Fritz Erich Georg Eduard von Lewinski, known as Erich von Manstein (24 November 1887 – 9 June 1973), was a German commander of the Wehrmacht, Nazi Germany's armed forces during the Second World War. He attained the rank of field marshal.Born into an aristocratic Prussian family with a long history of military service, Manstein joined the army at a young age and saw service on several fronts during the First World War (1914–18).