Otto Moritz Walter (Walther) Model (German pronunciation: ['mo?d?l]) (24 January 1891 ? 21 April 1945) was a German general and later field marshal during World War II. He is noted for his defensive battles in the latter half of the war, mostly on the Eastern Front but also in the west. He has been called the Third Reich's best defensive tactical commander.Although he was a hard-driving, aggressive panzer commander early in the war, Model became best known as a practitioner of defensive warfare. His success at the head of the 9th army in the defensive battles of 1941?1942 determined his future career path.Model first came to Hitler's attention before World War II, but their relationship did not become especially close until 1942. His tenacious style of fighting and aggressive personality won him plaudits from Hitler, who considered him one of his best field commanders and repeatedly tasked him with retrieving desperate situations. However, their relationship had broken down by the end of the war after Model was defeated at the Battle of the Bulge.
Alias
Model, Walter
Allegiance
* German Empire (to 1918)
* Nazi Germany
* Weimar Republic (to 1933)
Battle
Battle of Arras (1914)
Battle of H?rtgen Forest
Battle of Kursk
Battle of Moscow
Battle of Narva (1944)
Battle of the Bulge
Battles of Rzhev
Eastern Front (World War II)
Invasion of Normandy
Operation Bagration
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Market Garden
Ruhr Pocket
Western Front (World War II)
World War I
World War II
Birth date
1891-01-24
Birth year
1891
Death date
1945-04-21
Death year
1945
Military command
* 3rd Panzer Division (November 1940)
* Army Group B (August 1944)
* Army Group Centre (June 1944)
* Army Group North (January 1944)
* Army Group North Ukraine (March 1944)
* Ninth Army (January 1942)
* OB West (August?September 1944)
* XLI Panzer Corps (October 1941)
Service end year
1945
Service start year
1910
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