Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt (* December 12th 1875 in Aschersleben, Prussian province of Saxony) is a Colonel General in the Wehrmacht. He's an unpolitical Monarchist and loyal to Germany - no matter who governs it. In January 1902, he married Luise "Bila" von Goetz, and their only Kid, Hans Gerd von Rundstedt, was born in January 1903.
In the First World War, von Rundstedt was used as General staff officer in Turkey and France. After the occupation of the Sudetenland in 1938, he left the Army on October 31st, as he had wished to. But as soon as April 1939, he was reactivated as the Leader of the secret „Arbeitsstab Rundstedt“, which was supposed to serve as Command of the Army Group South, drawing the plans for deployment and Operations during the planned Invasion of Poland („Fall Weiß“). He was sided (among others) by lieutenant General Erich von Manstein, as Chief of Staff.
In Poland, he had Generals Johannes Blaskowitz, Walther von Reichenau, and Wilhelm List under his command. After the capitulation of Poland, his Troops were renamed "Army Group A" and moved to the western border of Germany, for the planned War in the west, which started on May 10th 1940. After the quick advance through Belgium, on May 24th von Rundstedt (pressured by Wilhelm Keitel on behalf of the "Führer") issued a halting order for the Troops (which had 18 km left to Dunkirk). (Such Halting orders had already been given during "Fall Gelb", e.g. on May 17th. They were supposed to give the head of the Panzer troops a break, to consolidate with the other troops.) After that, his superior Walther von Brauchitsch gave the opposite order. But then, von Rundstedt met - for which he had 60 minutes - with the "Führer" in person when the latter was visiting the Front...
He's planned to become the Supreme Commander of the prospected Invasion of Great Britain (Unternehmen Seelöwe).
In the Hierarchy, he's under Walther von Brauchitsch/Adolf Nazi. He is a friend of Ewald von Kleist.