Wehrmacht

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The Wehrmacht (defense power) was the name of the armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It replaced the old Reichswehr (imperial defense) and was succeded by the former West German Bundeswehr (federal defense), and the East German Nationale Volksarmee (NVA). At its height in 1941, the Wehrmacht had as many as 9 million men, 6 million of whom were on active duty.

The term was not only used for the German military forces. The military forces of other nations were also addressed as Wehrmacht during the period when the name was used in Germany. For instance "Englische Wehrmacht" meant all English forces.

Contents

1 Creation

2 Branches and commands

Creation

In 1935, with the re-institution of conscription in Germany by the national socialist government, the "Wehrmacht" became the official term for the German armed forces, previously known as the Reichswehr.

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MEDAL: IRON CROSS catagories (lowest presented first)

"Eisernen Kreuz,_____" EKII: Iron Cross, 2nd Class
"Eisernen Kreuz,_____" EKI: Iron Cross, 1st Class
"Ritterkreuztrager" (Knight’s Cross to Iron Cross)or "Die Ritterkreuzurkunden" or "Das Ritterkreuz" or "Das Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes". Ritter = knight; kreuz = cross. The lowest Iron Cross award to be worn around the throat.
"Die Eichenlaubtrager" (Oak Leaf w/Knight’s Cross to Iron Cross) or "Eichenlaub" short for "Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub".
"Schwerter" or "Schwertern" (Swords w/Oak Leaf w/Knight’s Cross to Iron Cross). 
"Brillanten" (Diamonds w/ Swords w/Oak Leaf w/Knight's Cross to Iron Cross) or "brillants" short for "Schwertern und Brillanten".
"unknown name" (Golden Oak Cross w/everything else.) Awarded only to Luftwaffe pilot Hans Rudel.
"Grosskreuz" (Grand Cross) Awarded only to Air FieldMarshall Herman Goring, and largest in size.  After Allied planes began bombing Germany, Goring stopped wearing it.

"Deutsches Kreuz" German Cross. Not part of the Iron Cross categories. (Issued in either silver or gold catagories.)

"Halsschmerzen": a cynical play on the word meaning: "afflicted with throat trouble".  A submarine commander who was a daredevil ("Draufganger") in attacking Allied ships in an attempt to earn the Knight's Cross (Ritterkreuztrager), which was the lowest Iron Cross award to be worn around the throat.

Branches and commands

Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW) -- Armed Forces High Command

Oberbefehlshaber West (OB West) -- Commander of the German forces in the West
Abwehr -- Military Intelligence

Heer -- Army
Luftwaffe -- Airforce
Kriegsmarine -- Navy

The different branches of the Wehrmacht had different command organisations:

Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH) -- Army High Command
Oberkommando der Marine (OKM) -- Navy High Command
Oberkommando der Luftwaffe (OKL) -- Airforce High Command

Command

The Commander-in-Chief was the German Chancellor (a position Adolf Hitler had gained 1933). In 1938, after the Blomberg-Fritsch-Krise the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW) under Wilhelm Keitel was formed, intended to serve as military staff for the Chancellor.

After 1937, all soldiers in the Wehrmacht had to swear "unconditional loyalty" to the "Führer und Reichskanzler" Adolf Hitler.

Rebellion

On July 20th 1944 Wehrmacht officers led by Claus von Stauffenberg tried to assassinate Hitler and overthrow his government. Following the attempt, Hitler distrusted the Wehrmacht and the conservative forces of Germany, and thousands of Wehrmacht officers were persecuted and killed. See List of members of the July 20 plot.

After WWII

Following the German surrender in May 1945, Germany was forbidden an independent modern army. It was over ten years before the tensions of the Cold War led to the creations of separate defence forces in East and West Germany. The West German defence force, created in 1955, took the name Bundeswehr meaning "Federal Defence Force", while the East German defence force, created in 1956, took the name Nationale Volksarmee meaning "National People's Army". Following German reunification, the East and West German armed forces were merged and are now known collectively as the Bundeswehr.