page_title: Dietrich von Choltitz
hierarchical_section_title: Dietrich von Choltitz
caption_attribution_description: For documentary purposes the German Federal Archive often retained the original image captions, which may be erroneous, biased, obsolete or politically extreme. Factual corrections and alternative descriptions are encouraged separately from the original description. Additionally errors can be reported at this page to inform the Bundesarchiv. Alemannisch&#160;| Boarisch&#160;| Беларуская&#160;| Беларуская (тарашкевіца)‎&#160;| Català&#160;| Česky&#160;| Deutsch&#160;| English&#160;| Esperanto&#160;| Español&#160;| Suomi&#160;| Français&#160;| हिन्दी&#160;| Hrvatski&#160;| Magyar&#160;| Italiano&#160;| 한국어&#160;| Македонски&#160;| Plattdüütsch&#160;| Polski&#160;| Português&#160;| Română&#160;| Русский&#160;| Slovenčina&#160;| Slovenščina&#160;| Svenska&#160;| Українська&#160;| 中文（简体）&#160;| 中文（繁體）&#160;| +/− Original historic description:&#160; Dietrich v. Choltitz Oberstleutnant Dietrich von Choltitz, Porträt mit Ritterkreuz (verliehen am 18. Mai 1940) Abgebildete Personen: * Choltitz, Dietrich von: General der Infanterie, Ritterkreuz (RK), Heer, Deutschland (GND 118669281)
context_page_description: Dietrich Hugo Hermann von Choltitz was a German General. Popularly known as the Saviour of Paris, he served in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II, as well as serving in the Reichswehr of the Weimar Republic, and the Royal Saxon Army during World War I.
  Born into an aristocratic Prussian family with a long history of military service, Choltitz joined the army at a young age and saw service on the Western Front during the World War I. He rose to the rank of Leutnant by the end of the war and was active in the interwar period helping Germany rebuild her armed forces. In September 1939, during the invasion of Poland at the beginning of World War II, he was serving in Gerd von Rundstedt's Army Group South. In May 1940, Choltitz participated in the Battle of Rotterdam, making an air landing and seizing some of the city's key bridges.
  Choltitz is chiefly remembered for his role as the last commander of Nazi-occupied Paris in 1944, when he disobeyed Adolf Hitler's orders to destroy the city, and instead surrendered it to Free French forces when they entered the city on 25 August.
context_section_description: Dietrich Hugo Hermann von Choltitz ([ˈdiːtʁɪç fɔn ˈkɔltɪts]; 9 November 1894 – 5 November 1966) was a German General. Popularly known as the Saviour of Paris, he served in the Wehrmacht (armed forces) of Nazi Germany during World War II, as well as serving in the Reichswehr of the Weimar Republic, and the Royal Saxon Army during World War I.
  Born into an aristocratic Prussian family with a long history of military service, Choltitz joined the army at a young age and saw service on the Western Front during the World War I (1914–1918). He rose to the rank of Leutnant by the end of the war and was active in the interwar period helping Germany rebuild her armed forces. In September 1939, during the invasion of Poland at the beginning of World War II, he was serving in Gerd von Rundstedt's Army Group South. In May 1940, Choltitz participated in the Battle of Rotterdam, making an air landing and seizing some of the city's key bridges.
  Choltitz is chiefly remembered for his role as the last commander of Nazi-occupied Paris in 1944, when he disobeyed Adolf Hitler's orders to destroy the city, and instead surrendered it to Free French forces when they entered the city on 25 August. Choltitz later asserted that his defiance of Hitler's direct order stemmed from its obvious military futility, his affection for the French capital's history and culture, and his belief that Hitler had by then become insane, while other sources point to the fact that he had little control of the city thanks to the operations of the resistance, and could not have carried out such orders.
caption: Von Choltitz in 1940 as Oberstleutnant
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