Johannes Blaskowitz

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Johannes Blaskowitz bigraphy, stories - German general

Johannes Blaskowitz : biography

10 July 1883 – 5 February 1948

Johannes Albrecht Blaskowitz (10 July 1883 – 5 February 1948) was a German general during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (). The Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or outstanding military leadership.

Summary of his military career

Dates of rank

  • Fähnrich: March 2, 1901
  • Leutnant: January 27, 1902
  • Oberleutnant: January 27, 1910
  • Hauptmann: February 17, 1914
  • Major: January 1, 1922
  • Oberstleutnant: April 6, 1926
  • Oberst: October 1, 1929
  • Generalmajor October 1, 1932
  • Generalleutnant: December 1, 1933
  • General der Infanterie: August 1, 1936
  • Generaloberst: October 1, 1939

Notable decorations

  • Iron Cross (1914)
    • 2nd Class (27 September 1914)Thomas 1997, p. 49.
    • 1st Class (2 March 1915)
  • Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
    • 2nd Class (11 September 1939)
    • 1st Class (21 September 1939)
  • German Cross in Silver on 30 October 1943 as Generaloberst and commander-in-chief of the 1. ArmeePatzwall and Scherzer 2001, p. 537.
  • Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
    • Knight’s Cross on 30 September 1939 and General der Infanterie and commander-in-chief of the 8. ArmeeScherzer 2007, p. 224.
    • 640th Oak Leaves on 29 October 1944 as Generaloberst and commander-in-chief of the Heeresgruppe G
    • 146th Swords on 25 April 1945 as Generaloberst and commander-in-chief of the Netherlands
  • Anschluss Medal (1938)
  • Sudetenland Medal (1938) with Prague Castle bar (1938)
  • Wound Badge- 1918 type (?)
  • Cross of Honor (1934)
  • Bavarian Military Merit Cross 3rd Class with Swords (1916)
  • Prussian Knight’s Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords (1917)
  • Baden Knight’s Cross 2nd Class of the Order of the Zähringer Lion with Swords(1915)
  • Oldenburg Friedrich August Cross Second (1916) and First (1916) Classes
  • War Merit Cross Second (?) and First (?) Classes
  • Order of the Crown of Italy, Grand Cross (1941)
  • Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (27 September 1939)

Reference in the Wehrmachtbericht

Date Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording Direct English translation
Wednesday, 27 September 1939 Der Oberbefehlshaber des Heeres hat den General Blaskowitz beauftragt, die Übergabeverhandlungen zu führen.Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 1, p. 40. The Commander-in-Chief of the Army has instructed general Blaskowitz to lead capitulation negotiations.

Notes

Campaign in the West 1944-45

Blaskowitz remained unoccupied for some time, until in December 1944 he was suddenly recalled and ordered to attack in the vicinity of Alsace-Lorraine in support of the ongoing Ardennes offensive. On 1 January 1945 Army Group G hit the US 7th Army during Operation Nordwind, forcing them to withdraw. Blaskowitz was subsequently transferred to Holland, where he succeeded Kurt Student as commander of Army Group H. For the following three months he conducted a fighting withdrawal against the British 2nd Army, being awarded the Swords to his Knights Cross. This command was redesignated in early April 1945 and Blaskowitz became commander-in-chief of the northern (still occupied) part of the Netherlands. Despite ruling the troops under his command with an iron hand, and threatening to execute deserters, from April 29, Blaskowitz allowed Allied airdrops of food and medicine to the Dutch civilian population. 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 – could a typewriter 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.