Walther von Lüttwitz
Encyclopedia
Walther von Lüttwitz was a German
general
known for his involvement in the Kapp-Lüttwitz Putsch.
Lüttwitz was born in Bodland near Kreuzburg
in Upper Silesia
. During World War I
, Lüttwitz held several high military ranks. After the armistice
and the German Revolution
in 1918, the Rat der Volksbeauftragten, the provisional German government, appointed him commander-in-chief
of the Reichswehr
, the German military, in Berlin
and the vicinity. In this function, he directed the suppression of the Spartakus Uprising by the Freikorps
in January 1919.
Like many members of the Reichswehr, Lüttwitz was an outspoken opponent of the Treaty of Versailles
. He especially disliked its articles that demanded the reduction of the army to 100,000 men, disbandment of the Freikorps, and the extradition of about 900 members of the Reichswehr, whom the Allies
accused of war crimes. He planned to defy these stipulations of the treaty. After defense minister Gustav Noske
deposed him from several posts on 11 March 1920, Lüttwitz decided to act. In the night between 12 and 13 March, the Marinebrigade Ehrhardt
, which had been under his command and was also supposed to be disbanded, marched on the administration neighborhood of Berlin
. The coup only lasted a few days, however, as it lacked the support of the old elite and the population. Lüttwitz, who acted as defense minister of the coup government, fled on 17 March. He then spent some time in Hungary
; he returned after an amnesty
to Germany in 1925. He died in Breslau in 1942.
His son, Smilo Freiherr von Lüttwitz
, was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
in World War II. He served in the Prussian Army
during World War I, the Reichswehr
, the Wehrmacht
during World War II and the Bundeswehr
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
known for his involvement in the Kapp-Lüttwitz Putsch.
Lüttwitz was born in Bodland near Kreuzburg
Kluczbork
Kluczbork is a town in southwestern Poland with 26,670 inhabitants , situated in the Opole Voivodeship. It is the capital of Kluczbork County and an important railroad junction. In Kluczbork the major rail line from Katowice splits into two directions - westwards to Wroclaw and northwards to Poznań...
in Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, the Duchy of Bohemia, the Piast Kingdom of Poland, again of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as of...
. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Lüttwitz held several high military ranks. After the armistice
Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)
The armistice between the Allies and Germany was an agreement that ended the fighting in the First World War. It was signed in a railway carriage in Compiègne Forest on 11 November 1918 and marked a victory for the Allies and a complete defeat for Germany, although not technically a surrender...
and the German Revolution
German Revolution
The German Revolution was the politically-driven civil conflict in Germany at the end of World War I, which resulted in the replacement of Germany's imperial government with a republic...
in 1918, the Rat der Volksbeauftragten, the provisional German government, appointed him commander-in-chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
of the Reichswehr
Reichswehr
The Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....
, the German military, in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and the vicinity. In this function, he directed the suppression of the Spartakus Uprising by the Freikorps
Freikorps
Freikorps are German volunteer military or paramilitary units. The term was originally applied to voluntary armies formed in German lands from the middle of the 18th century onwards. Between World War I and World War II the term was also used for the paramilitary organizations that arose during...
in January 1919.
Like many members of the Reichswehr, Lüttwitz was an outspoken opponent of the Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
. He especially disliked its articles that demanded the reduction of the army to 100,000 men, disbandment of the Freikorps, and the extradition of about 900 members of the Reichswehr, whom the Allies
Allies of World War I
The Entente Powers were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. The members of the Triple Entente were the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Empire; Italy entered the war on their side in 1915...
accused of war crimes. He planned to defy these stipulations of the treaty. After defense minister Gustav Noske
Gustav Noske
Gustav Noske was a German politician of the Social Democratic Party of Germany . He served as the first Minister of Defence of Germany between 1919 and 1920.-Biography:...
deposed him from several posts on 11 March 1920, Lüttwitz decided to act. In the night between 12 and 13 March, the Marinebrigade Ehrhardt
Marinebrigade Ehrhardt
The Marinebrigade Ehrhardt was a Free Corps group of around 6,000 men formed by Captain Hermann Ehrhardt in the aftermath of World War I, also known as II Marine Brigade or the Ehrhardt Brigade...
, which had been under his command and was also supposed to be disbanded, marched on the administration neighborhood of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. The coup only lasted a few days, however, as it lacked the support of the old elite and the population. Lüttwitz, who acted as defense minister of the coup government, fled on 17 March. He then spent some time in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
; he returned after an amnesty
Amnesty
Amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...
to Germany in 1925. He died in Breslau in 1942.
His son, Smilo Freiherr von Lüttwitz
Smilo Freiherr von Lüttwitz
Smilo Walther Hinko Oskar Constantin Wilhelm Freiherr von Lüttwitz was a German general of the Panzer troops, serving during World War II and son of Walther von Lüttwitz...
, was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
in World War II. He served in the Prussian Army
Prussian Army
The Royal Prussian Army was the army of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was vital to the development of Brandenburg-Prussia as a European power.The Prussian Army had its roots in the meager mercenary forces of Brandenburg during the Thirty Years' War...
during World War I, the Reichswehr
Reichswehr
The Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....
, the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
during World War II and the Bundeswehr
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
.