Kurt Zeitzler (9 June 1895 – 25 September 1963) was a Chief of the Army General Staff in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II. Zeitzler was almost exclusively a staff officer, serving as chief of staff in a corps, army, and army group. In September 1942, he was selected by Adolf Hitler as Chief of the Army General Staff, replacing Franz Halder. In early 1943 he was one of the key figures in the decision to launch Operation Citadel, the last major German attack on the Eastern Front, which ended in defeat. Zeitzler lost faith in Hitler's judgement, and abandoned his position in July 1944 after suffering a nervous breakdown. Zeitzler was regarded as an energetic and efficient staff officer, noted for his ability in managing the movement of large mobile formations. World War I and interwar period Born in Goßmar in the Province of Brandenburg, Zeitzler came from a family of pastors. At the age of 18 he joined the 4th Thuringian Infantry Regiment of the German Army on 23 March 1914. Five months later Germany was at war. Zeitzler was promoted to lieutenant in December 1914, and commanded various units, including a pioneer detachment. At the end of the war he was a regimental adjutant. Zeitzler was chosen as one of the 4,000 officers selected to serve in the Reichswehr, the small German army permitted under the limits of the Treaty of Versailles. He was promoted to captain in January 1928. In 1929 he began three years of service as a staff officer of the 3rd Division. In February 1934 he was transferred to the Reichswehrministerium ("Defense Ministry" of the Weimar Republic) and promoted to major. In 1937 he became a staff officer in the operations office for the Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH), the headquarters of the German Army. In April 1939 he took command of Infantry Regiment 60, and was promoted to full colonel in June. World War II During the invasion of Poland in September 1939, Zeitzler was Chief of Staff to General Wilhelm List, commanding the XXII (Motorized) Corps in the 14th Army. In March 1940 he became Chief of Staff to General von Kleist, commanding Panzergruppe A, later redesignated 1st Panzer Army. During the Battle of France, Zeitzler brilliantly organized and managed the panzer drive through the Ardennes. He continued in this post through the successful Invasion of Yugoslavia and Battle