The 25th Army was formed on 10 November 1944 in the Netherlands, from the staffs of the Armed Forces Commander of the Netherlands and Armeeabteilung Kleffel (previously known as "Narva Task Force").[2] The designation as "army" was a deception measure for most of the command's existence, as it did not command more than three divisions until April 1945, during the final days of its existence.
The 25th Army held the northernmost position of the Nazi German front line of the Western Front for less than six months in late 1944 and early 1945, with its western flank anchored on the North Sea and its eastern flank adjoining the 1st Parachute Army. Defending the western Netherlands along the Meuse (Maas), from the North Sea to Arnhem,[3] its primary opponent was the First Canadian Army.
On 7 April 1945, the 25th Army was converted into the Netherlands High Command (Oberbefehlshaber Niederlande), under command of GeneraloberstJohannes Blaskowitz, to defend Fortress Holland (Festung Holland), the area west of the New Dutch Waterline.
25th Army, as Netherlands High Command (right), surrenders to I Canadian Corps on 5 May 1945Surrender of German forces in Holland to Allied 21st Army Group, 4 May 1945
Two days after the surrender of the Northwest High Command to the British 21st Army Group, Generaloberst Blaskowitz surrendered his command to I Canadian Corps' Lieutenant-GeneralCharles Foulkes at Wageningen on 5 May 1945 (documents typed and signed the next day, as no typewriter had been available), effectively ending the war in the Netherlands.[4]
Stacey, C. P. (1960). The Victory Campaign, The Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationery, Ottawa.
Tessin, Georg (1976). Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939-1945 (Volume IV), Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück. ISBN3-7648-1083-1.
May 07, 2024
25th, army, wehrmacht, 25th, army, german, armee, world, field, army, german, army, highest, ordinal, number, numbered, german, armies, 25th, armygerman, armeeactivenovember, 1944, 1945country, nazi, germanybranchgerman, army, wehrmacht, sizefield, armyengagem. The 25th Army German 25 Armee was a World War II field army of the German Army It had the highest ordinal number of any of the numbered German armies 25th ArmyGerman 25 ArmeeActiveNovember 1944 May 1945Country Nazi GermanyBranchGerman army Wehrmacht SizeField armyEngagementsWorld War II 21st Army Group operations 1945 25th Army is to the left Contents 1 History 2 Commanders 3 References 4 SourcesHistory editThe 25th Army was formed on 10 November 1944 in the Netherlands from the staffs of the Armed Forces Commander of the Netherlands and Armeeabteilung Kleffel previously known as Narva Task Force 2 The designation as army was a deception measure for most of the command s existence as it did not command more than three divisions until April 1945 during the final days of its existence The 25th Army held the northernmost position of the Nazi German front line of the Western Front for less than six months in late 1944 and early 1945 with its western flank anchored on the North Sea and its eastern flank adjoining the 1st Parachute Army Defending the western Netherlands along the Meuse Maas from the North Sea to Arnhem 3 its primary opponent was the First Canadian Army Its first and longest commander was Wehrmachtbefehlshaber Friedrich Christiansen Supreme Commander of Reichskommissariat Niederlande He was followed by General der Infanterie Gunther Blumentritt then General der Kavallerie Philipp Kleffel From November 1944 until April 1945 the 25th Army was subordinated to Army Group H and subsequently was transferred to the Northwest High Command Oberbefehlshaber Nordwest On 7 April 1945 the 25th Army was converted into the Netherlands High Command Oberbefehlshaber Niederlande under command of Generaloberst Johannes Blaskowitz to defend Fortress Holland Festung Holland the area west of the New Dutch Waterline nbsp 25th Army as Netherlands High Command right surrenders to I Canadian Corps on 5 May 1945 nbsp Surrender of German forces in Holland to Allied 21st Army Group 4 May 1945 Two days after the surrender of the Northwest High Command to the British 21st Army Group Generaloberst Blaskowitz surrendered his command to I Canadian Corps Lieutenant General Charles Foulkes at Wageningen on 5 May 1945 documents typed and signed the next day as no typewriter had been available effectively ending the war in the Netherlands 4 Commanders editNo Portrait Commander 25th Army Took office Left office Time in office1 nbsp Christiansen Friedrich General der FliegerFriedrich Christiansen 1879 1972 10 November 194428 January 194579 days 2 nbsp Blumentritt Gunther General der InfanterieGunther Blumentritt 1892 1967 29 January 194528 March 194558 days 3 nbsp Kleffel Philipp General der KavalleriePhilipp Kleffel 1887 1964 28 March 19457 April 194510 days No Portrait Oberbefehlshaber Niederlande Took office Left office Time in office1 nbsp Blaskowitz Johannes GeneraloberstJohannes Blaskowitz 1883 1948 7 April 19456 May 194529 daysReferences edit Nafziger Tessin p 221 Stacey p 446 Axis historySources editStacey C P 1960 The Victory Campaign The Queen s Printer and Controller of Stationery Ottawa Tessin Georg 1976 Verbande und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939 1945 Volume IV Biblio Verlag Osnabruck ISBN 3 7648 1083 1 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 25th Army Wehrmacht amp oldid 1217884544, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
