Johannes Blaskowitz (July 10, 1883 - February 5, 1948) was a German general during World War II. During the Polish September Campaign he commanded the German 8th Army .

World War I

Blaskowitz served as an infantry officer.

During World War II

Poland 1939

During the Polish September Campaign he commanded the German 8th Army . He was Commander in Chief East in Poland for a short period of time. Though promised a role in the invasion of France he was removed from his position in Poland and not employed in the invasion because of repeated complaints against the actions of the SS in Poland.

French 1940 and the occupation of France

During the French Campaign, Blaskowitz was transferred to command of 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 in chief of the Canadian liberation army) to discuss the surrender of the German forces in the Netherlands. His Royal Highness 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 sourrces 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 mean time had been typed. [1].

Post War

He 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.