Nikolaus von Falkenhorst
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Nikolaus von Falkenhorst (January 17, 1885 – June 18, 1968) was a German General who planned 'Operation Weserübung', the invasion of Denmark and Norway in 1940. After the invasion he became Commander of the German troops in Norway between 1940 and 1944.
[edit] Life
Falkenhorst was born in Breslau to an old Silesian military family of Jastrzembski. He changed this Slavic name to German name Falkenhorst ("falcon's eyrie") early in his career. He joined the German army in 1907 and during World War I was given various regimental and staff appointments. As a member of the Freikorps in 1919, he was transferred to the Reichswehr, and between 1925 and 1927 served in the Operations Division of the War Ministry.
Falkenhorst was promoted to Brigadier on October 1, 1932, and was then military attaché in the German embassies in Prague, Belgrade and Bucharest between 1933 and 1935. On July 1, 1935, he was promoted to Major General and Chief of Staff of the Third Army and in 1937 to Lieutenant General. In 1939 he commanded the Twenty First Army Corps during the Invasion of Poland, and was promoted to General of Infantry.
Falkenhorst was charged with the military planning of Operation Weserübung in 1940. This invasion of Norway was top-secret, and Falkenhorst was not even given military access to German military charts or maps in formulating the invasion plan. Instead, he planned the operation in a hotel room from maps and charts purchased at a stationary store in Berlin. Nevertheless, the operation was successful. The only major German loss was the sinking of the heavy cruiser Blücher in Oslofjord.
| Norway and World War II | ||
|---|---|---|
| Key events | ||
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Weserübung · Norwegian Campaign |
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| People | ||
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Haakon VII · Nygaardsvold · CJ Hambro |
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Quisling · Jonas Lie · Riisnæs |
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| Organizations | ||
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Milorg · XU · Linge · Nortraship |
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After planning the invasion of Norway and repulsing a counter-invasion by British forces from the north, Falkenhorst remained in charge of the Norwegian garrison. In contrast to the civilian administration, the military forces aimed to form an understanding with the Norwegian people, and Falkenhorst ordered his men to treat them with courtesy. An apocryphal story, which was much believed by both sides, told of a Norwegian woman who complained that a German soldier had stolen some of her jam. The next morning, she was invited to come to the local army post to see the man shot by firing squad.
Falkenhorst was dismissed from his command on December 18, 1944, for opposing the policies of Josef Terboven, the Reich Commissioner for Norway. After the war, Falkenhorst was tried by a joint British-Norwegian military tribunal for violating the rules of war. He had passed on the Führerbefehl known as the Commando Order which required captured saboteurs to be shot (several were), and was therefore convicted and sentenced to death in 1946. The sentence was later commuted to twenty years' imprisonment.
Falkenhorst was released on July 23, 1953, due to bad health. He died in Holzminden in 1968. His daughter was married to Erich Dethleffsen.
[edit] Awards
- Iron Cross (1914) 2nd and 1st Class
- Military Merit Cross (Mecklenburg-Schwerin) 2nd Class
- Wound Badge (1914) in Black
- Order of the Cross of Liberty 2nd Class
- Order of St. John (Protestant Continental Europe)
- Cross of Honor
- Order of the White Rose, Commander, 1st Class
- Clasp to the Iron Cross 2nd and 1st Class
- German Cross in Silver (20 January 1945)
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (30 April 1940)
- War Merit Cross 2nd and 1st Class with Swords
- Order of the White Rose, Commander Grand Cross
[edit] References
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by none |
Commander of 32. Infanterie-Division October 1, 1936 - July 19, 1939 |
Succeeded by Generalleutnant Franz Böhme |
