Rundstedt, Karl Rudolf Gerd von (1875-1953), was a German field marshal during World War II (1939-1945). He was Germany’s most experienced general at the start of the war. He led his army successfully in the Polish and French campaigns of 1939-1940. But the German dictator Adolf Hitler interfered so much during Rundstedt’s invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941 that he gave up his command and took over the German army of occupation in France. Hitler retired him from command in July 1944 but called him back to direct the Battle of the Bulge, Germany’s last desperate effort in the West. Rundstedt was born on Dec. 12, 1875, in Aschersleben, Germany. He died on Feb. 24, 1953.
