Colonel General Johannes Blaskowitz (left) discusses the upcoming Allied invasion of France with Field Marshal Erwin Rommel (center) and Field Marshall Gerd von Rundstedt (right).

Johannes Blaskowitz (10 July 1883 - 5 February 1948) was a German general during World War II. Download high resolution version (1360x1184, 617 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1360x1184, 617 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel ( ) (November 15, 1891 – October 14, 1944) was one of the most distinguished German Field Marshals of World War II and one of the greatest military leaders of his time. ... Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt (December 12, 1875 - February 24, 1953) was a Field Marshal of the German Army during World War II. He was one of Germanys more competent generals, and is remembered for remaining apolitical throughout his career. ... July 10 is the 191st day (192nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 174 days remaining. ... 1883 (MDCCCLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... February 5 is the 36th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total dead: 50 million Military dead: 8 million Civilian dead: 4 million Total dead: 12 million World War II...

Biography

Early years

Blaskowitz was born at Peterswalde, Kreis Wehlau (East Prussia). He served as an infantry officer during World War I. Znamensk (Russian: Знаменск, German: Wehlau, Polish: Welawa, Lithuanian: VÄ—luva) is a small municipality in the Kaliningrad Oblast in Russia. ... East Prussia (German: Ostpreu en; Polish: Prusy Wschodnie; Russian: Восточная Пруссия — Vostochnaya Prussiya) was a province of Kingdom of Prussia, situated on the territory of former Ducal Prussia. ... Combatants Allies: Serbia, Russia, France, Romania, Belgium, British Empire, United States, Italy, and others Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire Casualties Military dead: 5 million Civilian deaths: 3 million Total of dead: 8 million Military dead: 4 million Civilian deaths: 3 million Total dead: 7 million The First...

Poland 1939

During the Polish September Campaign that began World War II, he commanded the German Eighth Army. He was Commander-in-Chief East (Oberbefehlshaber Ost) in Poland from October 20, 1939. There he was repeatedly outraged by the atrocities committed by the SS and the Einsatzgruppen against Polish and Jewish people and issued two detailed memoranda to Commander-in-Chief Walther von Brauchitsch on these war crimes. He even did not hesitate to impose death sentences against members of the SS and Gestapo in case of involvement in war crimes (these sentences were later abolished by Hitler). He used an exceptionally open language: Combatants Poland Germany Soviet Union Slovakia Commanders Edward Rydz-ÅšmigÅ‚y Fedor von Bock (Army Group North) Gerd von Rundstedt (Army Group South) Ferdinand ÄŒatloÅ¡ (Field Army Bernolak) Strength 39 divisions 16 brigades 4,300 guns 880 tanks 400 aircraft Total: 1,000,000[1] 56 German divisions, 33+ Soviet... Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total dead: 50 million Military dead: 8 million Civilian dead: 4 million Total dead: 12 million World War II... The German Eighth Army (German: ) was a World War I and World War II field army. ... October 20 is the 293rd day of the year (294th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 72 days remaining. ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... SS or ss or Ss may be: The Schutzstaffel, a Nazi paramilitary force Steamship (SS) (ship prefix) The United States Secret Service A submarine not powered by nuclear energy (SS) (United States Navy designator), see SSN A Soviet/Russian surface-to-surface missile, as listed by NATO reporting name Shortstop... A member of Einsatzgruppe D is just about to execute Jewish man kneeling before a filled mass grave in Vinnitsa, Ukraine, in 1942. ... The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination of these attributes. ... Walther von Brauchitsch Von Brauchitsch in 1939 Walther von Brauchitsch (October 4, 1881, Berlin - October 18, 1948, Hamburg) was commander-in-chief of the Wehrmacht in the early years of World War II. Brauchitsch was commissioned in the Prussian Guard in 1900. ... A war crime is a punishable offense, under international (criminal) law, for violations of the law of war by any person or persons, military or civilian. ... Capital punishment, also referred to as the death penalty, is the judicially ordered execution of a prisoner as a punishment for a serious crime, often called a capital offense or a capital crime. ... The Deaths Head emblem similar to Skull and crossbones, often used as the insignia of the Gestapo The (contraction of Geheime Staatspolizei; secret state police) was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. ... Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (April 20, 1889 – April 30, 1945, standard German pronunciation in the IPA) was the Führer (leader) of the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi Party) and of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. ...

The attitude of the troops against the SS and the police fluctuates between disgust and hatred. Every soldier feels cloyed by these crimes committed against the Poles by citizens of the Reich and representatives of the government. (Aide memoir January 1940). Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ...

Hitler was reportedly infuriated by Blaskowitz's "childish attitude", and he was relieved of command in Poland on May 14, 1940 at the instance of Governor General Hans Frank. May 14 is the 134th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (135th in leap years). ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ... A Governor-General (in Canada, Governor General) is most generally a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above ordinary governors [1]. The most common contemporary usage of the term is to refer to the royally-appointed territorial governor of a region, or royal representative in a country... Hans Frank (May 23, 1900 – October 16, 1946) was a lawyer for the Nazi party during the 1920s and a senior official in Nazi Germany. ...

French Campaign 1940 and the occupation of France

During the French Campaign Blaskowitz was transferred to command 9th Army in the west. In early June 1940 he became Military Governor of Northern France.

Blaskowitz held this position until October 1940 when he was transferred to the command of the First Army. He retained this post until May 1944 when he was named commander-in-chief of Army Group G.

Campaign in the West 1944-5

He was relieved of command of Army Group G in late September 1944 after officially protesting about SS atrocities in Poland, and reinstated on 24 December 1944. On 28 January 1945 he was appointed commander-in-chief of Army Group H. This command was redesignated in early April 1945 and Blaskowitz became Commander-in-chief in the Netherlands. December 24 is the 358th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (359th in leap years). ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1944 calendar). ... January 28 is the 28th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ...

On May 5 Blaskowitz was summoned to the Hotel de Wereld ("The World Hotel") in Wageningen by General Charles Foulkes (commander of I Canadian Corps) to discuss the surrender of the German forces in the Netherlands. Prince Bernhard, acting as commander in chief of the Dutch Interior Forces, attended the meeting as well. Blaskowitz agreed with all proposals by Foulkes. However, nowhere in the building - some sources claim: nowhere in the whole town - a typewriter could be found. Thus the surrender document could not be typed. The next day both parties returned, and in the presence of both General Foulkes and Prince Bernhard, Blaskowitz signed the surrender document which in the meantime had been typed. [1]. May 5 is the 125th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (126th in leap years). ... Hotel De Wereld Hotel de Wereld (meaning the World Hotel) in Wageningen was the site of the capitulation of the German troups in The Netherlands on 5 and 6 May 1945, and the end of German occupation during World War II. This fact is remembered annually. ... Wageningen is a municipality and a historical town in the central Netherlands, in the province of Gelderland. ... Lieutenant-General Charles Foulkes, C.C., C.B., C.B.E., D.S.O., C.D., LL.D. (January 3, 1903 - September 12, 1969) was a Canadian soldier. ... Prince Bernhard as Royal Consort Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands (June 29, 1911 – December 1, 2004) was Prince Consort to the late Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, and father of the current monarch, Queen Beatrix. ...

Post war

Blaskowitz was charged with war crimes and tried before a U.S. military court in the High Command Trial, but committed suicide during the trial on February 5, 1948 by jumping out of a window of Nuremberg prison. Rumors spread by cell mates that he may have been murdered by SS men have never been substantiated. Motto: (1789 to 1956) (Latin for Out of many, one) In God We Trust (1956 to present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at federal level; English (de facto) Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice... Chief prosecutor Telford Taylor opens the prosecution case in the Krupp Trial The Subsequent Nuremberg Trials (or, more formally, the Trials of War Criminals before the Nuremberg Military Tribunals (NMT)) were a series of twelve U.S. military trials for war crimes against surviving members of the military, political, and... The High Command Trial (or, officially, The United States of America vs. ... February 5 is the 36th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... Nuremberg (German: Nürnberg) is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. ...