Editing Johannes Blaskowitz (section)

==Early years==
Johannes Blaskowitz was born on 10 July 1883 in the village of Paterswalde, ([[East Prussia]]), Germany (now [[Bolshaya Polyana, Kaliningrad Oblast|Bolshaya Polyana]] in the [[Kaliningrad Oblast]], [[Russia]]). He was the son of a [[Protestantism in Germany|Protestant]] pastor, Hermann Blaskowitz, and his wife Marie Blaskowitz, née Kuhn. In 1894, Blaskowitz joined cadet school at [[Köslin]] (now [[Koszalin]], Poland) and afterwards at [[Berlin Lichterfelde]]. In 1901, he started his military career as a supreme officer candidate{{Clarify|reason=Supreme candidate?|date=January 2024}} cadet in an [[Prussian Army|East Prussian regiment]] in [[Ostróda|Osterode]] (Polish: [[Ostróda]]).

During World War I, Blaskowitz served on the [[Eastern Front (World War I)|Eastern]] and [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]]s and was employed in the [[German General Staff|General Staff]]. He rose to command an infantry company by 1918, and was awarded the [[Iron Cross]] for bravery.