Wilhelm Groener

Karl Eduard Wilhelm Groener (; 22 November 1867 – 3 May 1939) was a Württemberg–German general and politician, who served as the final Chief of the Great General Staff and Reich Minister of Transport, Defence and the Interior.

After a confrontation with Erich Ludendorff, the Quartermaster general of the German Army, Groener was reassigned to a field command. When Ludendorff was dismissed in October 1918, Groener succeeded him. Groener worked with the new Social Democratic president Friedrich Ebert to foil a left-wing take-over during the German Revolution of 1918–1919. Under his command, the army bloodily suppressed popular uprisings throughout Germany.

Groener tried to integrate the military, which was dominated by an aristocratic and monarchistic officer corps, into the new republic. After resigning from the army in the summer of 1919, Groener served in several governments of the Weimar Republic. He was pushed out of the government in 1932 by Kurt von Schleicher, who was working on a pact with the Nazis.

Early life Wilhelm Groener was born in Ludwigsburg in the Kingdom of Württemberg as the son of Karl Eduard Groener (1837–1893), regimental paymaster, and his wife Auguste (née Boleg, 1825–1907) on 22 November 1867. After attending gymnasium at Ulm and Ludwigsburg, where his father had been stationed, Groener entered the of the Württemberg Army in 1884.

Military career Pre-war As a captain, he won appointment to the General Staff in 1899 and was attached to the railway section, where he worked for the next 17 years. Hindenburg followed Groener on this issue and when Hindenburg resigned, Groener succeeded him. Groener, who expected to be made a scapegoat, began cooperating in this process to save Hindenburg's reputation, something Ebert immediately noticed.

Groener moved to Potsdam-Bornstedt in 1934, where he wrote his memoirs.

Decorations and awards Pour le Mérite (11 September 1915) Commander of the Military Order of Max Joseph Bavaria Officer of the Military Merit Order with Swords (Bavaria) Knight of the Military Merit Order (Württemberg) Order of the Red Eagle, 2nd class with Crown and Swords (1917) Honorary citizen of Ludwigsburg