Philipp Kleffel (9 December 1887 – 10 October 1964) 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.

Philipp Kleffel
Born9 December 1887
Birkenfelde
Died10 October 1964(1964-10-10) (aged 76)
Coburg
Allegiance German Empire
 Weimar Republic
 Nazi Germany
Service/branchArmy
Years of service1905–45
RankGeneral der Kavallerie
Commands held1. Infanterie-Division
L. Armeekorps
XVI. Armeekorps
XXX. Armeekorps
25. Armee
Battles/warsWorld War I
World War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

For 10 days, Kleffel served as the last commander of the short-lived 25th Army in the Netherlands, until it was converted on 7 April 1945 to the Netherlands High Command (Oberbefehlshaber Niederlande), under Generaloberst Johannes Blaskowitz. Kleffell was part of the general staff when Blaskowitz surrendered OB Niederlande to I Canadian Corps' Lieutenant-General Charles Foulkes at Wageningen on 6 May 1945, effectively ending the war in the Netherlands.[1]

Awards and decorations edit

References edit

Citations edit

  1. ^ Axis history
  2. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 209.

Bibliography edit

  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
Military offices
Preceded by
Generalleutnant Joachim von Kortzfleisch
Commander of 1. Infanterie-Division
14 April 1940 - 12 July 1941
Succeeded by
Generalmajor Dr. Friedrich Altrichter
Preceded by
Generalmajor Dr. Friedrich Altrichter
Commander of 1. Infanterie-Division
4 September 1941 - 16 January 1942
Succeeded by
Generalleutnant Martin Grase
Preceded by
General der Kavallerie Georg Lindemann
Commander of L. Armeekorps
19 January 1942 - 3 March 1942
Succeeded by
General der Infanterie Herbert von Böckmann
Preceded by
General der Infanterie Herbert von Böckmann
Commander of L. Armeekorps
20 July 1942 - 17 September 1943
Succeeded by
General der Infanterie Wilhelm Wegener
Preceded by Commander of XXX. Armeekorps
16 December 1944 - 25 April 1945
Succeeded by
Generalleutnant Arnold Burmeister
Preceded by
General der Infanterie Günther Blumentritt
Commander of 25. Armee
28 March 1945 - 7 April 1945
Succeeded by
None