  |  | | Indictment
Statement of Individual Responsibility for Crimes Set Out in Counts One, Two, Three, and Four |
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| |  | | Wilhelm Keitel | | | context : | Nazi Germany  | | judgement place : | IMT - Nurenberg | | status : | Sentenced | | particulars : | Sentenced to death, Keitel was executed by hanging on 16 October 1946 | | position : | Supreme Commander of the Wehrmacht |
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| | | | Wilhelm Keitel was born on 22 September 1882 in Helmscherode close to Hanover. He took up a military career becoming a Captain just as the First world War broke out.
At the time Hitler came to power, an old friend of Keitel, Werner von Blomberg, became Minister of Defence. Through this contact, Keitel was introduced to the Fuhrer and became one of his most fervent advocates.
From being General in 1934, Chief of Staff to Minister von Blomberg in 1935, he was named Supreme Commander of the Wehrmacht when Blomberg fell out of favour in 1938. Following Hitler’s orders to the letter, he covered up the atrocities committed during the Russian campaign (Jewish massacres, execution of Red Army political commissioners...). After the failed attempt on Hitler’s life, in July 1944, he allowed the execution of hundreds of officers of the German army to go ahead.
It was Keitel who signed the attack orders, or who was present at the meetings during which attacks were decided against Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Norway, Poland, The Netherlands, Greece, Yugoslavia and the USSR. Furthermore he signed numerous decrees authorising, for example, the execution of striking workers or the killing of captured underground fighters.
Keitel was accused of having used his official function, his personal influence and close contacts to the Fuhrer, to promote military preparations for war, according to the act of indictment N°1. He was accused of participating in the planning and political preparation of the Nazi conspiracy aimed at waging wars of aggression and wars which were in violation of international treaties according to the acts of indictment Nos 1 and 2. He was further accused of both executing and taking responsibility for the execution of the plans of the Nazi conspirators aimed at waging wars of aggression according to the acts of indictment Nos 1 and 2. Finally, Keitel was also charged with having authorised, directed and taken part in war crimes, according to the act of indictment N° 3, as well as in crimes against humanity according to the act of indictment N° 4, in particular with respect to the cruel treatment inflicted on prisoners of war and civilians in the occupied territories. | |     click for more... | | Trial Watch would like to remind its users that any person charged by national or international authorities is presumed innocent until proven guilty. | |  |  | | nationality : | | | Germany | | | date of birth : | | | 22.09.1882 | | | judgement period : | | | 20.11.1945 - 10.10.1946 | | | charges : | | | Aggression
Crimes against humanity
War crimes | | | profile last modified : | | | 19.07.2006 |
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