| Helmuth Weidling | |
|---|---|
| Weidling's face when he hears Burgdorf singing. | |
|
Name: |
Helmuth Otto Ludwig Weidling |
|
Born |
2 November 1891 |
|
Died |
17 November 1955 (aged 64) |
|
Nicknames |
The Dog-faced Man |
|
Notable for |
Stopping Burgdorf from shooting Fritzsche |
|
Portrayed by |
|
Helmuth Otto Ludwig Weidling (2 November 1891 – 17 November 1955) was an officer in the German Army (Wehrmacht Heer) before and during World War II.
Weidling was born on November 2, 1891 in Halberstadt, Province of Saxony. He entered the military in 1911 initially serving in a field artillery regiment in Breslau. His next assignment was to a balloon battalion in the Tegel district of Berlin and whilst in Berlin he was promoted to lieutenant on 10 August 1912.
In November 1938, Weidling became a Colonel (Oberst) of the 56th Artillery Regiment. He fought with this regiment in the Polish Campaign of 1939. In April 1940, Weidling was appointed Artillery Commander of the XL Tank Corps (XL Panzer Korps). He commanded this corps during the Battle of France and during the early stages of Operation Barbarossa.
On 15 October 1943, Weidling became the Commanding General of the XLI Tank Corps.
On 16 April 1945, Weidling prepared to take part in the Battle of the Seelow Heights, which was part of the broader Battle of the Oder-Neisse. Weidling's LVI Tank Corps was in the center, flanked by the CI Army Corps to his left and the XI SS Tank Corps to his right. All three corps were part of General Theodor Busse's 9th Army, which was defending the heights above the Oder River.
On 22 April, Hitler ordered that Weidling be executed by firing squad for having retreated in the face of advancing Soviet forces, which was in defiance of standing orders to the contrary. As such, Weidling's actions required a death sentence. This situation turned out to be a misunderstanding, and it was cleared up before Weidling's execution could take place. On 23 April, Hitler appointed Weidling as the commander of the Berlin Defence Area. Weidling replaced Lieutenant General (Generalleutnant) Helmuth Reymann, Colonel (Oberst) Ernst Kaether, and Hitler himself.
Weidling was the last commander of the Berlin Defence Area during the Battle of Berlin, and led the defence of the city against Soviet forces, finally surrendering just before the end of World War II in Europe.
On 27 February 1952, a Soviet military tribunal in Moscow sentenced Weidling to 25 years of imprisonment for not surrendering Berlin sooner. Weidling died on 17 November 1955, apparently in the custody of the KGB, in the Vladimir camp. KGB records listed the cause of death as "arterial and cardiac sclerosis along with circulatory collapse."
During Weidling's military career, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.
Downfall Parody Universe
Weidling is considered by most Untergangers to be the most "sane" or serious character in the Downfall parodies. While Hitler and his generals focus their effort to thwart Fegelein and Himmler, Weidling focuses on the more obvious and pressing issue at hand: the siege of Berlin by the Red Army. Burgdorf coined his nickname "The Dog-Faced Man", poking fun at Weidling's aged and dirt-smothered face. He was also named as Grandpa Nazi
On several occasions he has rebelled against Hitler's rule, specifically in Benad361's parodies focusing on "The Bunker Civil War" in which Weidling, Burgdorf, Mohnke, Fegelein and Himmler defect and form their own faction. Weidling aims to become the Fuhrer in revenge for a failed "Pencil of Doom" attack oh him, which failed to kill him due to Fegelein's sabotage of the pencil. He formed the "Anti Führer Weidling for Führer" (A.F.W.F) organisation, and began a civil war. However, Fegelein manipulated the war to his advantage, using it to gain personal control of the faction, and rename it the "Anti Führer Fegelein for Führer" (A.F.F.F) organisation, and (as seen in "The Battle of Fegelosis" parody) getting the other leaders killed and turned into subservient battle droids to be used to the advantage of himself and Himmler (until Himmler's death at the hands of Hitler on Fegelosis).
He is also sometimes responsible for the warning announcements like the one seen in Viva la Fegel.
Achtung: Viva la Fegel features antics performed by professionals or under the supervision of professionals to ensure the safety of Nazis and animals alike. Accordingly, ReichTV and producers must insist that no one attempt to recreate or re-enact any of these antics or activities.
Gallery
