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Portrait of Wilhelm Keitel

Wilhelm Keitel

(1882–1946) Politician

17 quotes in 122 categories

Wilhelm Keitel was a politician, best known for The memoirs of Field-Marshal Keitel.

Quick Facts About Wilhelm Keitel

Born: September 22, 1882
Died: October 16, 1946
Profession: Politician
Notable works: The memoirs of Field-Marshal Keitel

About Wilhelm Keitel

Wilhelm Bodewin Johann Gustav Keitel was a German field marshal who held office as chief of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW), the high command of Nazi Germany's armed forces, during World War II. He signed a number of criminal orders and directives that led to numerous war crimes.

Biography source: Wikipedia

Quotes by Wilhelm Keitel

It is tragic to have to realize that the best I had to give as a soldier, obedience, and loyalty, was exploited…

Duty

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Death by hanging. That, at least, I thought I would be spared.

Death

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I call on God Almighty to have mercy on the German people. More than two million German soldiers went to their death…

Almighty

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I am a soldier and I worked for the kaiser, under Ebert, Hindenburg, and Hitler, all the same way, for the past…

Hindenburg

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Consideration of any kind are a crime against the German people and the soldier at the front.

Consideration

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Why did the generals who have been so ready to term me a complaisant and incompetent yes-man fail to secure my removal?…

Difficult

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Hitler gave us orders - and we believed in him. Then he commits suicide and leaves us to bear the guilt. He…

Alive

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I believe German soldiers are good and decent, and if they did anything wrong it was because of military necessity.

Believe

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If this war is not fought with the greatest brutality against the bands both in the East and in the Balkans then…

Able

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Hitler had charm, loved children, charmed women. But in political respects he would stop at nothing. In other respects he had soft…

Brutal

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No matter what Hitler said, he spoke with a fine feeling for the particular circle which he addressed. ... He was a…

Circles

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If I had known it I would have told my son, I'd rather shoot you than let you join the SS. But…

Known

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A field marshal who issued orders to the armed forces but had no idea of the results they would have in practice.

Armed forces

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This fight has nothing to do with soldierly gallantry or principles of the Geneva Convention. If the fight against the partisans is…

Antiwar

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The troops are therefore empowered and are in duty bound in this war to use without mitigation even against women and children…

Children

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It isn't right to be obedient only when things go well; it is much harder to be a good, obedient soldier when…

Hard

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This war no longer has anything to do with knightly conduct or with the agreements of the Geneva Convention.

Agreement

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