Evening star., 1942-01-18
Gen. Won Reichenau,
hazi Ukraine Chief,
Dead, Berlin Reports
Army Head Stricken
By ApopIexy Returning
From Russiun Front
By the Associated Press,

By the Associated Press.
BERLIN. Jan II (Ofncial Broad
cast Field Marshal Gen. Walter
Won Reichenau, who since June "a
had commanded a German Army on
the southern wing Of the sweep into
the Ukraine, has fallen to q fatal
stroke Of apoplexy while returning
from the Eastern front, said an an
nouncement today.
The death Of Gen. Won Reichenau
will involve a further reorganiza-
ton of the German high command,
which roundabout reports say has
been underway since the removal on
December 10 Of the commander In
chief, Field Marshal Gen. Walther
Won Brauchitsch, and the personal
ascendancy of Adolf Hitler as su-
preme commander.
practically every high German
general is involved In the shake
up, according to the various
& .rumors, some Of which claim we'll
pested agents on the Continent
AStheir source.
2 fden. Won Reichenau was p pro-
teRe Of Marshal Werner Won
Blomberg, who was ousted as
minister of war in 1898 osten-
sibly because Of an stuiudicious
marriage but reportedly because
Of q split in the high command
over the advisability Of invading
Austyia-a coup which Adolf Hit
Ter carried through soon after.
(Col. Gen. Werner Won Fritsch,
commander in chief Of the army,
who went out in the same shake
up, later was killed at Warsaw IN
Poland. The official announce
ment said he was killed in action
while leading the regiment Of
which he had been made an hon.
orary commander. 1t has been
rumored that in reality Gen. Won
Fritsch sought death. He was
given a state funeraD
From Family Of Generals.
Adolf Hitler at once appointed
Reichsmarshal Hermann Goering
to represent him as Fuehrer at
state funeral for the 57-year-old
Won Reichenau, it was announced.
One OF Won Reichenaus fellow
commanders on the eastern front
Field Marshal Karl Won Rundstedt
will represent the Fuehrer In his
capacity as supreme commander at
the services.
From an old family Of German
generals, Won Reichenau was one
Of the most famous commanders in
the present war.
Appointed commander in chief OF
Army Group Four in 1898, he led
the Germans into Czecho- -Slovakia
and occupied Prague in 1899. As
commander Of the Tenth Army he
marched into Poland from Silesia
on the right wing Of the German
advance, in September of that year
showing great personal bravery, he
swan the Vistula River at the head
Of his troops, German war cores
pondents reported
Trained as Flyer.
He was the commander Of the
Sixth Army, which advanced into
Belgium and France in May, 1910
winning his greatest fame In that
campaign with his direction OF
operations about encircled Belgians
British and French at Dunkerque.
For these services, he was awarded
the Knights Gross Of the Iron
Cross after the Polish campaign
and was promoted to field marshal
after the French campaign.
Born october 8, 1884, at karlsruhe
the son of an artillery general, he
was promoted to lieutenant in 1903
and took an aviator's training. He
served as a general staff ofiicer at
various posts during and after the
World War.
As chief Of stah of the First Divi-
sion at Koenigsberg. East Prussia,
he came into contact with Gen
Werner Won Blomberg. When Vor
Blomberg, commander of the divi-
sion, was transferred to Berlin a.
Minister Of War by Hitler in 1888
Won Reichenau likewise moved up
to chief Of q ministerial bureau.