Wehrmacht

> "Our strength consists in our speed and in our brutality. Genghis Khan led millions of women and children to slaughter – with premeditation and a happy heart. History sees in him solely the founder of a state. It's a matter of indifference to me what a weak western European civilization will say about me. I have issued the command – and I'll have anybody who utters but one word of criticism executed by a firing squad – that our war aim does not consist in reaching certain lines, but in the physical destruction of the enemy. Accordingly, I have placed my death-head formation in readiness – for the present only in the East – with orders to them to send to death mercilessly and without compassion, men, women, and children of Polish derivation and language. Only thus shall we gain the living space (Lebensraum) which we need. Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?"
>
> Führer der Nation, Chancellor of Germany, **Adolf Hitler**, 1939

## Germanic Defence Force

Reichskriegsflagge, the war flag and naval ensign of the Wehrmacht (1960 version)

A war for survival is waged by the attackers as a war of extermination.

### Service Branches

* Germanic Heer
* Germanic Kriegsmarine
* Germanic Luftwaffe
* Zentralerdienst

## Expenditures

### Budget

* 50 billion US$ or 285 billion ℛℳ (official, Statistical Office of the Reich, 1970)
* 70 billion US$ or 398 billion ℛℳ (official, CIA estimate, 1970)

### Percentage of GDP

* 7% (official, SRa, 1970)
* 10% (official, CIA estimate, 1970)

## Industry

### Domestic suppliers

* Mauser-Seidel
* Messerschmitt-Bölkow
* Kracht
* Daimler-Benz
* Krupp
* CG Haenel
* Fabrik Armeestiefel
* Carl Walther
* DS GmbH
* KraussMaffei
* Others

### Foreign suppliers

* Spanish State
* French Fourth Republic
* Kingdom of Sweden
* Kingdom of Italy
* Others (European Confederation)

### Annual exports

8.75 billion US$ or 49.875 billion ℛℳ

The ****Wehrmacht****, officially known as the **Germanic Defence Force** (Germanische Wehrmacht), also known as the Armed Forces of Germany, is the armed forces of the German Reich (1935-1943), the Greater German Reich (1943-1950), and the Greater Germanic Reich of the German Nation. The Wehrmacht replaced the Reichswehr, and sees itself as the rightful successor to all past German Armies. It was established by its first Supreme Commander, Adolf Hitler, as a modern armed force capable of fulfilling the National Socialist Party's goals in establishing a Neuordnung (New Order) across Europe and the world.

According to the military service law of January 1960, the Germanic Defence Force consists of four components: the Heer (Army), the Luftwaffe (Air Force), the Kriegsmarine (Navy), and the Zentralerdienst (Joint Service). The Heer is divided into the Standard Army, the Militärpolizei (Military Police), and the Kommando der Spezialkräfte (Special Forces Command), Grenzschutz (Border Police). The Kriegsmarine is divided into the Standard Navy, the Marine Schützentruppen (Marine Rifle Corps), the Küstenwache (Coast Guard), and the Marinefliegerkommando (Naval Aviation Command). The Luftwaffe is divided into the Standard Airforce, the Fallschirmjäger (Paratroopers), and the Strategische Raketentruppen (Strategic Missile Troops). Lastly, the Zentralerdienst is traditionally divided into the Streitkräftebasis (Joint Service Support Staff), and the Zentraler Sanitätsdienst (Joint Service Medical Staff), with other independent departments existing as well.

The Waffen-SS, although separate from the Wehrmacht proper, is de facto under the operational and strategic command of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht. The Waffen-SS divisions are officially referred to as Sondereinsatzkommandos 33 (Special Task Forces 33) by the Wehrmacht. The Sondereinsatzkommandos 33 have a separate ranking system, and under peacetime, are under the leadership of the Schutzstaffel. Under the Manstein Amendment to the Munich Constitution of 1950, the Wehrmacht and its Commander-in-Chief holds supreme command over all military forces of the Reich. Under this legislation, the Waffen-SS is considered de facto under the control of the Wehrmacht despite officially maintaining itself as a separate military organization.

## History

> "I call on God Almighty to have mercy on the German people. More than two million German soldiers went to their death for the fatherland before me. I follow now my sons - all for Germany."
>
> Chef des Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, *Wilhelm Keitel*, before his death

## Chain of Command

> "War is the severest test of spiritual and physical strength. In war, character outweighs intellect. Many stand forth on the field of battle, who in peace would remain unnoticed."
>
> Military Guide for German Company Officers, *Manual of Troop Leadership*, 1933

The Germanic Defence Force is under the control of the Reich Ministry of War.

The President, or the Präsident des Großgermanisches Reich deutscher Nation, is the Supreme Commander, or Commander-in-Chief (Oberbefehlshaber der Wehrmacht) of the Germanic Defence Force, the current officeholder is Karl Dönitz. He holds utmost authority over the German military, and all forces swear an oath of loyalty to him known as the Führereid (Führer Oath). The Oath of Loyalty is sworn, primarily because the President is seen as the direct successor of Adolf Hitler, in his position as Führer, or Head of State. The President also inherited the position of Supreme Commander from Adolf Hitler himself, hence his absolute authority over the German military.

Under him, the Chancellor, or the Reichskanzler des Großgermanisches Reich deutscher Nation, acting as the direct subordinate to the President, is responsible for domestic and foreign policy, civil and military administration and the defense of the State. As such, the Chancellor, acting in the President's stead, bears responsibility as the President's representative before the Reichstag, and the German people. In recent years, the President has gradually assigned the Chancellor to perform much of the military duties that he himself officially holds. The Chancellor, is therefore considered the primary decision-maker when it comes to military affairs.

The minister responsible for the German war machine is the Kriegsminister (Minister of War), and its current officeholder is Georg Leber, who was appointed by Chancellor Albert Speer in the 1969 Speer Cabinet. The Minister of War was granted the rank of Reichsmarschall des Großgermanisches Reich deutscher Nation by President Hermann Göring, and each officeholder has since held this rank. The position of Reichsmarschall is a six-star rank (OF-11), superior to the five-star rank of Generalfeldmarschall (OF-10). Despite their high status and ranking, the Kriegsminister is generally seen as the third-in-command of the Reich, next to the Chancellor, who is second-in-command, and the President, who is the highest authority. The minister is directly subordinate to the Chancellor, Head of Government, and is ultimately loyal to the President, Head of State.

Beneath the Minister of Defence is the High Command of the Germanic Defence Force, also known as the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, of whom there are two main responsible commanders, the Chief of the OKW, whose officeholder is currently Generalfeldmarschall Otto Ernst Remer of the Heer, and the Chief of Operations Staff, whose officeholder is currently Generalfeldmarschall Harald Wust of the Luftwaffe. The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht itself has the Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH), the Oberkommando der Marine (OKM), the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe (OKL), and the Oberkommando des Zentraldienstes (OKZ), of which each have their own respective Chiefs. During the Second World War, the OKW failed to become a unified chief of staff, and was in rivalry with the OKH, who was mostly responsible for operations on the Eastern Front. After the Second World War, the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, under the Munich Constitution of 1950, was finally granted authority over the rest of the High Commands, ending the rivalry in the Wehrmacht. Under the military service law of January 1960, the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht acts as both the High Command of the Armed forces and as a military advisory board to the Minister of War, the Chancellor, and the President. The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht Military Advisory Board consists of the following representatives:

### Current Members of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht Military Advisory Board

Non-member Attendees