Gerd von Rundstedt died December 12, 1875.
Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt ( 12 December 1875 -- 24 February 1953 ) was a Field Marshal in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II . In the inter-war years , he continued his military career , reaching the rank of Colonel General ( Generaloberst ) before retiring in 1938 . He was released in 1949 , and died in 1953 . Operation Barbarossa ( German : Unternehmen Barbarossa ) was the code name for Nazi Germany 's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II , which was launched on Sunday 22 June 1941 .