Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb
(5.9.1876 - 29.4.1956)
place of birth:  Landsberg am Lech, Oberbayern  (Bavaria)


A Field Marshal in Hitler's Wehrmacht, Wilhelm was born in central Bavaria to Major Adolf Leeb and his spouse Katharina. After joining the Bavarian Army in 1895 and later earning promotion to lieutenant, Leeb was assigned to the German East Asian Corps under Field Marshal Alfred Graf von Waldersee and saw action during the Boxer Rebellion.

During the Great War, von Leeb served on the general staffs of the I. Bavarian Army Corps and the 11. Bavarian Infantry Division. He was awarded the Max-Joseph Order for his actions during the Battle at Gorlice-Tarnow, an award which additionally afforded him the title of "Ritter von". The last two years of the War were spent serving on the Western Front with Crown Prince Rupprecht's general staff.

After the War, Ritter von Leeb remained in the Reichswehr and was involved in quelling the Nazis during the so-called Beer Hall Putsch. When Hitler later took power, he had a falling-out with von Leeb due to the General's anti-Nazi views and religion and temporarily forced him into retirement. He eventually commanded Army Group C during the Battle of France and was promoted to Field Marshal on 19 July 1940. During Operation Barbarossa, von Leeb was in command of Army Group North, which advanced over 900 km into the Soviet Union and stopped just short of St. Petersburg. After the War, General von Leeb was sentenced to three years in prison but got off with time served. He spent his final years living with his wife Maria Schott in Füssen (near Schloß Hohenschwangau). They had three children, one of whom was killed in action during the Second World War. Von Leeb died in Füssen on 29 April 1956.