Fedor von Bock

Moritz Albrecht Franz Friedrich Fedor von Bock (3 December 1880 – 4 May 1945) was a German Generalfeldmarschall (Field Marshal) who served in the German Army during the Second World War. Bock served as the commander of Army Group North during the Invasion of Poland in 1939, of Army Group B during the Invasion of France in 1940, of Army Group Center during Operation Barbarossa in 1941, and of Army Group South on the Eastern Front in 1942. Bock was a staff officer of the Imperial German Army during World War I and rose through the ranks of the post-war Reichswehr during the Weimar Republic. Bock was given his first command post in 1935, playing a key role in the Anschluss, the annexation of the Sudetenland, the invasion of Poland, and the invasion of France for which he was promoted to Generalfeldmarschall. Bock was successful during Operation Barbarossa and commanded Operation Typhoon, the German attempt to capture Moscow during the autumn and winter of 1941, which was slowed by the rasputitsa and stiff Soviet resistance around Mozhaisk. Bock was a monarchist neutral to the Nazi regime and not heavily involved in politics, but he did not sympathize with plots to overthrow Hitler. Bock was outspoken in his disagreement with Hitler and the Army High Command's strategy on the Eastern Front, a privilege extended to him only because he had been successful in battle. After the failure of Operation Typhoon and the German retreat from the Red Army, Bock was relieved of his command by Hitler in July 1942 forcing him into retirement for the rest of the war. Bock was killed by a strafing Royal New Zealand Air Force plane on 4 May 1945 while travelling by car towards Hamburg.