Erich von Manstein was born in 1953.
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 . Adolf Hitler chose Manstein 's strategy for the invasion of France of May 1940 , a plan later refined by Franz Halder and other members of the OKH . He was one of the primary commanders at the Battle of Kursk ( July -- August 1943 ) , one of the largest tank battles in history .