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Wehrmachtsbefehlshaber
The () was the German chief military position, in countries occupied by the Wehrmacht which were headed by a civilian administration. The main objective was military security in the area, and command the defense in case of attack or invasion. The also had a judicial function, as he served as judge in German military courts. He had no control over Army units, but was responsible for defence, and housing for troops. In the occupied territories of the Soviet Union, the Wehrmachtsbefehlshaber was also responsible for securing the occupied territories, protect transport links and recording the crops. in the occupied areas Balkan Following the Invasion of Yugoslavia, the commander of the 12th Army was designated "Commander-in-Chief of the German troops in the Balkans", which was later renamed . Belgium and Northern France In Belgium and Northern France, control was originally given to a Military Administration. However, in July 1944, after the dismissal of Alexander von Fal ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
20th Mountain Army (Wehrmacht)
The German Lapland Army (''AOK Lappland'') was one of the two army echelon headquarters controlling German troops in the far north of Norway and Finland during World War II. It was established in January 1942, and renamed the 20th Mountain Army (''20. Gebirgsarmee'') in June 1942. On 18 December 1944, the 20th Mountain Army took over the role of ''Wehrmachtsbefehlshaber Norwegen'' from the dissolved Army of Norway (Wehrmacht), Army of Norway. Commanders Commander-in-chiefs Chiefs of staff * Generalleutnant Ferdinand Jodl (22 June 1942 – 1 March 1944) * Generalleutnant Hermann Hölter (1 March 1944 – 8 May 1945) Units April 1942 *2nd Mountain Division (Wehrmacht), 2nd Mountain Division *6th Mountain Division (Wehrmacht), 6th Mountain Division *7th Mountain Division (Wehrmacht), 7th Mountain Division *163rd Infantry Division (Wehrmacht), 163rd Infantry Division *169th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht), 169th Infantry Division *210th Coastal Defense Division (Wehrmacht), 210th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Friedrich Hüffmeier
Friedrich Hüffmeier (Kunersdorf, 14 June 1898 - Münster, 13 January 1972) was a German Vice Admiral in the Kriegsmarine. Military career Hüffmeier joined the Imperial Navy during World War I on 16 September 1914, initially as a naval cadet at the Mürwik Naval School. He continued his training on board the large cruiser SMS Freya, and in December 1914 came on the battleship SMS Lothringen, where he was promoted to ensign at sea in 1915 and served until January 1916. Between September 1916 and March 1918, he was assigned to SMS Augsburg. Towards the end of the War, he served during 3 months as watch officer on the U-19. In the Second World War, Hüffmeier commanded the light cruiser Köln (from 1 May 1941 to 1 March 1942) and later the battleship Scharnhorst (from 31 March 1942 to 13 October 1943) with which he participated in Operation Zitronella. In October 1943, he was promoted rear admiral and was appointed until June 1944 head of the office of the ''Wehrgeistiger Fà ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
XXI Army Corps (Wehrmacht)
The XXI Army Corps, also at times designated Group Falkenhorst and Group XXI, was a corps of the German ''Heer'' during World War II. It was first deployed on 10 August 1939 in Wehrkreis I in East Prussia. It participated in Operation Weserübung in early 1940. Later that year, it became ''Armeegruppe XXI'' ('Army Group 21'). In 1941, the XXI Army Corps was restructured to an army-level unit, ''Armee Norwegen''. In 1943, another corps-level unit carrying the ordinal number 21 was created, the XXI Mountain Corps. Operational history 1939 The ''Generalkommando XXI. Armeekorps'' was first deployed on 10 August 1939 in the Allenstein sub-district within Military District (''Wehrkreis'') I in East Prussia.On 26 August, Nikolaus von Falkenhorst was appointed the unit's commander. For the Invasion of Poland that started on 1 September 1939, XXI Army Corps was part of 3rd Army (Georg von Küchler) within Army Group North (Fedor von Bock). The unit's subordinate divisions were the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Reichskommissariat Norwegen
The Reichskommissariat Norwegen was the civilian occupation regime set up by Nazi Germany in German-occupied Norway during World War II. Its full title in German was the Reichskommissariat für die besetzten norwegischen Gebiete ("Reich Commissariat for the Occupied Norwegian Territories"). It was governed by ''Reichskommissar'' Josef Terboven until his deposition on 7 May 1945. The German military forces in Norway, then under the command of general Franz Böhme, surrendered to the Allies on 9 May and the legal government was restored. German recorrection and occupation of Norway The motivation of Nazi Germany to invade and occupy Norway came about for two principal reasons. The first was that in 1940, Germany was dependent on natural resources, mainly iron ore, being sent from Sweden to Germany. If Norway allowed Allied vessels to pass through its waters, they could potentially blockade the trade routes. The second reason was that Germany feared an allied attack, either using ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Adolf Hitler's Directives
Adolf Hitler made many hundreds of directives, orders and decrees while Führer of Nazi Germany, many of them related to military policy, and the treatment of civilians in occupied countries. Many of them are direct evidence of the commission of war crimes such as the notorious Commando Order. Other orders provide evidence of crimes against humanity, such as the Hitler order establishing forced euthanasia of disabled people in 1939 under Action T4, and the Nacht und Nebel order for eliminating civilian resisters in occupied countries. Directive of 21 October 1938 On 21 October 1938, Hitler issued a new directive to the Wehrmacht to prepare for the "following eventualities": * Securing the borders of the Reich and protection against surprise air attacks * Liquidation of the remainder of the Czech state. It must be possible to smash at any time the remainder of the Czech state should it pursue an anti-German policy. * The occupation of Memelland. Action T4 In 1939 Hitler issu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Friedrich Christiansen
Friedrich Christiansen (12 December 1879 – 3 December 1972) was a German general who served as commander of the German ''Wehrmacht'' in the occupied Netherlands during World War II. Christiansen was a World War I flying ace and the only seaplane pilot to receive the ''Pour le Mérite''. He joined the Nazi Party in the interwar period, eventually rising to the rank of ''Korpsführer'' of the National Socialist Flyers Corps. After the German invasion of the Netherlands, Christiansen was appointed as the ''Wehrmachtbefehlshaber'' (Chief Military Commander) in the Netherlands. In response to attacks by the Dutch Resistance, he ordered reprisals against Dutch civilians such as the Putten raid. He was also responsible for the Dutch famine of 1944–1945 that resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians after ordering an embargo on all food transports to the western Netherlands. After the war, Christiansen was arrested and convicted of war crimes. Early life He was born in Wyk ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Reichskommissariat Niederlande
The ''Reichskommissariat Niederlande'' was the civilian occupation regime set up by Germany in the German-occupied Netherlands during World War II. Its full title was the Reich Commissariat for the Occupied Dutch Territories (german: Reichskommissariat für die besetzten niederländischen Gebiete). The administration was headed by Arthur Seyss-Inquart, formerly the last chancellor of Austria before initiating its annexation by Germany (the ''Anschluss''). Introduction The German domination of the Netherlands began with the German invasion. On the day of the capitulation (15 May 1940) the entire ministerial staff fled to London to form a Dutch government in exile. Queen Wilhelmina had already preceded them the previous day. This had ''de facto'' left government authority in the hands of general Henri Winkelman as the senior-most military commander in the Netherlands. On 20 May 1940 a military administration was initially implemented, led by ''Militärsbefehlshaber'' Alexander ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Georg Lindemann
Georg Lindemann (8 March 1884 – 25 September 1963) was a German general during World War II. He commanded the 18th Army (Wehrmacht), 18th Army during the Soviet Kingisepp–Gdov Offensive. World War II In 1936, Lindemann was promoted to Generalmajor and given command of the 36th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht), 36th Infantry Division which took part in the Fall Gelb, Invasion of France. Lindemann was promoted to full General and given command of the L Army Corps (Wehrmacht), L Army Corps. In June 1941, at the launch of Operation Barbarossa, Lindemann's Corps was a part of Army Group North. Lindemann commanded the corps during the advance towards Leningrad. His unit was briefly shifted to the command of Army Group Centre during the Battle of Smolensk (1941), Battle of Smolensk. Lindemann's corps was then shifted back to Army Group North. On 16 January 1942, Lindemann took the command of the 18th Army (Wehrmacht), 18th Army, a part of Army Group North. In the summer of 1942, he was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hermann Von Hanneken (soldier)
Hermann Konstantin Albert Julius von Hanneken (5 January 1890 – 22 July 1981) was a German General of the Infantry who was supreme commander of the German forces in Denmark from 29 September 1942 to January 1945. Early career On 19 July 1908 after training in cadet school von Hanneken joined the Königin Augusta Garde Grenadier Regiment No. 4 as a ''Fähnrich''. A little over a year later, on 19 August 1909, he was promoted to ''Leutnant''. On 1 October 1913 until the start of the great war, he was apart of the Oldenburg Infantry Regiment No. 91. World War I Soon after the start of the Great War von Hanneken became the Adjutant of the III. Battalion of the 79th Reserve-Infantry-Regiment until 3 January 1915. von Hanneken was then transferred to the 260th Reserve-Infantry-Regiment as the Regiments-Adjutant, being promoted on 24 July 1915 to ''Oberleutnant''. From 10 July 1916 he served as leader of the regiments Machine Gun-Company. After 16 November 1916 he was made a tempor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
German Surrender At Lüneburg Heath
On 4 May 1945, at 18:30 British Double Summer Time, at Lüneburg Heath, south of Hamburg, Field Marshal Sir Bernard Law Montgomery accepted the unconditional surrender of the German forces in the Netherlands, northwest Germany including all islands, in Denmark and all naval ships in those areas. The surrender preceded the end of World War II in Europe and was signed in a carpeted tent at Montgomery's headquarters on the Timeloberg hill at Wendisch Evern. The surrender negotiations and signing ceremony Lüneburg had been captured by the British forces on 18 April 1945 with Montgomery establishing his headquarters at a villa in the village of Häcklingen. A German delegation arrived at his tactical headquarters on the Timeloberg hill by car on 3 May, having been sent by ''Großadmiral'' Karl Dönitz who had been nominated President and Supreme Commander of the German armed forces by Adolf Hitler in his last will and testament on 29 April. Dönitz was aware of the allied o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Erich Lüdke
Erich Lüdke (20 October 1882 – 13 February 1946) was a German General of the Infantry who was supreme commander of the German forces in Denmark from 1 June 1940 to 29 September 1942. Taken into custody by the Soviets after the war, he died in captivity in 1946. Early career Lüdke entered the army in 1900 and was promoted to '' Leutnant'' in 1902 and to ''Oberleutnant'' in 1910. In spring 1914, he was assigned to the General Staff in Berlin. At the outbreak of World War I he was promoted to '' Hauptmann'' and became a company commander. World War I From 1915, Lüdke served in various staff functions. During the war he received the Iron Cross 2nd Class and Knight's Cross of House Order of Hohenzollern. Interbellum After World War I, Lüdke moved into the new Reichswehr and initially used in the Reichswehr Ministry. On 1 April 1922, he was then appointed commander of an infantry regiment and gradually achieved level of '' Oberstleutnant'' due to various position of command ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Telegram Crisis
The Telegram Crisis was a diplomatic crisis between Denmark and Germany in October and November 1942, during the German occupation of Denmark. The crisis was triggered by a telegram from King Christian X of Denmark to Adolf Hitler, acknowledging Hitler's congratulations on the occasion of the King's 72nd birthday on September 26, 1942. Hitler was outraged by the perfunctory response of ''Spreche Meinen besten Dank aus. Chr. Rex'' (English: "Giving my best thanks, King Christian"). After this perceived slight, Hitler recalled his ambassador from Copenhagen and expelled the Danish ambassador from Germany. Attempts to placate Hitler, including a proposal of sending Crown Prince Frederick to Berlin to apologize to Hitler personally, were refused. In early November 1942, the plenipotentiary, Cecil von Renthe-Fink, was replaced by Werner Best and the commander of the German forces in Denmark Erich Lüdke was replaced with the more heavy-handed General Hermann von Hanneken, and all re ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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