Henry Gerard Winkelman ( Dutch: Henri Winkelman ; August 17, 1876 , Maastricht - December 27, 1952 , Susterberg ) - Dutch military leader, general (February 6, 1940).
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Biography
Educated at the Military Academy in Breda in 1896.
He began his service on August 11, 1896, as 2nd Lieutenant in the 4th Infantry Regiment of the Royal Dutch East Indies Army . In 1909-1913 and 1917-1924 he served in the Ministry of Defense , in 1925-1931 - in the General Staff . On November 1, 1931, the commander of the 4th Division, on May 1, 1934, retired.
However, after the outbreak of World War II, on November 1, 1939, he returned to the army and was appointed commander of the air defense of the Utrecht - Susterberg district. February 6, 1940 took the post of commander in chief of the land and naval forces of the Netherlands .
After May 10, 1940, German troops crossed the German-Dutch border as part of the Dutch operation , on behalf of Queen Wilhelmina, he took over the fullness of state power. Considering that the Dutch army was not able to withstand German aggression and that further resistance would lead only to unnecessary casualties, G. Winkelmann decided to capitulate . On May 15, 1940, in the presence of the commander of the 18th German Army, General G. Küchler, he signed a ceasefire document. After that he was declared a prisoner of war and interned , spent the whole war in a prisoner of war camp. He was released on May 12, 1945 and dismissed on October 1 of the same year.
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 Henri Gerard Winkelman - 2009.
- ↑ 1 2 Encyclopædia Britannica
Literature
- Zalessky K. A. Who was who in the Second World War. Allies of the USSR. - M .: AST , 2004. - ISBN 5-17-025106-8
Links
- Biography // Chronos website