__NOTOC__ Joachim Witthöft (23 September 1887 – 7 July 1966) was a German general during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. He was a recipient of the

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. While it was order of precedence, lower in preceden ...

. Witthöft commanded Army Group South Rear Area (as Army Group B) during the 1942 Wehrmacht's campaign. Like other Army Group Rear Areas, the territories under Witthöft's control were the sites of mass murder during the

Holocaust The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...

and other

crimes against humanity Crimes against humanity are certain serious crimes committed as part of a large-scale attack against civilians. Unlike war crimes, crimes against humanity can be committed during both peace and war and against a state's own nationals as well as ...

targeting the civilian population. Rear Area commanders operated in parallel, and in cooperation, with the

Higher SS and Police Leader The title of SS and Police Leader (') designated a senior Nazi Party official who commanded various components of the SS and the German uniformed police ('' Ordnungspolizei''), before and during World War II in the German Reich proper and in the ...

s appointed by the head of the SS,

Heinrich Himmler Heinrich Luitpold Himmler (; 7 October 1900 – 23 May 1945) was a German Nazism, Nazi politician and military leader who was the 4th of the (Protection Squadron; SS), a leading member of the Nazi Party, and one of the most powerful p ...

, for each of the army group's rear areas. In the words of historian Michael Parrish, these army commanders "presided over an empire of terror and brutality".

Awards and decorations

on 14 December 1941 as ''

Generalleutnant () is the German-language variant of lieutenant general, used in some German speaking countries. Austria Generalleutnant is the second highest general officer rank in the Austrian Armed Forces (''Bundesheer''), roughly equivalent to the NATO ...

'' and commander of the 86th Infantry DivisionFellgiebel 2000, p. 364.

References

Citations

Bibliography

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Witthoeft, Joachim 1887 births 1966 deaths Generals of Infantry (Wehrmacht) Prussian Army personnel German Army personnel of World War I German Army generals of World War II German prisoners of war in World War II held by the United Kingdom Recipients of the clasp to the Iron Cross, 1st class Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross People from Kwidzyn Military personnel from West Prussia German police officers Nazi war criminals