Erhard Milch

Erhard Milch was a high-ranking Generalfeldmarschall in the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany and a principal architect of its rearmament. As a close associate of Hermann Göring, he served as State Secretary in the Reich Ministry of Aviation and played a pivotal role in industrial mobilization during World War II. His career ended with conviction for war crimes and crimes against humanity at the Milch Trial, part of the subsequent Nuremberg proceedings.

Early life and career

Born in Wilhelmshaven, Milch served as an artillery observer in the Imperial German Army during World War I, later transferring to the Luftstreitkräfte. After the war, he worked in commercial aviation, becoming managing director of Deutsche Luft Hansa and forging important connections within the Weimar Republic's transport ministry. His business acumen and organizational skills brought him to the attention of emerging Nazi Party figures, including Hermann Göring, who recruited him to help secretly rebuild German air power in violation of the Treaty of Versailles.

Role in the Luftwaffe

Appointed State Secretary of the newly created Reich Ministry of Aviation in 1933, Milch became the operational manager of the Luftwaffe's rapid expansion. He worked closely with Ernst Udet and Albert Kesselring to develop aircraft production, championing programs like the Junkers Ju 88 and overseeing the creation of the massive aircraft industry. Despite conflicts with technocrats like Willi Messerschmitt, his leadership was instrumental in preparing the Luftwaffe for the Blitzkrieg campaigns in Poland, the Battle of France, and the Battle of Britain. He was promoted to Generalfeldmarschall in 1940.

World War II and war crimes

During World War II, Milch's responsibilities expanded to include armaments production under the Ministry of Armaments and War Production led by Albert Speer. He was deeply involved in the exploitation of millions of forced laborers from occupied territories, particularly for underground aircraft factories like Mittelwerk. He sanctioned brutal conditions and the use of inmates from concentration camps such as Buchenwald and Auschwitz, knowing it would result in extreme suffering and death. Milch also participated in discussions concerning the treatment of Soviet prisoners of war and supported medical experiments on prisoners.

Trial and conviction

Captured by British forces in 1945, Milch was prosecuted in a separate proceeding known as the Milch Trial before a U.S. military tribunal at Nuremberg. He was charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity, primarily for his role in slave labor programs and human experiments. The prosecution, led by Telford Taylor, presented extensive evidence of his knowledge and complicity. In 1947, he was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment, later commuted to 15 years.

Later life and death

Milch was released from Landsberg Prison in 1954, after serving only a portion of his sentence. He lived quietly in Düsseldorf, avoiding public attention and never expressing remorse for his actions during the Nazi era. He died in 1972 and was buried in Lüneburg, his passing noted with little commentary in West Germany amidst the nation's ongoing struggle with its historical legacy.

Category:German military personnel of World War I Category:German military personnel of World War II Category:Generalfeldmarschalls Category:Nuremberg trials