Walther Reinhardt

Walther Gustav Reinhardt (; 24 March 1872 in Stuttgart – 8 August 1930 in Berlin) was a German officer who served as the last Prussian Minister of War and the first head of the army command (Chef der Heeresleitung) within the newly created Ministry of the Reichswehr of the Weimar Republic. During the Kapp Putsch of 1920, Reinhardt remained loyal to the elected government and was one of the few senior officers of the Reichswehr willing to order troops to fire at the revolting units.

Early life and family Reinhardt was born on 24 March 1872 in Stuttgart as the son of August von Reinhardt (1827–1907), a member of the Personenadel (lifelong, non-hereditary nobility) and officer of the Kingdom of Württemberg (Generalmajor and Commander of the 120th Infantry Regiment), and Emilie Reinhardt, née von Wiedenmann. His brother Ernst (1870-1939) also became an officer (Generalleutnant) and was the father of Hellmuth Reinhardt (1900–89, Generalmajor).

In 1900, Walther Reinhardt married Luise Fürbringer in Berlin. They had three daughters. However, many others in the cabinet shared Reinhardt's opposition to the treaty and in the end the government resigned over the issue in June 1919. Its replacement, led by Gustav Bauer did, however, sign the treaty.

In the summer of 1919, the administration and command structures of the German armed forces were completely restructured. The Oberste Heeresleitung was dissolved in early July. Paul von Hindenburg and Wilhelm Groener, the highest-ranking officers, both resigned. In August, the Weimar Constitution came into force and Minister of Defence Noske became commander in chief of the new Reichswehr. The existing War Ministries of the individual German states (Bavaria, Saxony, Württemberg and Prussia) were dissolved or integrated into the new Reichswehrministerium in Berlin. On 13 September, the position of Prussian Minister of War was abolished and Reinhardt became commander of the Reichswehrstelle Preußen on 1 October. Although he had argued for the Oststaat plan, Reinhardt was loyal to the Ebert/Bauer government and willing to fight for it.

Later life Although he resigned then as Chef der Heeresleitung, Reinhardt remained an active officer. From 1920 to 1924 he was in charge of the Wehrkreis V (Stuttgart).

He died in Berlin-Lichterfelde on 8 August 1930. Pour le Mérite with Oak Leaves Order of the Red Eagle, 4th class Commander of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords Cross of Honour 2nd class of the Princely House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords Military Merit Order, 4th class with swords and crown (Bavaria) Officer's Cross of the Albert Order with Swords Knight's Cross of the Military Merit Order (Württemberg) Cross of Honour of the Order of the Crown (Württemberg) Commander 2nd class of the Friedrich Order Service award, 1st class (Württemberg) General Honour Decoration for Bravery (Hesse) Hanseatic Cross of Hamburg War Merit Cross, 1st class (Brunswick) Hanseatic Cross of Bremen Knight's Cross, First Class of the Ducal Saxe-Ernestine House Order with Swords Ottoman War Medal ("Iron Crescent") Commander of the Order of Military Merit (Bulgaria)

Works (posthumously) Wehrkraft und Wehrwille. Aus dem Nachlaß mit einer Lebensbeschreibung. ("Military Strength and Military Will - From the estate with a biography") Edited by Ernst Reinhardt, 1932.