General der Infanterie Dietrich von Choltitz (November 9, 1894, Schloss Wiese, Silesia - November 4, 1966, Baden-Baden) was the German military governor of Paris during the closing days of the German occupation of that city during World War II. November 9 is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 52 days remaining. ... 1894 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... November 4 is the 308th day of the year (309th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 57 days remaining. ... 1966 was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... Map of Germany showing Baden-Baden Baden-Baden is a town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. ... The Eiffel Tower has become the symbol of Paris throughout the world. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ...

In World War I, von Choltitz served at the Western frontier, eventually as a lieutenant. He remained in the Reichswehr during the Weimar Republic, becoming a cavalry captain in 1929. Later he became commander of the 3rd battalion of the Luftlande-Infanterieregiment 16, first as a major, from 1938 as a lieutenant colonel. Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... The Reichswehr (literally National Defence or National Militia) formed the military organization of Germany from 1918 until 1935, when the government rebranded it as the Wehrmacht (Defence Power). ...

In World war II, von Choltitz' battalion was engaged in the occupation of Rotterdam via air landings in 1940 (von Choltitz earning a Knight's Cross). in September 1940, he became commander of the whole regiment, from 1941 as a full colonel. In the war against the Soviet Union, von Choltitz' regiment was engaged in the conquest of the fortress Sevastopol in June 1942. In the same year he became a major general, in 1943 a lieutenant general. His command posts included, for example, the Infantry Division 260, assistant commander and later commander of several army and tank corps; since March 1944, he served in Italy, and from June 1944, at the Western frontier. Rotterdam Rotterdam is the second largest city in the Netherlands (after Amsterdam), located in the province of South Holland. ... Sevastopol (Севастополь, Sevastopol’ in Ukrainian; Aqyar in Crimean Tatar), formerly known as Sebastopol, is a port city in Ukraine, located on the Black Sea coast of Crimean peninsula. ...

On August 1, 1944 von Choltitz was promoted to the rank of general of the infantry, and on August 7, he became the military governor of Paris. He arrived at Paris on August 9. In the following 16 days, he disobeyed several direct orders from Adolf Hitler to defend the city "to the last man" and to destroy the city. Hitler's order from August 23 said: "The city must not fall into the enemy's hand except lying in complete debris". A common account holds that Hitler phoned him in a rage, screaming, "Is Paris burning?" Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945), a German politician who was the founder of the Third Reich (1933-1945), is widely regarded as one of the most significant and reviled leaders in world history. ...

Von Choltitz prevented a complete uprising of the city's inhabitants and direct battles within the city by a mix of active contacts with his enemies, negotiations with the Resistance and demonstrations of power. Therefore, he prevented any larger damages to the famous city. He and 17,000 men under his command surrendered to French general Philippe de Hauteclocque ("Leclerc") and the Resistance leader Henri Tanguy at the Gare Montparnasse on August 25, 1944. For preventing a second Stalingrad, many regard von Choltitz as "savior of Paris". A resistance movement is a group dedicated to fighting an invader in an occupied country. ... Philippe de Hauteclocque, often known by his French resistance alias Leclerc (November 22, 1902 - November 28, 1947), was a Marshal of France. ... The interior of the TGV terminal The Gare Montparnasse is a train station located in the Montparnasse area, in the 14th arrondissement of Paris, France. ... August 25 is the 237th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (238th in leap years), with 128 days remaining. ... 1944 was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Stalingrad is the former name of two cities: Volgograd, Russia Karviná-Nové Město, near Ostrava, Czech Republic Other uses: The Battle of Stalingrad (a major turning-point of World War II and arguably the bloodiest battle in human history) Stalingrad (German film set during the above battle) Stalingrad (metro station...

He was released from Allied captivity in 1947. Dietrich von Choltitz died in November 1966 due to a longtime war illness in the city hospital of Baden-Baden. He was buried at the city cemetery of Baden-Baden in the presence of high-ranking French officers. Map of Germany showing Baden-Baden Baden-Baden is a town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. ...