Blaskowitz, Johann Albrecht (1883–1948)

German general in World War II. He was military governor of Poland 1939–40, but was removed after complaining about the excesses of the SS in dealing with Jews in the territory. He subsequently served on the Eastern Front and in France following the Allied invasion of Europe. He was captured and arraigned for trial at Nürnberg 1945 but committed suicide in prison.

A competent if unremarkable general, after Operation Dragoon, the Allied invasion of southern France 1944, he conducted a fighting retreat up the Rhone valley. He was relieved of command after giving up the city of Nancy without Hitler's approval, but survived to take over Army Group H and put up a spirited defence of the Netherlands, finally surrendering to Canadian forces May 1945.