| 25th Army | |
|---|---|
| German: 25. Armee | |
| Active | November 1944 – May 1945 |
| Country |  Nazi Germany |
| Branch |  German army (  Wehrmacht) |
| Size | Field army |
| Engagements | World War II |
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.
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.
Its first, and longest commander was Wehrmachtbefehlshaber Friedrich Christiansen, Supreme Commander of Reichskommissariat Niederlande . He was followed by General der Infanterie Günther 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.
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]
| No. | Portrait | Commander 25th Army | Took office | Left office | Time in office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General der Flieger Friedrich Christiansen (1879–1972) | 10 November 1944 | 28 January 1945 | 79 days | |
| 2 | General der Infanterie Günther Blumentritt (1892–1967) | 29 January 1945 | 28 March 1945 | 58 days | |
| 3 | General der Kavallerie Philipp Kleffel (1887–1964) | 28 March 1945 | 7 April 1945 | 10 days |
| No. | Portrait | Oberbefehlshaber Niederlande | Took office | Left office | Time in office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Generaloberst Johannes Blaskowitz (1883–1948) | 7 April 1945 | 6 May 1945 | 29 days |
Liberation Day is a public holiday in the Netherlands to mark the end of the German occupation of the country during the Second World War. It follows the Remembrance of the Dead (Dodenherdenking) on 4 May.
The final battles of the European theatre of World War II continued after the definitive surrender of Nazi Germany to the Allies, signed by Field marshal Wilhelm Keitel on 8 May 1945 in Karlshorst, Berlin. After German leader Adolf Hitler's suicide and handing over of power to grand admiral Karl Dönitz on the last day of April 1945, Soviet troops conquered Berlin and accepted surrender of the Dönitz-led government. The last battles were fought on the Eastern Front which ended in the total surrender of all of Nazi Germany’s remaining armed forces such as in the Courland Pocket in western Latvia from Army Group Courland in the Baltics surrendering on 10 May 1945 and in Czechoslovakia during the Prague offensive on 11 May 1945.
Johannes Albrecht Blaskowitz was a German Generaloberst during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. After joining the Imperial German Army in 1901, Blaskowitz served throughout World War I, where he earned an Iron Cross for bravery.
Army Group North was the name of three separate army groups of the Wehrmacht during World War II. Its rear area operations were organized by the Army Group North Rear Area.
The 1st Infantry Division was an infantry division that notably served in World War II as part of the Heer of Nazi Germany's Wehrmacht. It had been one of the original infantry divisions of the Reichswehr.
Hotel de Wereld is a 4-star hotel in Wageningen. It was the site of the capitulation of the German troops in the Netherlands on 5 May 1945, and the end of German occupation during World War II.
Army Group B was the name of four distinct German army group commands that saw action during World War II.
Friedrich Karl Albert Dollmann was a German general during World War II who commanded the 7th Army during the Invasion of France and the early phases of the Allied invasion of Normandy until his death in June 1944.
Operation Anger was a military operation to seize the city of Arnhem in April 1945, during the closing stages of the Second World War. It is also known as the Second Battle of Arnhem or the Liberation of Arnhem. The operation was part of the Canadian First Army's liberation of the Netherlands and was led by the 49th British Infantry Division, supported by armour of the 5th Canadian Armoured Division, Royal Air Force air strikes and boats of the Royal Navy.
The Westheer is the name given to the German Army fighting on the Western Front after 1941. The Oberbefehlshaber West was the largest command structure for the Westheer.
Karl-Adolf Hollidt was a German army commander in World War II who was subsequently convicted of war crimes. He was a general (Generaloberst) in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany who commanded the 6th Army.
The XVI Army Corps was a corps in the German Army during World War II.
Philipp Kleffel was a German general during World War II who commanded several corps. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany.
Army Group H was a German army group during World War II, active between November 1944 and May 1945. It was deployed mainly in the German-occupied Netherlands. The staff was known as Supreme Commander North West from 7 April. The army group surrendered at Lüneburg Heath on 4 May 1945.
German XXX. Corps was a corps in the German Army during World War II.
The LIII Army Corps was a corps of the German Army during World War II. It was first deployed in 1941 and was active as part of various armies under Army Group Centre until 1944, when it was destroyed during the Soviet Red Army operations Bagration and Kutuzov in June and July 1944. The corps suffered enormous casualties as a result of the Soviet attacks. All of its divisions were destroyed and all but a few of the soldiers were killed or captured by the Soviet Union. A new formation named LIII Army Corps was subsequently deployed in December 1944, when it was assigned to Seventh Army and fought on the western front until surrendering to United States Army forces in April 1945.
The XXVI Army Corps was a Wehrmacht army corps during World War II. It existed from 1939 to 1945. It was also known as Corps Wodrig during the Invasion of Poland.
The LXV Army Corps for special deployment was an army corps of the German Wehrmacht during World War II. The corps was formed in November 1943. It was renamed Generalkommando z.b.V. XXX on 20 October 1944.
The LXXXVI Army Corps was an army corps of the German Wehrmacht during World War II. It was formed in 1942 and existed until 1945.
The LXXXVIII Army Corps was an army corps of the German Wehrmacht during World War II. It was formed in 1942 and existed until 1945.
