Wolf Graf von Baudissin

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Wolf Stefan Traugott Graf (von) Baudissin (May 8, 1907 – June 5, 1993) was a German general, military planner and peace researcher. His wife was the sculptress Dagmar Gräfin zu Dohna-Schlodien. He was one of the developers of the concepts of Innerer Führung and Staatsbürger in Uniform ("citizens in uniform"), the two lead concepts of the modern German Bundeswehr.

Baudissin was born in Trier into the Baudissin family. He studied law, history and economics in Berlin.

In World War II, Baudissin served as Hauptmann im Generalstab (Captain with the General Staff) at the personal request of General Erwin Rommel. He was captured by the Australians in 1941 and detained in the prisoner-of-war camp Durringhile, Victoria, Australia. In absence, he was promoted to Major. While being held at Durringhile, he developed the idea of the "prisoner-of-war university" (Kriegsgefangenenuniversität). There, the expert German prisoners taught their comrades in various subjects and prepared them for a life after the war. Baudissin was released in 1947.

In October 1950, Baudissin worked on the secret Himmeroder Denkschrift, a pamphlet advocating German rearmament. In 1956 he helped to create the fledgling German new armed forces, the Bundeswehr (in the rank of Colonel) and soon headed a tank brigade. In 1963 to 1965, promoted to Lieutenant General he was Commandant of the Nato Defence College in Paris. Baudissin then went on to serve with the NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in the position of Deputy Chief of Staff. Pensioned in 1967, he became a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, and openly supported Willy Brandt's bid for chancellorship in 1972.

From 1971-84, Baudissin served as founding director for the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy (Institut für Friedensforschung und Sicherheitspolitik) at the University of Hamburg. In 1979, he was made professor. From 1980-86, he served as professor for social science at the University of the Bundeswehr in Hamburg.

Baudissin was a member of the peace movement group "Generals for Peace" (Generale für den Frieden). In 1967, he was awarded the Theodor-Heuss-Preis and the Große Bundesverdienstkreuz mit Stern und Schulterband ("Great Federal Cross of Merit, with stars and sash"). He died in Hamburg.

On April 19, 1994, the hall of the Bundeswehr's Zentrum für Innere Führung (Center for Civic Education) in Koblenz was renamed "Forum Wolf Graf von Baudissin". On June 7 of the same year, the "General Schwartzkopff Barracks" in Hamburg-Osdorf were renamed "Lieutenant General Graf von Baudissin Barracks".