Manstein, (Fritz) Erich von (1887–1973)

German field marshal. He served as Chief of Staff to von Rundstedt in the Polish and French campaigns 1939–40 and commanded a Panzer corps in the invasion of the USSR 1941. He was given the task of capturing Leningrad August 1942, but was then moved to Army Group Don and ordered to relieve the German 6th Army trapped in Stalingrad. He was unable to help the trapped army but dealt with the subsequent Soviet offensive and captured Kharkov. He fought at the Battle of Kursk July 1943, after which he conducted the withdrawal of Army Group South. After a series of arguments with Hitler over this withdrawal he was dismissed and took no further part in the war. He was imprisoned as a war criminal 1945–53.