1885-1960. German field marshal in World War
II, commander of the Luftwaffe (air force)
1939-40, during the invasions of Poland and
the Low Countries and the early stages of the
Battle of Britain. He later served under
Field Marshal Rommel in N Africa, took
command in Italy 1943, and was commander in
chief on the western front Mar 1945. His
death sentence for war crimes at the
Nuremberg trials 1947 was commuted to
imprisonment, and he was released 1952.