Weimar Republic 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.

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 was regarded as an energetic and efficient staff officer, noted for his ability in managing the movement of large mobile formations.

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.

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.

[citation needed] In March 1940 he became chief of staff to General von Kleist, commanding Panzergruppe A, later redesignated 1st Panzer Army.

Albert Speer states Hitler wanted a reliable assistant who "doesn't go off and brood on my orders, but energetically sees to carrying them out.

Zeitzler recommended that Sixth Army immediately break out and withdraw from Stalingrad to the Don bend, where the broken front could be restored.

He appeared as a witness for the defense during the Nuremberg trials, and worked with the Operational History Section (German) of the Historical Division of the U.S. Army.