Permanent historical records ยท Updated 2026-11-03

1940 in Germany

Explore 575 historical events and records for Germany in 1940.

Historical records for Germany in 1940

Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 575 unique records.

575Unique records
1 of 15Page
28Named events on this page
14Named people on this page
8Places on this page

January

Commander

Manstein, Fritz Erich von ยท Commander ยท Warfare / Military

Manstein is sacked as Chief of Staff of Army Group A and appointed Commander of an army corps in East Prussia

Commander

Manstein, Fritz Erich von ยท Chief of Staff ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Manstein is sacked as Chief of Staff of Army Group A and appointed Commander of an army corps in East Prussia

Invasion of France

Manstein, Fritz Erich von ยท Chief of Staff ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Manstein is sacked as Chief of Staff of Army Group A and appointed Commander of an army corps in East Prussia

Invasion of Norway

Hitler, Adolf ยท Fuhrer Chancellor ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Hitler orders comprehenisive plans be made for the invasion of Norway

Western Offensive Postponement Orders Processed

Jodl, Alfred ยท Berlin ยท Chief Operations Staff ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Jodl signs or processes repeated postponement orders for the western offensive as weather and readiness delay the attack.

February

Invasion of France

Hitler, Adolf ยท Fuhrer Chancellor ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Hitler orders Manstein's invasion plans to be carried out

Invasion of France

Manstein, Fritz Erich von ยท Commander ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Hitler orders Manstein's invasion plans to be carried out

Operation Fall Gelb

Hitler, Adolf ยท Fuhrer Chancellor ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Hitler orders Manstein's invasion plans to be carried out

Operation Fall Gelb

Manstein, Fritz Erich von ยท Commander ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Hitler orders Manstein's invasion plans to be carried out

Norway Denmark Holland Planning Discussion

Jodl, Alfred ยท Berlin ยท Chief Operations Staff ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Jodl, Warlimont and Jeschonnek discuss operational possibilities involving Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands.

Commander of 7th Army

Rommel, Erwin Johannes Eugen ยท Commander of 7th Panzer Division ยท Warfare / Military

Appointed Commander of the 7th Panzer Division with the rank of Major General

Commander of 7th Panzer Division

Rommel, Erwin Johannes Eugen ยท Commander of 7th Panzer Division ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Appointed Commander of the 7th Panzer Division with the rank of Major General

Major General

Rommel, Erwin Johannes Eugen ยท Commander of 7th Panzer Division ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Appointed Commander of the 7th Panzer Division with the rank of Major General

Operation Weserubung

Falkenhorst, Nikolaus ยท Berlin ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Receives command of the German invasion of Norway.

Operation Weserubung

Falkenhorst, Nikolaus ยท Berlin ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Falkenhorst is given command of the ground forces for the planned invasion of Norway and Denmark.

Capture of Germany

Hitler, Adolf ยท Fuhrer Chancellor ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

The British destroyer Cossack seizes the Altmark off Norway. Increases Hitler's determination to capture Norway

Invasion of Norway

Hitler, Adolf ยท Fuhrer Chancellor ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

The Cossack seizes the Altmark off Norway, increases will to invade Norway

Joint Service Norway Planning Coordinated

Jodl, Alfred ยท Berlin ยท Chief Operations Staff ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Jodl coordinates army, navy and air-force planning for the Scandinavian operation.

March

Invasion of Romania

Hitler, Adolf ยท Fuhrer Chancellor ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Bulgaria joins the Tripartite Pact

Norway Strategy

Raeder, Erich ยท Berlin ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Supports seizing Norwegian ports before the Allies can cut the ore route.

Operation Weserubung Order

Hitler, Adolf ยท Berlin ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Orders preparation of the German invasion of Denmark and Norway.

Pact between Germany, Italy, Japan and Bulgaria

Hitler, Adolf ยท Fuhrer Chancellor ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Bulgaria joins the Tripartite Pact

Spring Awakening

Hitler, Adolf ยท Fuhrer Chancellor ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Issues an order to invade Norway

Tripartite Pact

Hitler, Adolf ยท Fuhrer Chancellor ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Bulgaria joins the Tripartite Pact

Operation Weserubung

Raeder, Erich ยท Berlin ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Raeder supports the plan to seize Norway before Allied forces can establish bases along the coast.

April

Lieutenant General

Model, Otto Moritz Walter ยท Lieutenant General ยท Warfare / Military

Appointed Lieutenant General

Lieutenant General

Model, Otto Moritz Walter ยท Lieutenant General ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Appointed Lieutenant General

Destroyer Group Narvik

Bonte, Friedrich ยท Bremerhaven ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Commands the destroyer group carrying Dietl's troops to Narvik.

Mountain Troops Embark

Dietl, Eduard ยท Weser River ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Embarks mountain troops on destroyers bound for Narvik.

Operation Weserubung

Lutjens, Gunther ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Lutjens commands the distant cover force as German warships sail for Norway.

Admiral Hipper Action

Heye, Hellmuth ยท Norwegian Sea ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Commands Admiral Hipper during actions linked to the Norway invasion.

Battle of Drobak Sound

Kummetz, Oskar ยท Oslofjord ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Kummetz leads the German naval force toward Oslo when Oscarsborg blocks the attack.

Battle of Narvik

Bonte, Friedrich ยท Narvik Harbour ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Commands the German destroyer force carrying Dietl's troops into Narvik.

Battle of Narvik

Dietl, Eduard ยท Narvik ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Lands mountain troops from German destroyers and seizes Narvik.

Capture of Narvik

Dietl, Eduard ยท Narvik ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Seizes Narvik with mountain troops landed from German destroyers.

Capture of Narvik

Dietl, Eduard ยท Narvik ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Dietl's mountain troops land from German destroyers and seize Narvik during the opening invasion.

Destroyer Georg Thiele

Berger, Fritz ยท Ofotfjord ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Commands a German destroyer in the Narvik invasion force.

Destroyer Hans Ludemann

Gadow, Hans-Joachim ยท Ofotfjord ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

Commands a German destroyer during the Narvik operation.

Invasion of Denmark

Hitler, Adolf ยท Fuhrer Chancellor ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

With operation "Weserubung" Germany occupies Denmark and Norway

Invasion of Norway

Hitler, Adolf ยท Fuhrer Chancellor ยท Warfare / World War, 2nd

With operation "Weserubung" Germany occupies Denmark and Norway

How these records were prepared

Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.