Falkenhorst, Colonel General Nikolaus von

1885–1968

   Falkenhorst was the Commander in Chief of German troops in Norway. He had been chosen in February 1940 at very short notice to prepare for the invasion of Norway. He was given a few hours to submit detailed plans of invasion which he completed with the aid of a Baedecker guide. He was then allotted no more than five divisions and by April the invasion force was ready. Falkenhorst was directly responsible to HITLER and remained in command of troops in Norway until 1944. The only military operation he took part in was a limited invasion of the USSR from Norway in 1941. He was hated by the Norwegian population because he used terror tactics to keep them under control. He was condemned to death after the war but was spared and released in 1953.