&quot;Why always me old donkey?&quot; - Statement of Generalfeldmarschall (Field Marshall) Gerd von Rundstedt (1875-1953), several times discharged by Hitler, as many times called back. Eisenhower and Montgomery regarded him as the most dangerous and most capable German field marshall, not Rommel. When in 1944 he was asked by Generalfeldmarschall Keitel how to improve the critical situation of German forces in general, von Rundstedt answered (in front of Hitler and the whole Supreme Command of the Wehrmacht): &quot;End the war, you idiots!&quot;

Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt

Two terek cossacks, anti-bolshevist volunteers of the Wehrmacht on guard in front of their caucasian home.

Terek cossacks

Generalfeldmarschall (Field Marshal) Fedor von Bock (1880-1945). Decorated with the &quot;Pour le Merit&quot; (&quot;Blue Max&quot;) in WW1 as a Major, awarded with the Knight's cross on September 30th 1939. He was commander of different army groups but was retired by Hitler in July 1942 after the failure of Operation Braunschweig (second part of german summer-offensive with Stalingrad as objective). On May 3rd 1945 in northern Germany he was on his way to Großadmiral Dönitz to offer his service for the new gouvernment of the Reich when his car was attacked by a british low-flying plane. Von Bocks wife, his daughter, a schoolfriend of his daughter and his driver were killed instantly. The field marshal died the next day, May 4th, due to his severe burnings and a shot wound at the left buttock.