February 1, 1957 Terrific Death: Friedrich Wilhelm Ernst Paulus was a German field marshal during WW2 who is best known for commanding the 6th Army during the Battle of Stalingrad, leading to the ultimate defeat; became a vocal critic of the Nazi regime and joined the Soviet-sponsored National Committee for a Free Germany: “Friedrich Paulus was born in Breitenau, Germany, on September 23, 1890. The son of a treasurer, Paulus attempted to become an officer-cadet in the German Navy but was rejected because of his lack of aristocratic blood. After briefly studying law at the University of Marburg he joined the German Army in 1910. The following year he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 3rd Baden Infantry Regiment. On the outbreak of the First World War Paulus was adjutant of the III Battalion. In 1915 he was assigned to the staff of the 2nd Prussian Jaeger Regiment and two years later to the operations staff of the Alpine Corps. During the war he served on the East...