Ludwig Beck


Beck, Ludwig

 

Born June 29, 1880, in Biebrich; died July 20, 1944, in Berlin. Colonel general of the fascist German army. From a family of big industrialists.

Beck took part in World War I as General Staff officer, was chief of staff of the army, and subsequently served in the Reichswehr. From 1933 he was chief of the military department and, from 1935, chief of the General Staff of ground forces. He actively participated in the creation of the fascist German Wehrmacht but found himself in opposition to Hitler. In August 1938, he was discharged from his post. One of the leaders of the unsuccessful conspiracy against Hitler in 1944, he was arrested and committed suicide.