Martin Paap (father): Difference between revisions

{{Infobox person

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2025|11|17|1905|9|3|df=yes}}

| other_names = Martin Paap (father)

| era = {{hlist|[[Vader Era]]|[[Middenvader Era]]|[[Vriend Era]]}}

| title = [[Great Paap]]

| term = 28 October 1948–2007

| predecessor = [[Martinus Antonius Johannes Paap]]

| successor = [[Martin Paap]]

| father = [[Martinus Antonius Johannes Paap]]

| relatives = {{ubl|[[Martha Paap]] (granddaughter)|[[Martin Paap III]] (grandson)}}

| family = [[Paap family]]

| unit = {{ubl|4./[[Baulehr-Bataillon z.b.V. 800]]|I./[[Lehr-Regiment "Brandenburg" z.b.V. 800]]}}

| battles = {{ubl|[[Second World War]]|[[Western campaign]]|[[German invasion of the Netherlands]]|[[Maas-Waal Canal line]]}}

'''Martin Paap I''' (3 September 1905 – 17 November 2025), also known as '''Martin Paap (father)''', was a Dutch member of the [[Paap family]] who served as an [[Unteroffizier]] in the [[Wehrmacht (Nazi Germany)|Wehrmacht]] during the [[Second World War]]. He served with 4./[[Baulehr-Bataillon z.b.V. 800]] during the [[German invasion of the Netherlands]] in May 1940. Paap became the fourth [[Great Paap]] on 28 October 1948 after the war-crimes conviction of his father, [[Martinus Antonius Johannes Paap]], and held the title until 2007.

Martin Paap was born in [[Rotterdam]] on 3 September 1905 to [[Martinus Antonius Johannes Paap]] and [[Elsbeth Kranz]]. His parents were temporarily staying in Rotterdam at the time and returned to Germany in 1906.<ref name="martinus-personal-life"/>

Paap entered German military service in 1934. By 1940, he had reached the rank of Unteroffizier and was serving in 4./Baulehr-Bataillon z.b.V. 800 under the [[Abwehr]] special-operations structure.

Paap served in 4./Baulehr-Bataillon z.b.V. 800 during the 1940 [[Western campaign]]. The unit's 4th Company was commanded by [[Angelo van Noord]] during the German invasion of the Netherlands.

On 10 May 1940, the company was assigned to seize bridges over the Maas and the Maas–Waal Canal before Dutch forces could demolish them. Paap served in the company during these operations.

Following the Western campaign, Baulehr-Bataillon z.b.V. 800 was expanded into [[Lehr-Regiment "Brandenburg" z.b.V. 800]]. Its first four companies became part of I. Bau-Lehr-Bataillon. Paap subsequently served in I./Lehr-Regiment "Brandenburg" z.b.V. 800 and remained with the Brandenburg formation during the war.

When Martinus Antonius Johannes Paap became [[Great Paap]] in 1940, Martin I had not completed the custodial instruction associated with the [[Book of Paap]]. Martinus therefore intended his younger son, [[Jan Paap]], to succeed him.<ref name="jan-military"/>

Jan formally rejected the succession at Rzhev airfield on 6 January 1943 after a confrontation with [[Antonie Ronald Paap]]. Martin I subsequently received the preparation required to become the replacement heir. Jan remained in German military service until January 1944, when he deserted and later left Europe.<ref name="jan-military"/>

Martinus remained Great Paap until his conviction for war crimes on 28 October 1948. Martin Paap I succeeded him on the same day.<ref name="martinus-great-paap"/> Martinus accepted the succession and continued to advise his son on Paap family matters after his release from prison in 1954.<ref name="martinus-great-paap"/>

Paap held the position for almost six decades. In 2007, his son [[Martin Paap]] succeeded him as Great Paap.

After leaving the position of Great Paap in 2007, Paap remained in Rotterdam. By 2023, he was living with [[Maltin Paap]] and [[Antonie Ronald Paap]] in a homeless camp. [[Walter Noord]] petitioned for the three men to be removed from the camp and placed under formal care.<ref name="maltin-2023"/>

The petition resulted in Martin Paap I being transferred to a supervised care home in Rotterdam in August 2023. He remained there until his death from natural causes on 17 November 2025, at the age of 120.