Oberkommando der Wehrmacht

Oberkommando der Wehrmacht
Unit name	High Command of the Armed Forces
Native name	Oberkommando der Wehrmacht
Caption	The Bendlerblock in Berlin, seat of the OKW.
Dates	4 February 1938 – 8 May 1945
Country	Nazi Germany
Branch	Wehrmacht
Type	High Command
Role	Central military command
Garrison	Bendlerblock, Berlin; later Mauerwald and Berchtesgaden
Garrison label	Headquarters
Commander1	Wilhelm Keitel
Commander1 label	Chief
Commander2	Alfred Jodl
Commander2 label	Chief of Operations Staff
Notable commanders	Walter Warlimont

Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW) was the supreme military command headquarters of Nazi Germany's Wehrmacht from 1938 until the end of the Second World War. Created by Adolf Hitler to centralize control over the German Army, Kriegsmarine, and Luftwaffe, it functioned as his personal military staff. Throughout the conflict, its authority and operational role were contested by the traditional service branches, particularly the Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH), leading to significant friction within the German command structure.

History and establishment

The OKW was formally established on 4 February 1938 following the Blomberg–Fritsch affair, which allowed Hitler to remove the conservative leadership of the Reichswehr and assume direct command. This reorganization replaced the Reich Ministry of War and was part of a broader consolidation of power under the Führerprinzip. Its creation was immediately tested during the Anschluss with Austria and the subsequent German occupation of Czechoslovakia. The outbreak of World War II with the Invasion of Poland cemented the OKW's position as the central planning body for all major military operations, though its practical influence varied across different theaters of war.

Structure and organization

The OKW was organized into several specialized staffs, with the Wehrmachtführungsstab (WFSt) being the most critical as the Operations Staff. Other key departments included the Abteilung Landesverteidigung for defense planning and the Amtsgruppe Ausland for foreign intelligence liaison. The headquarters was initially located at the Bendlerblock in Berlin but was moved to the Mauerwald bunker complex and later to facilities near Berchtesgaden, known as the Berghof, as the war progressed. This structure was designed to bypass the traditional command channels of the Oberkommando des Heeres, Oberkommando der Marine, and Oberkommando der Luftwaffe.

Role and responsibilities

The OKW's primary role was to translate Hitler's strategic directives into operational orders for the three service branches. It was responsible for planning and coordinating inter-service operations, such as the Invasion of Norway and the Battle of France. However, after the launch of Operation Barbarossa, Hitler decreed that the OKH would manage the Eastern Front, while the OKW retained control over all other theaters, including the North African campaign, the Italian campaign, and the defense of Fortress Europe after the Normandy landings. This division often led to fragmented planning and resource allocation.

Relationship with other Nazi agencies

The OKW existed in a constant state of rivalry with other powerful entities within the Nazi state. Its authority was frequently challenged by the Schutzstaffel (SS) and its military branch, the Waffen-SS, which often received equipment and manpower priorities. Furthermore, the intelligence apparatus of the Sicherheitsdienst (SD) under Reinhard Heydrich operated independently. The OKW also had to navigate the influence of political figures like Hermann Göring and Heinrich Himmler, who commanded the Luftwaffe and SS respectively, leading to bureaucratic inefficiency and conflict.

Key personnel

The most prominent figure was Chief of the OKW, Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Keitel, who was derisively known as "Lakeitel" for his unquestioning loyalty to Hitler. The operational brain was his deputy, Generaloberst Alfred Jodl, head of the Wehrmachtführungsstab. Other significant officers included General der Artillerie Walter Warlimont, Jodl's deputy, and Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, head of the Abwehr until its dissolution in 1944. Following the July 20 plot, Hitler further purged the command, appointing staunch loyalists to key positions.

Dissolution and legacy

The OKW effectively ceased to exist with the German Instrument of Surrender signed at Karlshorst in May 1945. Its leading officers, including Keitel and Jodl, were arrested and tried as major war criminals at the Nuremberg trials before the International Military Tribunal. Both were convicted for crimes against peace and war crimes; Jodl was also charged with crimes against humanity, and both were executed. The organization's legacy is one of a compromised command structure that enabled Hitler's direct, often disastrous, military intervention and exemplified the dysfunctional polycratic nature of the Nazi regime.

Category:Military of Nazi Germany Category:Commands of the Wehrmacht Category:Military units and formations established in 1938 Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1945