Patriotic duty and manliness were deeply intertwined in twentieth-century Germany, especially during times of crisis. The aristocracy, with its particular brand of masculinity, maintained a decisive hold on the German army well into the twentieth century. After defeat in two world wars, German veterans tried to put forth a new image of German duty—one based on camaraderie and patriotism and devoid of ideology. This snapshot shows how a Prussian-German general, a binational soldier, and the West German government portrayed their individual and collective duties and obligations during the Second World War and for the future.