World War I and After
Zeitzler, the son of a pastor, was born in Goßmar (now a part of Heideblick), Province of Brandenburg. Zeitzler joined the German Army on March 23, 1914, and fought in World War I. He was promoted to officer because of outstanding bravery and was placed in command of an infantry battalion. Between 1919 and 1937 he served as a staff officer in the Reichswehr, and in 1937 he began working as a staff officer for the Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH).
In September 1939 he became Chief of Staff for the XXII. Corps of the 14. Army, serving under General Siegmund List in the German invasion of Poland. In March 1940 he became the Chief of Staff for Panzergruppe A, serving under General von Kleist in the Invasion of France. Zeitzler also served under Von Kleist in the German invasions of Yugoslavia, Greece and the Soviet Union in 1941. On May 18, 1941 he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
During his tenure as Chief of Staff to Army group D in France in 1942 he was part of the German force that successfully resisted the Dieppe raid on August 19, 1942.
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