Kammala jumla mai zuwa: An haife shi a cikin dangin Prussian mai aristocratic tare da dogon tarihin aikin soja, Choltitz ya shiga soja a lokacin da yake matashi kuma ya ga aikin a Yammacin Yammacin lokacin yakin duniya na farko (1914<unk>1918). Ya tashi zuwa matsayin "Lieutenant" a ƙarshen yaƙin kuma ya kasance mai aiki a cikin lokacin tsakanin yaƙe-yaƙe yana taimaka wa Jamus ta sake gina dakarunta. A watan Satumbar 1939, yayin mamayewar Poland a farkon Yaƙin Duniya na II, yana aiki a rukunin rundunar sojojin Gerd von Rundstedt ta Kudu. A watan Mayu na 1940, Choltitz ya shiga cikin
Yaƙin Rotterdam, yin saukar iska da kama wasu manyan gadoji na birni.