to repel an attack either by the Soviet Union or by Soviet-controlled East German police units. After the war Speidel served for some time as professor of modern history at Tübingen and in 1950 published his book Invasion 1944: Rommel and the Normandy Campaign before being involved in both the development and creation of the new German Army (Bundeswehr) which he joined, reaching the NATO rank of full general. He was subsequently appointed Supreme Commander of the Allied NATO ground forces in Central Europe in April 1957, a command that he held until retirement in September 1963. His headquarters were at the Palace of Fontainebleau in Paris. In 1960, Speidel took legal action against an East German film studio which portrayed him as having been privy to the assassinations of King Alexander I of Yugoslavia and French Foreign Minister Louis Barthou in 1934, as well as having betrayed Field Marshal Erwin Rommel to the Nazis after the 20 July Plot in 1944. He successfully claimed damages for libel. Hans Speidel died in 1984 at Bad Honnef, North Rhine-Westphalia, aged 87. Honours Honorary citizen of Metzingen, 1972 Grand Cross with Star and Sash of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, 1963 German Cross in Gold on 8 October 1942 as Oberst im Generstab in the general staff V. Armeekorps Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 1 April 1944 as Generalleutnant and chief of the general staff of the 8. Armee Goldene Württembergische Militärverdienstmedaille, 1917 Iron Cross, first and second class, 1914 (see photo) See also Assassination attempts on Adolf Hitler References Citations Bibliography 1897 births 1984 deaths People from Metzingen People from the Kingdom of Württemberg Lieutenant generals of the German Army (Wehrmacht) Roman Catholics in the German Resistance German Army personnel of World War I Bundeswehr generals Recipients of the Gold German Cross Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Military personnel of Württemberg Grand Crosses with Star and Sash of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Failed assassins of Adolf Hitler Himmerod meeting participants Generals of the German Army Members of the 20 July plot NATO military personnel Military personnel from Baden-Württemberg