Oberkommando der Wehrmacht

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For other uses of OKW, see OKW (disambiguation).

Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW), (Wehrmacht High Command, Supreme Command of the Armed Forces in English), was part of the command structure of the armed forces of Nazi Germany during World War II.

Genesis

The OKW was formed on 4 February 1938 following the Blomberg-Fritsch Affair which led to the dismissal of Werner von Blomberg and the dissolution of the Reichswehrministerium (Reich Ministry of Defense). The new organization replaced the German War Ministry (Reichskriegsministrerium). The appointments made to the new organization and the motive behind the reorganization are commonly thought to be Führer Adolf Hitler's desire to consolidate control around his position to the detriment of the Wehrmacht High Command.

Organization

By June 1938 OKW comprised four departments:

Wehrmachtführungsamt (WFA) dealing with operational orders.

Abteilung Landesverteidigungsführungsamt (WFA/L) a sub department through which all details of operational planning were worked out, and from which all operational orders were communicated to the Wehrmacht High Commands.

Amt Ausland/Abwehr dealing with foreign intelligence
Wirtschafts und Rüstungsamt dealing with issues of supply
Amtsgruppe Allgemeine Wehrmachtangelegenheiten for miscellaneous undertakings

The WFA replaced the Wehrmachtsamt (Ministry of Defence) which existed between 1935–1938. During this time Wilhelm Keitel had headed the Ministry and Hitler promoted Keitel to head OKW under the title Chef OKW, or Chief of the High Command of the Armed Forces. As head of the WFA Keitel appointed Max von Viebahn although after two months he was removed from command and the post was not filled again until the promotion of Alfred Jodl. To replace Jodl at Abteilung Landesverteidigungsführungsamt (WFA/L), Walther Warlimont was appointed.

The WFA was renamed to Wehrmachführungsstab (Wfst) in August 1940. In December 1941 further changes took place with Abteilung Landesverteidiführungsamnt (WFA/L) being merged into the Wehrmachführungsamt and losing its role as a subordinate. These changes were largely cosmetic however as key staff remained in post and continued to fulfill the same duties.

The above mechanism directed the fighting of the German Armed Forces during World War II. The OKW was almost always represented at daily situation conferences (Lagevortrag) by Jodl, Keitel, and the officer serving as adjutant to the Wehrmacht. During these conferences situation reports prepared by the head of WFA/L would be delivered to Hitler and then discussed. Following discussion Hitler would issue further operational orders. These orders were then relayed back to WFA/L by Jodl along with the minutes of the meeting. These would then be converted into orders for issuance to the correct authorities.

OKW in Operation

In theory, it served as the military general staff for the Third Reich, coordinating the efforts of the Wehrmacht (Army, Navy, and Air Force (Heer,Kriegsmarine, and Luftwaffe). In practice it acted as Hitler's personal military staff, translating his ideas into military orders and issuing them to the three services while having little control over them. However, as the war progressed the OKW found itself exercising increasing amounts of direct command authority over military units, particularly in the West. This created a situation such that by 1942 the OKW was the de facto command of Western forces while the Army High Command (Oberkommando des Heeres) (OKH) exercised de facto command of the Eastern Front.

Setting different parts of the Third Reich's government to compete for his favor in areas where their administration overlapped was a standard tactic employed by Hitler to reinforce his authority; and just as in other areas of government, there was a rivalry between the OKW and the OKH. As most German operations during World War II were army controlled (with air support), the OKH demanded the control over the German military forces. Nevertheless Hitler decided against the OKH and in favour of the OKW overseeing operations in many land theaters. As the war progressed more and more influence moved from the OKH to the OKW, with Norway being the first "OKW war theater". More and more areas came under complete control of the OKW. Finally only the Eastern Front remained the domain of the OKH. However, as the Eastern Front was by far the battlefield, the OKH was still influential, particularly as Hitler was commander-in-chief of the OKH (Oberbefehlshaber des Heeres) from December 1941 until his suicide in late April 1945.

The OKW ran military operations on the Western front, Africa and in Italy. In the west operations were further split between the OKW and Oberbefehlshaber West (OBW, Commander in Chief West), who was Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt (succeeded by Field Marshal Günther von Kluge).

There was even more fragmentation as naval and air operations had their own commands (Oberkommando der Marine (OKM) and Oberkommando der Luftwaffe (OKL, Hermann Göring)) which, while theoretically subordinate, were largely independent from the OKW or the OBW.

The OKW was headed for the entire war by Wilhelm Keitel, who reported directly to Hitler, from whom most operational orders actually originated as Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht (Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces).

International Military Tribunal

The OKW was indicted but acquitted of being a criminal organization during the Nuremberg Trials. Keitel and Jodl however were convicted and sentenced to death by hanging. Jodl was posthumously acquitted in 1952, six years after sentence was carried out.

Albrecht von Hagen, a member of the July 20 failed assassination attempt on Hitler, was stationed here to be responsible for the courier service between military posts in Berlin and Hitler's secret military headquarters known as the Wolf's Lair.

Oberkommando der Wehrmacht

Genesis

Organization

OKW in Operation

International Military Tribunal

See also

Endnotes, references and sources

Further reading