Johannes Blaskowitz

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.

Biography

Early years

Blaskowitz was born at Peterswalde, Kreis Wehlau (East Prussia). He served as an infantry officer during World War I.

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:

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).

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.

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.

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].

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.