Career Assessment
Balck was a prime example of a class of German officers who rose rapidly through the ranks during the war, together with Field Marshal Erwin Rommel and Gerneralobersts Erhard Raus and Josef Harpe. Balck started the war as an Oberstleutnant (lieutenant-colonel) in 1939 and ended it as a General der Panzertruppe (lieutenant-general of the armored troops). Balck is often described as a very gifted commander of armoured troops, and his handling of 11. Panzerdivision and 48. Panzerkorps during 1942-3 would support this view.
Many of the battles Balck participated in are described in Generalmajor Friedrich von Mellenthin's Panzer Battles. Friedrich von Mellenthin was Balck's chief of staff for a long time and a fervent admirer of Balck with whom he had a very good working relationship. Balck's own autobiography is entitled Ordnung im Chaos .
His career, and in particular the lack of a conviction for war crimes, was contrasted in some detail with that of Jodl by Freeman Dyson (in Weapons and Hope).
Read more about this topic: Hermann Balck
Famous quotes containing the words career and/or assessment:
“They want to play at being mothers. So let them. Expressing tenderness in their own way will not prevent girls from enjoying a successful career in the future; indeed, the ability to nurture is as valuable a skill in the workplace as the ability to lead.”
—Anne Roiphe (20th century)
“The first year was critical to my assessment of myself as a person. It forced me to realize that, like being married, having children is not an end in itself. You don’t at last arrive at being a parent and suddenly feel satisfied and joyful. It is a constantly reopening adventure.”
—Anonymous Mother. From the Boston Women’s Health Book Collection. Quoted in The Joys of Having a Child, by Bill and Gloria Adler (1993)