World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseWalther Buhle was born in Heilbronn, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. He joined the German Army in Jul 1913, and served in WW1 as an infantry officer. During the inter-war years, he served with the General Staff in the Reichswehr. When the European War began in 1939, Colonel Buhle was the head of the organizations section of the German High Command. Between 1942 and 1945, he was the Chief of the Army Staff within the High Command. On 20 Jul 1944, he was involved in a meeting with Adolf Hitler, Claus von Stauffenberg, and others. He noticed that Stauffenberg had exited a meeting when a question meant for him was raised, and he went to look for him, but returned to the meeting room after being told that Stauffenberg had already left. Shortly after, a bomb that Stauffenberg left, meant to kill Hitler but failed, exploded. Buhle was injured, but was able to recover. During the final days of the war, Hitler appointed him the chief of armaments for the German Army. He was arrested after the war and was imprisoned for two years. He passed away in Stuttgart, Germany at the age of 65.

Photographs

Walther Buhle Timeline