was published in the late 60s by the publishing house "Voenizdat". Soviet censorship removed most of the entries about the facts of secret negotiations and agreements between the USSR and Germany from the book.

The diary in the summer of 1941 was kept by Franz Halder, Chief of the General Staff of the Wehrmacht Ground Forces. But he secretly began to write about the collapse only in November of the 41st, - “... the general military-economic situation. Falling curve!.. A truce is needed!

In July, he wrote: “It would not be an exaggeration to say that the campaign against Russia was won within 14 days” (03 July).

But by the end of July, Halder - an unusually perspicacious man who predicted Stalingrad in all its details - felt something was wrong, which was implicitly reflected in his diary entries. Generally speaking, his diary is the answer of the participant and designer of events from the first eyewitness to all those dirty liars (Radzikhovsky, Pozner, Mlechin, Radzinsky, Svanidza and other scum) who have been screaming heart-rendingly all over Russia for a quarter of a century - “The Soviets have arranged such drape, SUCH drape, which the world has never seen! The "army" did not resist, but immediately ran to the Urals, those who did not have time to escape surrendered by the millions! Stalin almost died of fear, and the Germans without resistance overcame such distances as the speed of their motorcycles allowed them. DRAP, DRAP, DRAP!".

All this is happily written by the Russophobic anti-Soviet Jew. Halder, however, replies: stop lying, lousy Jews - you are thereby slandering the great German soldier, who, they say, lost the war to such cowards and fugitives. No, it wasn't like that, but here's how. True, at first there was an underestimation, and I wrote ...

"JUNE.
22
It appears that Russian command due to their sluggishness in the near future they are not at all able to organize operational opposition to our offensive.

"24
It should be noted the stubbornness of individual Russian formations in battle.
There were cases when the garrisons of pillboxes blew themselves up along with the pillboxes, not wanting to surrender.

On this sector of the front, the Russians are also fighting stubbornly and fiercely.

25
The enemy retreats in an organized manner, covering the retreat with tank formations, and at the same time transfers large masses of troops from the north to the Western Dvina to the sector between Riga and Jekabpils.

27
The Russian command in Ukraine (to give it its due, it acts well and vigorously).

28
In the zone of Army Group South, the Russian tank corps advances from Brod to Dubno in the rear of our 11th and 16th tank divisions.

29
On the right flank of the 1st Panzer Group, the 8th Russian Panzer Corps wedged deep into our position and entered the rear of the 11th Panzer Division. This penetration of the enemy has obviously caused a great deal of confusion in our rear...

I tried to calm the Fuhrer. Information from the front confirms that the Russians are fighting everywhere to the last man. Only in places they surrender, primarily where there is a large percentage of Mongolian peoples in the troops. It is striking that when artillery batteries, etc., are captured, only a few are taken prisoner. Part of the Russians fight until they are killed...

The stubborn resistance of the Russians forces us to fight according to all the rules of our combat regulations. In Poland and in the West, we could afford certain liberties and deviations from the statutory principles; this is now unacceptable.

In the Lvov area, the enemy is slowly retreating to the east, waging stubborn battles.

"JULY
1
Our Air Force command seriously underestimated the strength of enemy aircraft ...

To the west of Rovno, a rather deep penetration of Russian infantry formations from the Pinsk swamps into the flank of the 1st Panzer Group followed ...

3
The battles with the Russians are exceptionally stubborn. Only a small number of prisoners were taken.

6
In total, about 54,000 people were lost = 2.15% of 2.5 million. A very significant number of patients is noteworthy, which is almost 54,000, that is, almost equal to combat losses. Loss Percentage officers in relation to the total number of losses is higher than in previous campaigns.

(Why are there as many as 54,000 patients in the summer heat? - H.B.)

7
The Fuhrer's decision to raze Moscow and Leningrad to the ground is unshakable... The task of destroying these cities must be carried out by aviation. It will be "a national disaster that will deprive the centers not only of Bolshevism, but also of Muscovites (Russians) in general."

(Here is the answer to the degenerates who say that fascist Europe fought against "Bolshevism" - for the freedom of "Muscovites" - H.B.)

10
Russian tactics are the same as in the rest of the Eastern Front; disguise is excellent; the failure of the 198th Infantry Division: the infantry, which advanced without waiting for anti-tank guns, was attacked by enemy tanks and suffered heavy losses as a result.

11
The Russian attacks on the right flank of the army of Eugen von Schobert (11th Army) apparently caused a significant weakening of the Romanian formations. The command of the 11th Army reports that it considers these formations incapable of further offensive. A "new operation" against Chisinau is needed.

It should be noted:
a. Russian air raids on crossings across the Western Dvina southwest of Vitebsk.
b. The enemy command is acting energetically and skillfully. The enemy fights fiercely.
in. Tank formations suffered significant losses in personnel and materiel. The troops are tired.

(Apparently, they are tired of catching up with the "Muscovites" running to the Urals - H.B.)

12
In front of the front of Army Group Center, despite the withdrawal in separate sectors, no signs of a general withdrawal of the enemy were noticed. On the front of Army Group North, strong enemy rearguards, supported by tanks and aircraft, put up stubborn resistance to Gepner's tank group. The enemy is apparently withdrawing his main forces in an easterly direction.

The enemy is bringing up fresh forces against both flanks of the 4th Army from Gomel, where the Russian infantry divisions are located, which have not yet taken part in the battle. A marching column 100 km long was found in this direction, moving towards Mogilev.

15
Russian troops are fighting, as before, with the greatest bitterness.

18
A radiogram from the headquarters of the 26th Russian Army was intercepted, which states that an offensive of four enemy rifle and two cavalry divisions is scheduled for tomorrow.

19
I am increasingly concerned about the question of whether the vanguards of the enemy grouping, concentrating in the area of ​​Bologoye, Rzhev, have already appeared on the front of Army Group North ...

23
Army Group South. The enemy is attacking from all sides...
Army Group Center. The enemy launches an offensive on the flanks of the army group.
Army Group North. After the end of the fighting, the 16th Army began a regrouping of forces to carry out new tasks.
In the areas of Smolensk and Bologoy, the enemy has a significant amount of anti-aircraft artillery.

In some formations, the loss of officers reaches 50%! An eight to ten day rest is needed... Now it is impossible!

(Well, yes, because the “Muscovites” need to be caught up. Well, the loss of officers in 50% (!!!) was organized, of course, by “General Moroz” - together with Mlechin’s dad and Svanidze’s mom - Kh.B.)

The peculiarity of the country and the originality of the character of the Russians gives the campaign a special specificity. The first serious opponent.

29
Russian prisoners of war 300 thousand people.

(About 5% of the 5 millionth Red Army; I read somewhere that on August 1 we captured about 3% of the Wehrmacht invasion army - Kh.B.).

30
Odessa can become Russian Tobruk. The only remedy for this is a breakthrough l-th tank groups through Pervomaisk to the South.

Army Group Center. Due to the continuous and stubborn attacks of the enemy, tank formations could not be withdrawn from the front.
- To the south and southwest of Toropets stubborn battles began.
- Army Group North. In the OKW, there was clearly a rejection of the unrealistic demand for Army Group North to immediately cut off the escape route to the east of the enemy grouping located in the Leningrad region.
- On the central sector of the front, you should go on the defensive. At the turn of Lake Ilmen, Kholm, Toropets, leave only small barriers! Tank formations should be withdrawn from the front for repairs and replenishment.
- In some areas, the enemy made up to 11 attacks, one after another!

(Natural drape! - what else is it? - H.B.)

31
Army Group South. The enemy is attacking from the south against the flank of the 11th Army. In this case, the enemy attacks the right flank of the tank group from the inside, and the left flank from the outside.

(Obvious drape of "Muscovites" in the South - H.B.)

Army Group Center. The enemy is attacking our troops along the front and on the southern flank. The situation is especially tense in the Yelnya region, where the enemy is conducting stubborn attacks from all sides.

(It's just a drape in a square! - H.B.)

Army Group North. The 11th Army Corps met strong enemy resistance in the Kholm area, which delays its further movement. The corps is engaged in stubborn battles. In this regard, sending the 12th Infantry Division to the south is not yet possible.

AUGUST
1
Our LIV Army Corps is slowly advancing. The Russian units stationed near the coast were brought into action against the flank of the 11th Army. These fights promise to be long.

Use for propaganda purposes the facts of Russian violations of international law abroad.

(I recognize my brother-Westernoid: the Russians are defeated by the guts, the Jewish Figele-Migele begin. Here are the bastards! - H.B.)

The penal battalion has so far had 25% losses, 170 people have been received as replacements. A special field battalion (a battalion equipped with penitentiaries) was used in the West for demining work. 450 people are used to clear the area of ​​past battles.

(How!? Yes, this anti-Semite Halder is simply blatantly lying - all the democrats have read the works of Svanidza and Lazhenitsa and have long known that penal battalions were only in the damned, cannibalistic, totalitarian, bloody, very bad "scoop" - H.B.)

2
Question about the supply of winter uniforms. The supply of winter uniforms, for which applications were sent in May, made it possible to meet only a small part of the total requirement. The West must make do with its own resources. At the disposal of the chief of the armaments department of the land army there is a sufficient supply of uniforms intended for the active troops in the East. This supply will last until October.

"3
Army Group North. The commander-in-chief was at a meeting in the army group. After his visit, I lost the last signs of a clear understanding of what was happening. The army group did not achieve any success in the offensive.

Army Group South. Lousy weather! The battles encircling the enemy grouping, which at first promised success, were delayed by showers.

(Yes, the vile General Rain interfered ... - H.B.)

Army Group Center. Negotiations with Field Marshal von Bock. He behaves extremely recklessly. Despite the enemy's offensive on the eastern sector of his front, he, having almost no reserves there, continues the offensive against Roslavl.

(Apparently, the "Muscovites" did not advance, but simply went to surrender - H.B.)

The situation at Yelnya. Troops laugh at how tank and infantry units are advancing. The fire of enemy artillery is unbearable, since our artillery, due to lack of ammunition, does not offer any resistance.

Great Luke. The failure of the offensive is explained by the fact that the 251st and, apparently, the 253rd Infantry Divisions were not ready for such a task. There can be no more talk of an offensive in this sector. We are forced to go on the defensive here.

(Stupid Halder - with your offensive you simply prevented the "Muscovites" from running unhindered to the Urals - H.B.)

Enemy artillery uses the barrage method. The enemy apparently believes that the "Grossdeutschland" regiment and the "Reich" SS division are the Fuhrer's elite troops. If these troops are defeated, there will be a great political resonance. Such a catastrophe cannot be averted with a guarantee by the forces of a panzer group alone. It is possible that the SS division "Reich", the regiment "Grossdeutschland" and the 268th infantry division will be defeated ... "

(Well, yes, by men beyond the Urals - H.B.)

4
It can be hoped that the success of the attack on Roslavl will ease the situation at Yelnya. Do not hand over Yelnya in any case.

The Russians are tired of the attacks. Enemy artillery works well.

Reports of military attaches. Finland is disappointed with the actions of the German troops ...

We should not expect that by the beginning of winter we will be in the Caucasus.

(On the 5th of August, Garder sets out the reasons for the failure - H.B.)

5
- The terrain is difficult to pass.
- The condition of the roads is very bad.
- Little drinking water.
- Dense forests interfere.
- The troops are physically tired, but spiritually they are strong and cheerful. The troops are aware of their
dominance over the Russians.

6
The enemy makes strong counterattacks supported by tanks. The enemy is counterattacking our Korosten group with large forces, where he has achieved success in places. Consideration should be given to the ability of the Russians to use roads for the movement of their troops, which we, due to their condition, cannot use.

("Muscovites" can, but they cannot - H.B.)

7
Conversation with General Jodl. What are our main goals: do we want to defeat the enemy or are we pursuing economic goals?

(Of course, household ones - uterus, tafai egg, tafai milk! - H.B.)

On the southern flank of the Schwedler group, the enemy succeeded in penetrating into the depths of his location with large forces. In the Bryansk direction, the enemy only slightly withdrew his troops, but in no way began a retreat.

"eight
At the junction between the troops of Kleist and Schwedler, the enemy broke through to Bogyslav. Attention should be paid to the courage of the enemy during the operation to break through. The resulting breakthrough speaks not only of the courage and audacity of the enemy, it also creates a number of inconveniences for our troops.

At Korosten, the enemy finally withdrew. He still managed to withdraw a large number of his troops. The enemy put us in an uncomfortable position.
A difficult situation developed with the command personnel, especially with the commanders of regiments and battalions for motorized formations. The same difficult situation with artillery commanders ...
(And on November 25, 1941, Halder writes - H.B.)

... the general military and economic situation. Falling curve!.. A truce is needed!

The situation at the front: In the Rostov region, the enemy, fortunately, is not active. (November 25, 1941)
This Halderian "fortunately" is a moral capitulation before the Russian Spirit and before Soviet System, the rest was just a matter of price and time.
Of course, there were both boilers and military disasters, but that's how - already in the 41st - forged a great victory. As you can see, there was no "drape" - what can we even talk about, if in the same 1941 (!) Year the Germans began to dream of a truce (!!).
I bow low to those who died in the difficult and heroic 41st, who burned in tanks, but did not surrender to the enemy, who fired back to the last bullet, blew themselves up in pillboxes, died in the casemates of Brest, and even bow to those who were captured, resisting to the last and no longer had the opportunity to resist. They won the war - and won it during the first few months of hostilities: the blitzkrieg took place, but it was a SOVIET blitzkrieg!
Homa Brut

Here you can read online Franz Halder - War Diary - an introductory passage. Genre: Biographies and Memoirs, Voenizdat publishing house, year 1971. Here you can read an introductory excerpt from the book online without registration and SMS on the website (LibKing) or read summary, preface (abstract), description and read reviews (comments) about the work.

Franz Halder - War diary summary

War diary - description and summary, author Franz Halder, read for free online on the website electronic library website

War diary - read an introductory passage online for free

Franz Halder

military diary

Daily notes of the Chief of the General Staff of the Ground Forces. Volume III*

Military Literature Project: http://militera.lib.ru

*From the beginning of the eastern campaign to the offensive on Stalingrad (06/22/1941 - 09/24/1942)

From a German publisher

Among the numerous documentary sources relating to the history of the Second World War and published after 1945, from the point of view of the Germans, the personal notes of the chief of the general staff of the ground forces, retired Colonel General Franz Halder, deserve special attention. They reflect more dramatically and more fully than in all other publications the struggle for the adoption of the most important strategic decisions in the first phase of the war. These almost daily entries, which have long been known to science as "Halder's Diary", are associated with a personality, a military figure, whose official position turned him into an intermediate link between political and military leadership. He set down on paper his immediate impressions and reflections without any preparation and subsequent corrections. These notes reveal Halder's method of work and convey well the atmosphere of the general staff of the German ground forces of that time.

The original Diary, which is now at the disposal of the Chief of the Military History Department of the US Department of the Army in Washington (the compiler has only a photocopy), consists of seven books with handwritten, mostly shorthand (Gabelsberg type) notes intended for current official use. Each book of the diary was enclosed in a special folder 28x20.5 cm in size. Most of the pages of the diary were lined.

The published volume I (from the Polish campaign to the end of the offensive in the West) covers the events of the period from August 14, 1939 to June 30, 1940. Volume II (from the planned invasion of England to the beginning of the Eastern campaign) contains entries for the period from July 1, 1940 to June 21, 1941 (they are supplemented by separate documentary appendices found after 1950). Volume III (campaign in Russia, before the attack on Stalingrad) contains entries from June 22, 1941 to September 24, 1942. Volumes II and III are being prepared for publication(1). After the completion of the work, there is no need to use microfilms and reprints of the diary, in which there are errors.

In order not to unnecessarily increase the volume of the book, the compilers in their comments limited themselves to only the most significant points. For those who want to study the problem of warfare in the relevant months in more depth, we recommend that you refer to the additional specialized literature indicated in the notes. For the rest, the reader or researcher should be advised to first of all carefully familiarize himself with the structure of the diary and the nature of the entries before he proceeds to their direct study or use. The schemes and tables attached at the end of Volume III are auxiliary material and should, first of all, make it easier to determine the official position of those officers who are mentioned in the notes.

With regard to the technique of publishing this work, the following should be noted.

1. The text of the published diary was once again verified with the original (author's shorthand notes) and is given in full, without any abbreviations.

2. The entire arrangement and arrangement of the material (paragraphs, red line, highlights, etc.) are preserved in their original form, with the exception of those features that could not be reproduced for reasons of polygraphy or readability.

3. Comments (marginal notes) that were in the original to the left or right of the main text (for example, the operations department, quartermaster general, etc.) were marked with asterisks or indicated by the words “Marginal notes”. (In the Russian translation, they are included in the text with a reservation. - Approx. ed.)

4. Obvious typos (incorrect numbering of compounds and parts), typos or incorrect transcription settlements and proper nouns are corrected without any special reservations. (In footnotes, this is sometimes indicated additionally.)

5. The numbering of sheets adopted in the original diary is not preserved in the printed edition; this was not necessary, since all records were kept in strict chronological order.

6. Text underlined or written in the original in discharge is printed in this edition for the most part in italics,

7. The dashes in the original text or the dividing marks in the printed text of the diary are omitted. Thematic sections are separated from each other by means of a red line.

8. Difficult to read expressions (words), the meaning of which is not clear, are marked with a question mark (?).

9. Intermediate subtitles available in the original (for example: Polish campaign. II part. II volume. Chief of the General Staff. Started: 11.9.39 OKH. Headquarters. Ended: 6.12.39), omitted, as well as numbering of diary parts: 1, 2, 3, 4th parts, etc.

11. Additional words and clarifications by the (German) publishers appear in square brackets.

12. All conditional abbreviations found in the text of the diary are given in a special list with their corresponding explanation. Individual arbitrary abbreviations are explained further in the text.

13. Notes (indications, explanations, references and cross-references) of the publishers are given at the end of each day under the appropriate serial numbers within each day of entries in the diary.

(1) Volume II was published in Germany in 1963, volume III - in 1964.

Morning reports (1) report that all armies, except for the 11th [on the right flank of Army Group South in Romania], went on the offensive according to plan (2). The offensive of our troops, apparently, was a complete tactical surprise for the enemy on the entire front.

The border bridges across the Bug and other rivers have been everywhere captured by our troops without a fight and in complete safety. The complete surprise of our offensive for the enemy (3) is evidenced by the fact that the units were taken by surprise in the barracks, the planes stood at the airfields, covered with tarpaulin, and the advanced units, suddenly attacked by our troops, asked the command about what to do. An even greater influence of the element of surprise on the further course of events can be expected as a result of the rapid advance of our mobile units, for which at present there is ample opportunity everywhere. The naval command also reports that the enemy, apparently, was taken by surprise. In recent days, he has been completely passive in observing all our activities and is now concentrating his naval forces in ports, apparently fearing mines.

The biography of Franz Halder carries a lot of valuable information about what exactly happened in Nazi Germany. The study of his life and death allows you to delve deeper into the interweaving of the internal structure of the Wehrmacht.

Birth

Franz Halder was born on June 30, 1884 in the largest of - Würzburg. His father was Maximilian Halder, a major general in the Royal Bavarian Army, and his mother was half-French Matilda Halder, nee Steinheil. Several generations of his family devoted themselves to military service: Franz Halder's grandfather, for example, was a captain.

Franz's youth

In terms of religion, young Franz's parents disagreed. His father, Maximilian Halder, was brought up as a Catholic in accordance with the traditions of subjects of the Bavarian court. And Matilda, on the contrary, preferred the Protestant faith. Obviously, the mother in the family had quite a lot of influence, since the young Franz was baptized as a Lutheran, and after that he was immediately sent to his grandmother in France. There he spent the first years of his life. But when Franz was four, he was ordered to return to Germany.

The fact is that Maximilian Halder reached impressive heights in the military field, he was transferred many times to Munich and other cities. He could afford a lot. When Franz was six, he was immediately enrolled in an advanced course at the Lutheran school in Munich. A few years later, he moved to an even more reputable school. Three years later, Franz began attending classes at the Teresian Gymnasium, one of the most famous and popular in Munich. Everywhere he was the most promising of the students. Also, Franz Halder was distinguished by diligence and diligence. At the age of eighteen, he received a certificate of secondary education.

Military career of Halder

Franz's choice could surprise no one. The military field was assigned to him even before birth. Immediately after graduating from high school, his father enrolled Franz in the Royal Field Artillery Regiment, which he himself commanded. At the same time, the nephew of Maximilian Halder served there. Throughout his service, Franz Halder constantly sought to expand his knowledge. He took a course at the Bavaria military school in Munich, just a couple of years after that, he attended classes at the Bavarian school, which specialized in artillery and engineering.

Franz Halder's career developed rapidly. Already in the second year of service, he was promoted to lieutenant, and when the bosses noticed his craving for tactics and strategy, they immediately recommended him to the military academy of Bavaria. Soon he was promoted to lieutenant. It is not known how much more he would have been trained if the First World War. All students were urgently released and sent to the army.

During the First World War

Franz Halder, commander of the third Bavarian army corps, fought with his soldiers at Nancy and Epinal. He personally carried out extremely risky intelligence operations, for which he was awarded the Iron Cross First Class. In general, the awards of Franz Halder can be listed for a very long time. In accordance with the traditions of the German military service, Halder spent almost the entire war in the Bavarian units on the Western Front. Soon he was already completely immersed in his work, namely, delivering and distributing food, money and medicine among the soldiers. In 1915, Franz Halder fulfilled his old dream and moved to the General Staff. However, he still visited as a fighter in a series of major battles that took place on the territory of the Eastern Front.

Having gained some fame due to his merits, Franz Halder is one of the commanders in the battle of the Somme, battles in Flanders, several battles on Eastern Front. He was often transferred, and nowhere did Halder stay longer than necessary until the very end of the First World War.

Period of the "lost generation"

After the conclusion of the hated peace treaty, which marked the end of the war, massive reductions began in the German army. Franz Halder, realizing the precariousness of his position, seized on the post of adjutant of the General Staff in Bavaria. In between, he attended courses and lectures on politics, history, statistics, and economics. The prospect of becoming a civil servant or manager did not bother him. But, as it turned out, the officers did not have to worry. All of them received membership in the new reformed army.

Halder's views on the Nazis

Halder did not have any fantasies about the coming to power of the Nazis, led by Hitler. He feared and despised the new authorities, although he could not help but share their goals: the abolition of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles and the return of Germany to her position. But he continued to treat with obvious rejection the fact that the party then received the full right to interfere in military affairs. She controlled everything with her characteristic cruelty and uncompromisingness.

Halder also viewed the Nazis as inept and untalented politicians. He loved everything cautious, and now adventurers have taken over his country. Considering that Halder had reached a very influential position in the army, his views began to attract members of the opposition to him.

Professional growth

However, despite all this, very soon after the adoption of the new regime, Franz Halder became a major general. He became one of the senior officers. At the same time, he entered into a close relationship with Ludwig Beck, the leader of the anti-Hitler movement. They agreed on a dislike for the new state of affairs. But contempt for the system did not prevent Franz Halder from enjoying the privileges that this system showered him with. He was promoted again. All this happened in 1938, when the device was undergoing strong internal changes. A new army was being created, and Halder became the closest assistant and deputy head of the General Staff of the ground forces.

Thus, Ludwig Beck, his short-lived colleague among the opposition, became his immediate superior. But this did not last long. Beck was removed and Franz Halder took his place. No one was surprised by this turn of events. Halder already concentrated in his hands the main functions of the General Staff. In addition, which was very important, Adolf Hitler supported his candidacy, considering Halder "ready to support his ideas and go towards the future." The origin and numerous connections of Halder also played a role. Lack of any charisma leadership qualities also came in very handy. He could easily transfer the ideas of his superiors to paper and create a plan of battles and the entire war from disparate proposals. He was called the "little man", compared with a nondescript school teacher.

assassination attempt

As soon as he took Ludwig Beck's place, Franz Halder, Chief of the OKH General Staff, immediately went to several influential personalities who could be connected with the opposition, and declared with incredible frankness that he despises the Nazis with all his heart and is ready to stage a coup d'etat right now. He asked if these individuals would like to take the place of Adolf Hitler when everything is done? Are they preparing for rebellion? But Halder did not act too actively. In his own words, it was planned that Germany would be defeated by the European countries, and only then it would be possible to stage a coup. No one will object or put up too violent resistance.

However, Halder was not going to openly betray Hitler. Among the political elite of those years, there was an opinion that he was afraid of public censure. It was for this reason that German General Franz Halder planned for people to believe that Adolf Hitler's death was caused by an accident. Halder counted on the bombing and on the fact that when Europe came out, everything would happen by itself. But Europe did not come forward. Later, Halder accused Britain of failing to do away with the Nazis back in 1938.

Halder was waiting for Hitler to finally be defeated, while at the same time planning future military campaigns. He didn't think he was betraying anyone. But it was precisely because of his efforts that the dreams of the opposition did not come true until 1945. He had enormous influence in the General Staff.

As a military leader

In 1939, Halder planned a campaign to conquer Poland. Then he did not justify his duty to the Motherland. No, he really wanted to expand the borders of what was then Germany, like many of the Germans. They might not like the Nazis, but they hated the terms of the Versailles Peace Treaty.

It was in Poland that Halder, along with other generals, realized that no one would allow them to wage war alone. Hitler participated in the discussions more often than many members of the General Staff wanted. The same thing continued in France, and in Belgium, and in other countries of Eastern Europe. Including in the Soviet Union. The plan to attack the USSR "Barbarossa" was also developed by Halder. But he greatly underestimated the strength Soviet army. It was Halder who suggested a lightning victory in just two weeks.

20th of July

The world-famous Conspiracy of the Generals, or the July Plot, which took place on July 20, 1944, also could not do without Halder. Or so, anyway, it is considered now. Members of the so-called Resistance, namely Halder, Ludwig Beck, Erwin von Witzlebahn, Erich Gepne, Jochhanes Politz, Hjalma Schacht and many others, all held fairly high positions in Germany. They tried to commit dozens of assassination attempts on Hitler, but something always got in their way. Sometimes the bomb didn't work, sometimes something else happened.

On July 20, too, things did not quite go according to plan. It was planned to blow up the meeting room when Hitler was there. Stauffenberg, one of the members of the Resistance who was supposed to be there, brought an explosive device with him in his briefcase. He asked to be allowed to sit next to Hitler. Stauffenberg referred to a wound in the ear area, due to which he could not hear well. He approached Adolf Hitler, put his briefcase on the table, and left to ostensibly answer a phone call. But at this time, another person from those present at the meeting moved and pushed the briefcase away from the Fuhrer. As a result, Hitler received many moderate wounds, but survived. Four officers died from the bombing. When it turned out what happened in the end, the members of the Resistance sent messages to each other, the essence of which was the same: "A terrible thing happened. The Fuhrer is alive."

Effects

After the assassination attempt on Hitler, the era of harsh repression began. The main participants were found and executed. But some were sent to concentration camps. The arrest of Franz Halder took place on July 23, 1944. He spent the rest of World War II away from the front and command. The conditions were terrible, the attitude towards the "traitor" was even worse. For Franz Halder, the Dachau concentration camp became a temporary residence. On April 28, 1945, he was liberated by the American army.

End of World War II. Franz Halder

Among the participants in the sensational Nuremberg trials were many from the former command. Among them was Halder. He testified against Adolf Hitler, whom he blamed with particular passion for the defeat of Germany, and other ardent Nazis. A few years later, he was found not guilty.

Halder soon decided to devote himself to writing articles and books. He also worked in the administration of the American army, where he scrupulously studied the history of those years. Franz Halder's book "War Diary" is one of the main sources by which you can reproduce the events of the Second World War.

Current page: 1 (total book has 53 pages) [available reading excerpt: 35 pages]

Franz Halder
War diary (June 1941 - September 1942)

Conspirator or war criminal?

His only one of all the chiefs of the General Staff under the Nazis can be called a hereditary military man, a man whose ancestors for centuries (!) devoted themselves to military service. A typical officer, a typical - even outwardly - General Staff officer, Franz Halder headed the General Staff at the hottest time: when Hitler's aggressive plans were being feverishly prepared. They were prepared and began to be carried out under his leadership. Even the fact that Halder ended the war in a concentration camp is not something out of the ordinary. But here is what the man who helped Hitler lead military operations against the USSR in 1941-1942 received the highest award for the civil service of the United States of America, shows what somersaults the career of an officer could make in these turbulent years of the twentieth century.

In the service of His Majesty

Franz Halder

Representatives of the Halder family 1
In German, the surname is written as Halder, that is, according to the rules adopted today, it should have been written in Russian as Halder.

For several centuries, from generation to generation, they served in the ranks of the Bavarian royal army as officers. True, the Halders were not actually Bavarians. They came from Swabia, a land that at one time became dependent on the Bavarian crown. Swabians are still the butt of jokes in Germany, primarily because of their accent, which is very difficult for an ordinary German to understand; there is even such a joke: "Swabians can do anything, but not speak Hochdeutsche." Although this had little to do with the Halders: this family had long lost contact with their small homeland - they were typical representatives of service officers who received their livelihood by their service to the Bavarian kings. Franz Halder's grandfather - Karl Anton (born October 5, 1811, died April 20, 1856) - completed his military career with the rank of captain. His son - Franz's father - Maximilian Halder 2
Maximilian Anton Halder was born on March 2, 1853 and died in May 1912.

He chose the career of an officer of the Bavarian artillery and in the 10s of the twentieth century he retired with the rank of major general. He was married to Matilda Steinheil, whose father traveled extensively and eventually became an American citizen. Mathilde, being a French mother, was born in Lyon, in the South of France.

Franz Halder was born on June 30, 1884 in Würzburg, the main city of the Bavarian Lower Ranconian District, where his father served at that time: he served in the Royal Bavarian 2nd Field Artillery Regiment. In confessional terms, the Halder family was not homogeneous: his father, like all his ancestors, was a Catholic (like most of the subjects of the Bavarian king), and his mother was brought up in the Protestant faith. Franz was baptized according to the Evangelical Lutheran rite and immediately after birth he was sent to live with his grandmother in France, where he spent the first four years of his life. In 1888, his father was transferred to Munich, the life of an artillery officer was more or less settled, and Maximilian Halder sent his son to live with him. The service of Maximilian Halder took place not only in Munich, from time to time he was forced to leave the capital of Bavaria, but the family continued to stay in this city. Franz in September 1890 was enrolled in the 2nd grade (due to good preparation) of the Munich Protestant Folk School, from where in July 1893 he was transferred to the prestigious King Ludwig Gymnasium. In September 1896, he began attending classes at Munich's famous Theresian Gymnasium. Franz showed brilliant abilities, becoming one of the best students. In addition, already during their studies, teachers noted such qualities of the future general as "an outstanding sense of duty, diligence and diligence." On June 30, 1902, Franz Halder successfully passed his matriculation exams.

Choice by Franz Halder military career was due to family traditions, especially since by the time he graduated, his father was already in a fairly high position: since 1901 he commanded the Royal Bavarian 3rd Prince Leopold Field Artillery Regiment 3
Kgl. Bayerische 3. Feldartillerie-Regiment Prinz Leopold.

Which was stationed in the Upper Bavarian city of Amberg. Quite naturally, on July 14, 1902, Franz Halder was recorded as a Fanenjunker in the same artillery regiment and began military service under the care of his father. It should be noted that his cousin Paul Halder also served in this regiment under the supervision of his uncle at the same time. On January 29, 1903 Franz was promoted to Fenrich and on March 1, 1903 he was sent to study in the Bavarian military school in Munich. And here Halder showed brilliant abilities, and after passing the exam, where he showed “generally excellent” knowledge, he was promoted to lieutenant on March 9, 1904.

Continuing to serve as a junior officer in the 3rd Artillery Regiment, Halder constantly improved his level of education. So, from October 1, 1906 to July 31, 1907, he took a course at the Bavarian Artillery and Engineering School - so to speak, the next stage in the training of officers. Even before entering this school, 22-year-old Franz Halder was engaged to the daughter of a retired major, Gertrud Erl (Erl) 4
Gerturda was two years younger than her fiance, she was born in Munich on July 11, 1886.

In marriage, the Halders had three daughters - in 1909, 1913 and 1914.

The talents shown by Halder, the ability to analyze and assess the situation, predetermined his career not as a military officer, but as a General Staff officer. The authorities immediately noted Halder's abilities, and already in 1911 he received the necessary recommendations for admission to the Bavarian Military Academy and on October 1, 1911 was officially enrolled in the number of its students. During his studies - March 7, 1912 - he was promoted to lieutenant. Halder's successes were impressive, in addition, the war intervened in the course of his life, which accelerated the learning process. When it became clear that Germany's entry into the war was inevitable, in all educational institutions were urgently carried out final exams and "young specialists" sent to the troops. On July 31, 1914, Lieutenant Halder also passed the exam for the course of the Military Academy, two days later he was appointed an ordinance officer at the command of the III Bavarian Army Corps.

The first battles of Halder took place in Lorraine, he participated in the battles in the area of ​​Nancy and Epinal, and then between the Meuse and Moselle. Further, his path lay in the North of France. Already in the first battles, he proved himself not only as a staff officer, but also as a brave officer: for conducting a risky reconnaissance operation, he was awarded the Iron Cross 1st class. He received the 2nd class cross even earlier - for the first battles of the 6th Army, commanded by the Bavarian Crown Prince Ruprecht. As followed from the tradition that had developed in the Kaiser's army, Halder's career as an officer in the Bavarian army took place almost exclusively as part of the Bavarian units, and thus the entire war - with the exception of a short period - Halder spent on the Western Front. On January 6, 1915, he was appointed 2nd General Staff Officer (Ib) to the headquarters of the 6th Bavarian Infantry Division. The 2nd officer of the General Staff headed the quartermaster department of the division headquarters and was responsible for providing military units - supplies, allowances, quartermaster service, medical and sanitary services, etc. On August 9, 1915, he was promoted to captain, and after some time as the next distinction, his seniority in rank was ordered to be calculated from November 8, 1914. On December 28, 1916, Halder was transferred to the post of 1st officer of the General Staff (Ia) at the headquarters of the 5th Bavarian Infantry Division - this position of the head of the Command Department of the division headquarters actually corresponded to the post of chief of staff of the division in other armies. As an officer of the General Staff, that is, in principle, without directly participating in military operations, Halder nevertheless went to battles at Lavigneville, Saint-Mihiel, Chauvincourt, Fleury, Temonte, as well as in battles in the Verdun region and on the Somme - in fact, in most the largest operations taking place on the southeastern sector of the Western Front.

Having gained experience in staff work at the divisional level and having proven himself an excellent officer, on March 26, 1917, Halder moved to the headquarters of the 2nd Army, General of Cavalry Georg von der Marwitz, who fought on the Somme. On June 14 of the same year, he was transferred to Flanders, to the headquarters of the 4th Army of Infantry General Friedrich Sixt von Arnim. Here he did not stay long and on July 12, 1917 he left Western Front and left for the East: Halder was seconded to the headquarters of the commander-in-chief in the East, who, since August 1916, was Field Marshal Prince Leopold of Bavaria, who, of course, attracted native Bavarians to serve in his headquarters.

In general, in 1917, Halder replaced large quantity places of service than in the entire war. The longest - a little more than three months - he stayed at the headquarters of Prince Leopold. On October 30, 1917, he was appointed as a permanent officer of the General Staff of the Mörchingen area with the XV Bavarian reserve corps, and on November 5, 1917, he became director of the 16th permanent command in Trient. On December 1, 1917, Captain Halder was again sent to the headquarters of the 2nd Army, as an officer of the General Staff, and, finally, on December 24, 1917, he settled at the headquarters of the Army Group Kronprinz Ruprecht of Bavaria. Halder's immediate superiors were Chief of Staff of the Army Group General of the Infantry Hermann von Kuhl and Major of the General Staff Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb 5
The word "Ritter" (Ritter) means "knight" in translation into Russian. But in this case it was not a hereditary title of nobility: Leeb received the right to be called Ritter and the prefix "von" on May 2, 1915, when he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Royal Bavarian Military Order of Max Joseph on behalf of the King of Bavaria. By the way, among the ancestors of Halder there was also one "Ritter" - it was his great-grandfather Anton Ritter von Halder - however, this title received by the order was not inherited and Franz Halder himself was neither Ritter nor "von" as sometimes write.

Future Field Marshal of the Wehrmacht.

Service in the headquarters gave Halder the opportunity to gain invaluable experience in staff work during the war. And although such appointments indicated that he was in good standing with his superiors (which one could be proud of), Halder, like most young officers - and he was about 30 years old - repeatedly filed reports with a request to send him to the front, in combat units. However, the command constantly refused him - he was too good a specialist to use him as an ordinary company or battalion commander: for this there was a huge number of wartime officers who knew nothing more than to dig into the ground and die for the Kaiser and Germany.

Service in the headquarters brought Franz Halder many awards - more than an ordinary combat officer received. In addition to the already mentioned Iron Crosses, on October 2, 1918, he received the Prussian Knight's Cross of the House of Hohenzollern with Swords (Ritterkreuz des Kgl. Preussische Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern). On behalf of the sovereigns of other German lands, he received: Knight's Cross 1st class of the Royal Saxon Order of Albrecht with swords, the Royal Bavarian medal of Prince Regent Luitpold, the Royal Bavarian Order for Military Merit 4th class with swords and a crown. And his short service on the Eastern Front brought him the Austro-Hungarian award - the Military Merit Cross 3rd class with military decorations.

On November 11, 1918, representatives of Germany signed the terms of the armistice - the war was lost by Germany. The collapse of the front was also a collapse for the ruling houses of Germany - during November 1918, most of the puppet German monarchs signed acts of abdication. Among them was Ludwig III Wittelsbach, King of Bavaria and father of Crown Prince Ruprecht. German troops removed from the front and taken back to Germany. The Bavarian units, of course, returned to Bavaria, and the headquarters of the army group went directly to the Bavarian capital, Munich. For Franz Halder, a new stage in his career began ...

From Reichswehr to Wehrmacht

After arriving in Munich, Captain Franz Halder was appointed adjutant of the Central Department of the Bavarian General Staff on December 20, 1918. Halder was a pragmatic person, he understood that at the end of the war a very significant reduction in the armed forces would be carried out and many would be left behind without a profession and without prospects. While he was still in the service, not too burdensome, and received a corresponding salary, Halder attended to his future in case there was no place for him in the new army. In January 1919, Halder began attending classes at the University of Munich: he listened to lectures and participated in seminars on statistics, political economy, history, and national economics. Halder was preparing to become a civil servant or, at the very least, a highly paid manager in the private sector. However, very soon it became clear that very few people would enter the armed forces of the new Germany, but first of all officers of the General Staff. Halder's future life was secured, and confirmation of this was his appointment on March 25, 1919 as an officer of the General Staff in the Military Department of the Bavarian War Ministry. Having received guarantees from the head of the Military Department, his old acquaintance Wilhelm von Leeb, that he would not be left without work, Halder interrupted his studies at the University of Munich in April 1919 and completely concentrated on a military career.

In August 1919, the Bavarian General Staff ceased to exist, and some of its employees, including von Leeb and Halder, were transferred to Berlin to the Military Directorate of the Imperial War Ministry. Now it was not supposed to have the German General Staff, and it was the Military Directorate that performed its functions. On October 1, 1919, Halder was appointed referent of the Training Department of the Military Directorate of the Imperial War Ministry.

The Halder family remained in Munich, where his elderly mother also lived. Although the salary was enough to support the family, the daughters were still small - the eldest was only 10 years old - and soon Halder turned to the command with a request to find him a place closer to his homeland. They met him halfway, and on July 30, 1920, he was transferred to the headquarters of the 7th division, which was located in the capital of Bavaria. Here he took part in the first post-war maneuvers of the German army, which took place in May 1921, which were held on the territory of the VII (Bavarian) military district. On October 1, 1921, Franz Halder was seconded to the auxiliary command courses at the headquarters of the 7th division as an instructor in tactics. Such courses were supposed to compensate for the absence of the Military Academy, banned by the Treaty of Versailles, in the Reichswehr - the armed forces of the young Weimar Republic. They trained cadres of officers of the General Staff, in which, despite the conditions of peace, the German army was in dire need. Halder was just a small cog in the system of recreating the armed forces of Germany, created by General Hans von Seeckt - brilliant in its essence: with minimal opportunities not only to preserve, but also to increase personnel - officers and non-commissioned officers - for the future mass army.

From October 1, 1923 to December 15, 1925, Halder commanded the 4th Battery of the 7th Artillery Regiment stationed in Landsberg an der Lech, a city located near Munich. On November 8–9, 1923, in Munich, Hitler raised his stormtroopers in an attempt to seize power in Bavaria, and eventually in Germany. On November 9, Halder's battery was alerted and moved to Munich, but Halder's subordinates failed to take part in operations against the putschists. The putsch was dispersed by the land police, and its leaders were convicted of attempting a coup d'état and in 1924 were placed to serve their sentences in a prison fortress located in the same Landsberg. Thus, Franz Halder, who was promoted to major on March 17, 1924, with seniority from April 1, 1923, found himself in close proximity to Hitler, although, of course, there were no personal contacts between them. From June 15 to July 17, 1925, Halder studied at shooting training courses, and on December 1, 1925, having served the qualifications of a battery commander, he was returned to headquarters service. He took up the post of 1st officer of the General Staff, that is, the head of the Operations Department (Ia), at the headquarters of the 7th division and VII district, located in Munich 6
In Weimar Germany, the headquarters of infantry divisions and military districts were combined - there were only seven of them. During the period described, both the division and the district were commanded by General of Artillery Baron Friedrich Kress von Kressenstein.

However, four months later - on April 1, 1926 - Halder was transferred as a referent to the Training Department (T4) of the Military. In the department, he oversaw the issues of combat training (including the training of officers of the General Staff) on the territory of the VII military district, and also headed the group of general issues of combat training.

From July 3 to August 5, 1928, Halder did an internship in the 7th motor transport battalion, and then returned to his duties in the T4 department. 7
From February 1930 to February 1932, this department was headed by Major General Walter von Brauchitsch, later Field Marshal and Commander-in-Chief of the Wehrmacht ground forces. Subsequently, they maintained a good relationship.

And on February 1, 1929 he was promoted to lieutenant colonel. On October 1, 1931, he was appointed chief of staff of the 6th division and the VI military region, which was headquartered in Münster. At the head of the division and district at that time was Lieutenant General Wolfgang Fleck. Already on December 1, 1931, Halder was promoted to colonel. In Münster, he received news of the rise of the Nazis.

A typical representative of the corps of officers of the General Staff, who considered themselves the backbone of the army, Halder reacted without enthusiasm to the arrival of Hitler. Of course, the goals declared by the new Chancellor - the revision of the conditions of Versailles and the restoration of Germany's place among the leading European powers - could not but find support among the officers. But at the same time, from the very first steps of the Nazis, Halder came to the conclusion that the country fell into the hands of irresponsible political adventurers, whose style of action disgusted the extremely cautious and stiff hereditary officer. The tense Nazi rhetoric also disgusted him, and the too radical and unpredictable actions of the new government were great fears. At the same time, contrary to post-war assertions, Halder was by no means immediately able to understand the nature of the Nazi regime. So, shortly after the “putsch of Röhm” - the destruction of the leadership of the SA on June 30, 1934 - he wrote to the head of the Military Directorate, General Ludwig Beck: the opposite of what the Reich Chancellor is aiming for... Cooperation is giving way to an ever deeper antagonism between two groups, one of which strives in the spirit of the Fuhrer to build on the basis of existing values[italics mine. - K.Z.], while the other does not yet know another goal, how to destroy existing values ​​​​under hackneyed and obscure slogans” 8
Letter dated August 6, 1934. Cit. according to (with corrections according to the German edition): Hitler's Companions. Rostov-on-Don, 1998, p. 35.

However, for Ludwig Beck, the main thing was something else: Halder is not a supporter of the regime and thinks about what Nazism might lead Germany to. From that time on, Beck constantly provided Halder with all kinds of patronage, counting on his support if necessary - as the development of events showed, Beck had a rather poor understanding of people, he was clearly mistaken with Halder ...

The new government provided the officers of the Reichswehr with opportunities for a quick career. A year and a half after Hitler came to power and three after receiving the rank of colonel, Franz Halder was promoted to major general on October 1, 1934. At the same time, he was appointed artillery commander of the 7th division, who was one of the two deputy division commanders (the second was the infantry commander). During Halder's tenure as commander of the artillery of the 7th military district, fundamental changes took place in the German armed forces. On March 16, 1935, the Law on the Creation of the Wehrmacht was adopted.

The formation of divisions dragged on for quite a long time, and at the same time, on the basis of the headquarters of the military districts, the formation of the headquarters of army corps began. In the VII military district (and, accordingly, in the VII army corps, which was headed by General Walther von Reichenau), the 27th division (headquartered in Augsburg) and the mountain rifle brigade in Garmisch-Partenkirchen were formed. On October 15, 1935, Major General Franz Halder took command of the 7th Division, headquartered in Munich, and was promoted to lieutenant general on August 1, 1936. The main task of Halder in this post was to conduct, first of all, training events, because with an increase in the number of divisions and the announcement of a general conscription the Wehrmacht accepted into its ranks hundreds of thousands of untrained recruits, many young officers or veterans of the First World War, who had to make up for almost twenty years of forced idleness. The old divisions - like the same 7th - also did not survive, because their personnel were used as a frame for new formations and recruits took the place of veterans. Therefore, the year in Munich passed for Halder in constant exercises and maneuvers.

Halder stayed at the head of the division for a little more than a year, after which the commander-in-chief of the ground forces, Colonel-General Baron Werner von Fritsch, and the chief of the General Staff, General of Artillery Ludwig Beck, decided to entrust him with a responsible task - preparing and conducting large-scale combined arms maneuvers. The maneuvers were supposed to be carried out in the summer - autumn of 1937 in Mecklenburg. An important feature of these maneuvers was that for the first time large tank and motorized formations were to take part in them.

Of course, such a large-scale event required serious preparations through the Ministry of War and the General Staff, therefore, a special working headquarters was formed under the command of the Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces, headed by Lieutenant General Franz Halder on November 12, 1936 (simultaneously, on the same day, an order was issued on the official transfer of Halder to the General Staff). This November appointment was a turning point in the career of Franz Halder. If up to this point it was impossible to say with complete certainty where she would go next: Halder would focus exclusively on staff work or turn into a high-ranking combat officer, now a clear choice was made in favor of the first path. In order to further qualify for high command posts in the army, an officer needed significant command experience - and not just a year at the head of a division. If the command had decided to move Halder along the command line, then he would have commanded the division for some time, and then would have taken the vacancy of the corps commander. But fate and command decreed otherwise.

At that time, the structure of the General Staff of the Ground Forces was constantly changing: the functions of the General Staff were expanding and there was a need to create new departments and positions of permanent deputy chiefs of the General Staff - chief quartermasters who oversaw one or another area of ​​work. Another reorganization took place in October 1937. In the course of it, the position of the 3rd chief quartermaster was created (the posts of the 1st and 2nd chief quartermasters existed since 1935) and at the same time the duties were redistributed between the chief quartermasters. On October 1, 1937, the 2nd chief quartermaster, Major General Rudolf Schmidt, was sent to Weimar to command the 1st Panzer Division, and on October 12, Lieutenant General Halder took his place in the General Staff. In this capacity, Halder was mainly responsible for the same combat training of troops: he supervised the work of the 4th (combat training), 7th (military history) and 11th (training of officers of the General Staff and regulations) departments. From that moment began his close work with Ludwig Beck, one might say, the leader of the anti-Hitler group in the armed forces. Since Halder was also extremely critical of the regime, they quickly found mutual language. Moreover, at this stage, Halder, as it turned out, took a more active position than Beck. This was due to the fact that Halder occupied a subordinate position and his harsh demands for Beck to make a decision were only an attempt to evade responsibility himself - a position very characteristic of the German officer corps.

Nevertheless, the "Blomberg-Fritsch" crisis, which so strongly resented Franz Halder, brought him new promotions - this happened so often throughout Halder's career: he opposed the regime, but continued to enjoy its favor, constantly occupying more and more high posts and getting new distinctions. The crisis ended with a complete restructuring of the military leadership system, the War Ministry was liquidated and the Wehrmacht High Command was formed. The High Command of the Ground Forces was not affected at the first stage of the transformation, only some personnel changes were carried out. Halder, in the midst of the Blomerg-Fritsch crisis - February 1, 1938 - was promoted to general of artillery, and on February 4 he replaced Erich von Manstein as the 1st Chief Quartermaster of the General Staff. Now Halder became the closest assistant and 1st deputy chief of the General Staff, Ludwig Beck. All operational planning for future conquests was concentrated in the hands of Halder. The most important departments of the General Staff were subordinate to him: Operational, Organizational, Technical, as well as the Topographic and Military Geographic Service. Halder's position was further strengthened by the fact that Colonel-General von Brauchitsch became the new commander-in-chief of the ground forces, with whom he had known through joint service in the Military Directorate in the early 1930s. Relations between Brauchitsch and Halder's immediate boss Ludwig Beck were generally cool, and Brauchitsch preferred to discuss operational issues not with Beck, but with his former subordinate.

In the meantime, Ludwig Beck was doing everything he could to halt Hitler's accelerating expansionist policies. However, all his attempts to unite German generals in a general protest against the current policy ended in failure: the generals refused to publicly support him. As a result, seeing no more opportunity to serve Hitler, Beck resigned on August 18, 1938. Halder took up the temporary duties of chief of the General Staff, as he was the highest rank of this department after Beck. Finally, on August 27, 1938, Beck was officially removed from office and Halder, again officially, appointed as his successor. True, Hitler refused to publicly announce the change in leadership of the General Staff, and the orders were not made public. It was only a few weeks later that everyone learned after the fact what had happened - thus the possible effect of Beck's resignation was completely neutralized by Hitler.