A thesis presented to the Faculty of the U.S. Army Comnand and General Staff College in partial

f u l f i l l m n t of the requirements for the degree

MASTER OF HILITARY ART AND SCIENCE

by

FRENCH L. i.IAcLEAN, MAJ, USA B.S. ,United States Military Academy, 1974

Fort Leavenworth, Kansas 1988

Approved for public release; di.stribution is unlimited

MAST!ZX OF MILITARY ART AND SCIENCE

THESIS APPROVAL PAGE

Nane of candidate - French L. MacLean

Tit le of Thesis - The UnknaJn Generals -- German CorpsComnanders i n World War I1

Approved by :

sissis Ccmni.tteeCcmni.ttee Chairman

,, Member,Member, GraduateGraduate Faculty

GraduateGraduate Faculty

Accepted chis 3rd day of June 1988 by:

, Di.rector, Graduate ikgree Programs PhiliplJ. arwkes, Ph.D.

The opi.nions and conclusions expressed .herein are those of the student author and do not necessarily represent che vi.ews of the U.S. Army Comnand and General Staff College or any other govermntal agency. (References to th i s study should include the foregoiqq staternent. )

i i

;1Bsma

TtE UtKNOl4N GENEIWLS - GERMAN CORPS CCkLIMANDERs I N W0X.D WAR 11: A Leadership Ana1ysi.s of German Army Corps Comnanders by Major French L. MacLean, USA, 169 pages.

This study is an historical ana1ysi.s of the background and demnstrated 1eadershi.p attr ibutes of 332 World War I1 German corps comnanders on the Eastern, I talian, and Western Fronts. Overall characteristics are determined based on each of f icer ' s experienceand performance based on avai.lable histori.cal recozds. These records focus on age, nobili.ty, background, education, branch, previouscornnand and staff positions, rrenhrship i n the General Staff , damnstrated military achievement, promotion, and subsequent higherC o m n a n d .

Among the many conclusions which could be dram from this investigati.on are: mst successful corps COIIpnanders possessed an excellent educational background, perfomed well i n previoussi.gnificant cornnand and staff positions, and demonstrated the capability for independent action; and,' polit ical factors played a minor role i n the selection of officers for corps c m n d .

The study concludes that the Eastern, Western, and I ta l ian Fronts a l l had competent German corps comnanders conducting operations; no Front had a preponderence of successful comnander's to the detriment of the other two.

i.ii.

TABLE OF CONTEXTS

Chapter Page

Chapter 1 - Defining the Problem 1

Chapter 2 - Review of Literature 10

Chapter 3 - The German Corps System 26

Chapter 4 - Background, Education, and

Experience 38

Chapter 5 - Performance, Promotion, and

Totential 73

Chapter 6 - Overall Characteri.stics 103

Appendi.x A - Abbreviations 118

Appendix B - List of Comnanders 123

Bib1 iography 164

iv

LIST OF TABLES

Table Ti.tle

Table 1 Army Strength

Table 2 Corps Headquarters Strength

Table 3 Parent Army Headquarters

Table 4 Corps Assigned to Army Headquarters

Table 5 Divisions Assigned to Corps

Table 6 General Officer Grades

Table 7 Age of Comnanders

Table 8 Newly Prcnoted Xajors

Table 9 Newly Pronoted Lieutenant-Colonels

Table 10 Xewly Promoted Colonels

Table 11 Camriders of Noble Descent

Table 12 Camrider 's Background

Table 13 Corps Ccmanders w i t h

Police i3ackgounds

Table 14 Panzer Corps (hmancIers

with Police Backgrounds

Table 15 Austrian Army and Army

Group Cuimanders

Table 16 Newly Promoted Generalmajor

Table 17 Newly Pronoted Generalleutnant

Table 18 Newly Promoted General der

Infanterie, etc.

Table 19 Branch Affi1i.ation

Page

3

26

29

30

32

38

40

43

44

44

46

47

49

51

52

53

54

54

56

V

Table 20

Table 21

Table 22

Table 23

Table 24

Table 25

Table 26

Table 27

Table 28

Table 29

Table 30

Table 31

Table 32

Table- 33

Table 34

Table 35

Table 36

Table 37

Table 35

Table 39

Corrrnanders from the General Staff

Pri.or Xvision b.mand Experience

Corps Gnmmnders coining

Out of Reti.rement

Corps Cor;manders from the Poli.ce -

Panzer Corps Ccmnanders

from Panzer Divisions

Arny Reci.pients of the

Knight's Cross

Highest Decorati.ons Received

by the Corps Comnanders

Knight's Cross with Oakleaves

and Swords for Corps Cornnand

General Officers i n Service

Corps Ccmnanders Promoted

to Generalfeldmarschall

German Dead 1939-1944

General 0ffi.cer Fatali t i e s by Grade

General Officer Fatali t ies by Cause

Cor?s Corranander Fatalities

National Comnittee for a

Free Germany

Generaloberst

Generalleutnant

Army Group Comnanders

Corps Comander Baseline

Characteri stics

Corps Comnanders by Front Canparison

58

6i.

67

68

70

77

78

79

83

84

89

89

90

90

93

99

100

100

106

108

vi

CHAFTEX1

DEFINIiqG THE PROBLM

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of th i s study i.s to examine the background and

proficiency of German corps colrnnanders i.n World War 11. It i.s

evident that these E n , the links between operational and tact ical

levels, were key components i n the resulting successes and failures

of the Wehrmacht. Present United States AirLand Battle doctrine

draws extensively on the German experience i n th i s confli.ct.

Current examination of German genera1shi.p in World War I1

suffers from two deficiencies: identi.ficati.on and generalization.

idthou& nost high level comnanders ( a n y and above) have been

identi.fied and their proficiency analyzed, such i.s not the case with

the colrananders of the ninety-three German corps.

Xesearch a t both the German Army Xilitary Archives a t

Freiburg, West Germany, and a t Fort Leavenworth, reveals that no

single complete l i s t ing of corps comnanders exists. However, by

combi-ning sources found a t both places, a comprehensive l is t can be

documented identifying these corps c m n d e r s .

1

The second major deficiency concerns generalization of

leaders. Current l i terature too often categorizes German general

officers as s t i f f Prussian aristocrats with almost superhuman

military expertise. Naturally, they varied in background,

proficiency, and potential. With the identification of the

comnanders completed,. one can conduct an examination of individual

careers. This i.s especially cri.tica1 for further investigation of

the G e m military tenets on which so m h of U.S. doctrine is

based.

This study will focus on the background, previous comnand

and s taff experience, demonstrated military achievement, and

subsequent pramtion to hi.gher comnand t o identi.fy prominent

characteristics of these individuals. "k analysis w i l l conclude by

canparing corps commders on the Eastern Front with those on the

Western Front.

2

HISTURICAL EACKCuKUN!J

'Tne German A m y in World War I1 was an extremly large,

multifaceted organization which conducted operations on two

continents. Personnel strength numbered in the millions. The A m y

was divided into two major sub-organizations, the Field Army and the

Replacemnt Amy. Personnel figures through the war for both are 1

S h below.

Table 1

Amy Strength

(in millions)

JUne JUne JUne JUne JUne December

1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1944

Field Army 3.7 3.8 4.1 4.5 4.0 3.8

Replacement

Army .9 1.2 1.9 1.8 2.3 2.6

6.4MTAL 4.8 5.0 6.0 6.3 6.3

3

To control th i s large force, the Germans developed several

echelons of c&. The highest f ie ld c b was the army group.

Eighteen army groups were created during the war with the mission to

control two to four armies i.n a single theater of operations for a

single campaign. A f ie ld marshal mst frequently comnanded an army 2

group.

1rmedi.ately subordinate to the army groups were the armies.

An army was a mre permanent couxnand and was not formed for just a

speci.fic campaign. Twenty-seven armies were established betwsen 1939

and 1945. Each army theoretically directed two to six corps. An army

was comnanded by a fi.eld marshal, a colonel general, or a general of 3

infantry, panzer, a r t i l l e ry , etc.

Tne ninety-three corps and their ccrrmanders are the major

subject of this thesis. They will be discussed in detail i n chapters

three, four, and five. Each corps directed the act ivi t ies of from

two to s ix di.vi.si.ons and was comaanded by a general of infantry,'

panzer, etc., a lieutenant general, or a major general.

The lowest general offi.cer c b s were the divisions.

Wi.thi.n the Army, the number of di.visi.ons peaked i.n June 1944 a t 283.

In additi.on, both the Waffen SS and Luftwaffe provided ground 4

divisions for combat.

4

Pare than 2400 personnel served as general officers i.n the

German Amy. David Darni.ng, author of -The kvil's K r m s o s , staces

that "The German generals were the finest thi.nki.ng and fighting 5

soldiers of modern history." The level of competence of corps and

division comnanders was high. However, there was a wide variance i n

prospects for advancement. Some officers had potential for promotion

t o higher comnands, some l o s t favor personally or poli.tically, and

some were not vi.ewed as professionally competent for future major 6

operational responsibi.li.ty. It i.s the purpose of this study to

examine these factors of capabi1i.ty.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Tne major research questions this study will focus on

are:(l) What were the prominent background, experience, and

achievement characteri-stics exhibited by German corps cocmanders in

World War II? and (2) Gi.ven these characteristics as a whole, were

the Gelman corps comnanders faced by the British and Anericans on

the Kestern/Italian Fronts less or more proficienr: chan those

fighti.ng the Soviets on the Eastern Front?

5

SIGNI?'ICAiiCE OF THE STUDY

The compi.lation of a definitive l ist of corps cclimnanders

should add to the body of infonuatlion concerning G e m leadership

in World War 11. Conclusi.ons concerning background, education,

camand and staff experience, and demonstrated military achievement

may assist our cxyn effor ts at senior leader development.

The methodology used for this study is three-fold. F i r s t ,

prominent characteristics for German general officers -.dl be

identified f r m post-war published sources. Second, each comnander

will be analyzed according to background, education, previous

comnand and staff experience, demonstrated ni l i tary achievemnt, and

subsequent promotions. With these baselines established, the c o q s

cOmnanders on the Eastern Front will then be compared and contrasted

with those on the Italian and Xestern r'ronts.

6

C€lAFl'ER 1 is a definition of the problem central to the

thesis. The historical background of the study is presenced as well

as the methodology to be followed.

CHAPTER 2 presents a detailed review of l i terature. Sources

essential t o the study t o be discussed include manuscripts of the

U.S. Foreign Military Studies of the Historical Division, United

States Army Europe (USAREUR); captured German records microfilmed a t

Alexandria, Virginia; G e m records a t the Bundesarchiv-

blilitaerarchiv, Freiburg, West Germany; and postwar German, ar i t i sh ,

and American l i terature .

CHAPTER 3 provides a background study of the German corps

system. This chapter will assi.st i n putting la ter personnel issues

i n perspective.

CHAPTER 4 is an in-depth presentation of prominent factors

of background, education, and previous c d and staff experience.

QiAlTE3 5 presents factors of demonstrated military

achievanent, p r m t i o n , and subsequent higher level c d .

7

ClWFCER 6 establishes baseline characteristics.determined by

c r i t e r i a presented in chapters 4 and 5. Overall t r a i t s for a l l corps

c d e r s are presented, and a final comparison and contrast of

c d r s on the Eastern Front with those on :he I ta l ian and

Western Fronts is made. Conclusions are based on the evaluated

information.

A"M A explains abbreviations used throughout the study and

presents a concise l is t of German terms and definitions to assi.st

future researchers w i t h the many untranslated sources.

ANNM B is a comprehensive l i s t ing of a l l German Army corps

comnanders.

8

--

1 W. Victor Y i d e j ,

(Allentown, Pennsylvania: L

Ibid., p.37. 3

Ibid., p.3a. 4

Ibid., p. 15. . . 5

David Darning, The

E N D N a E S

German Army Order Garrae Marketiw-wai$

of Battle 1939-1945, ,=Vol 1, p.4.

Devil's Virtuosos: German Generals a t War i

:.::1 .. 1940-45, (New Yak: S r V k r t i n ' s Press), 19//,-. "

. ., Telford Taylor, The March of Conquest: The German Victories -i n Western Europe, -1940, (NewYork:-%mn and S c G t e r ) , 9 5 8 , p.20.

... . . .. '!

9

c x m T R 2

REVIEW OF L I " U E

The purpose for presenting a detailed review of l i terature

for this thesi.s i.s two-fold. First, i t w i l l familiarize the reader

with the wide variety of both English and German material available.

Second, i t provides succeeding researchers with a synopsis of the

i.nformation relating to the German corps and corps comnanders i n

XorId War 11.

The review of l i terature for this thesis consists of books,

manuscripts of the U.S. Forei.gn Yi.li.tary Studies of the Historical

Division USAREUR., and captured German records ni.crofilmed a t

Alexandria, Virginia. The research process entails exami.nation,

analyzati.on, contrast, and comparison of the information from these

sources.

a t e r i a l ori.ginated from many locations. The German Army

Archives a t the hdesarchi.v-?lilitaerarchiv, Freiburg, FRG was the

primary source for documenti.% the l is t of corps and corps

comnanders. The Combined Research Library (CARL) a t the United

10

States Army Camand and General Staff College (CGSC), Fort

Leavenworth, Kansas, provided the foundation for documenting the

remainder of the thesis.

The research material used in t h i s thesis was unclassified.

The sources range from those written during World !Jar I1 t o the

present. Re-1945 material consists of primary sources with l i . t t l e

author interpretation. Sources written imnediately after 1945

include i.nterviews with senior German c m d e r s . Recent l i terature ’

includes wmirs and recently opened archive fi.les.

The review of 1i.terature applicable t o this thesis is

divided into two sections. Part I concentrates on i.nformation about

the corps and corps c&ers. Part I1 focuses on those prominent

leadership characteristics emphasized by the &rmans, the p r m t i o n

and awards systems, and the General S t a f f . For nontranslated German

works I have provided an English translation of the t i t l e i n

parentheses. Other l i terature i.s included in the bibliography. The

following sources were the mst useful.

11

PART I

John Angolia's work On the Field of Honor, --_-A Historv of the -

Knight's -Cross Bearers (Volume -1-2) is an excellent source of

information on Geman military personaliti.es i n World War 11. These

two works provide short bi.ographies of the winners of Germany's

highest military awards, i.ncluding many corps comnanders. The two

books are the f i r s t of a planned seven volume series. General career

information is excellent, although not a l l dates of assignrent are

accmate.

3. James Bender and Warren W. Odegard are the authors of

Uniforms, Organization -and History -- Thisof the Panzertruppe. work

provides a wealth of information related t o German panzer units,

equipment, and ;mi fom. The section concerning personalities

provides li.sts of co~lpnandersof panzer armies, corps, and di.visions

with only a few discrepancies.

kmt Bradley and Richard Schulze-Kossens are the editors

of the Taetigkei.tsbericht --- Generaldes Chefs des Heerespersonalamtes

-der Infanterie Rudolf Schmundt: 1.10.42-29.10.44. (Daily Reports of

the Chief of the Army Personnel 0ffi.ce General of Infantry Rudolf

Scl-mIundt: October 1, 1942 to October 29, 1944) Thi.s massive work

contains a l l of the dai.ly ccmimunications from the Army Personnel

- - -

Office. Promotions and demoti.ons are covered along with valuable

information on rel iefs of connmders, details of ki.l?ed i n action

reports, and the involvement of officers i n the 20 July 1944 plot

against H i tler .

Hitler's Generals by Ri.chard Brett-Smith is an excellent

work on many of Germany's mili.tary leaders. The author presents

eighty-two short biographies of general officers, more than any

other contemporary works. He categorizes these indi.viduals by

branch, loyalty to Hitler, and other i n f o m t i v e chapters.

David Downing's work -The Devil's Virtuosos: German Generals

- -a t War 1940-5 is an exaninati.on of several European campaigns from

the viewpoints of the German generals i n comnand. I t srrmnarizes the

impact of a few of the more notable German comnanders but omits the

campai.gns in Poland, Scandinavia, North Africa, I taly and the

Balkans. The book is good for a qui.ck overview but not for serious

deTth.

3ie Traeger des- Ti; tter!aeuzes des E i sernen Kreuzes ?9?9-1?b5

(The Wearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross) by Walter-Peer

Fellgiebel is an comprehensi.ve l is t ing of a l l winners of this award.

The book organizes this task alphabetically and presents the name,

unit , and date of each awardee. Ro analysis is given as to total

numbers by rank, branch, etc.

13

Hemam Geyer author of - -I X Armeekorps -Das i m Ostfeldzq

-1941 ('The I'X Corps i n the Eastfront Campaign 1941) has presented an

excellent account of a German corps in acti.on. Geyer served as

comander of this uni.t from 1939 t o 1942. 'Xe committed suicide i n

1946 and th i s book w a s saved and published by a fonrrer s taff

officer. Most post-war literature concerning units has been written

on a division level; thi.s is a good insight into a di.ffi.cult

campaign for a veteran unit .

One of the primary quick reference works a t the

Bundesarchiv-Xilitaerarchiv is Wolf Keilig' s three volume -Das

Deutsche -Heer 1939-1945 (The German Army 1933-1945). First published

i.n 1956, it presents a wealth of factual data on army organizations,

campaigns, and persona1iti;es. Most informati.on is presented in chart

and table format. Long out of p r i n t , it has not been translated t o

English and is di.ffi.cult to locate i n the United States. In 1983 the

author published -Die General -des Heeres (Tne Generals of the Army).

This work, essenti.ally a reprint of the third volume of the above,

contains very short bi.ographies of the 2600 German generals i.n the

Arry. These are good overviews with oniy a few omissions concerning

awards s t d n g from incomplete German records i n 1956. Thi.s work

provides the foundation for the biographi.ca1 information of the

thesis. Keilig's third work Rangliste -des kutschen Heeres 1944145

(The German Army 1944/45 Rank Li . s t ) presents the date of rank for

a l l majors and above as of May 1, 1944. In addition, i.t lists the

14

- ----

l a s t peactime unit of assignment for each indivi.dua1. A l l three

works should be purchased by C A E to fac i l i t a te further detailed

research.

Erwin Lenfeld and Franz Thomas have compi.led an excellent

guide to the winners of Germany's highest military decorati.ons in

their -Die Ei.chenlaubtraeger 1940-1945 (The Oakleaves Bearers 1940-

1945). This work devotes an enti.re page to the military career of

each of Germany's 882 winners of the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves.

Dates of assignment t o units are accurate and very complete. It has

not been translated yet to English.

An excellent guide t o G e m m t a i n units i.s Alpine Elite

- German Mountain Troops of World War I1 by J m s Lucas. The book

centers on several descriptive narratives of m t a i n unit

engagements but also provides background on organizati.ons and

personali.ties. Tnis work provided mst of the informati.on on

m t a i . n corps used in the thesis.

F.W. von Yeilenchin presems an inside view or' fourteen

prominent ccmanders in German Generals -of -World -War -11: -As -I -Saw

-Them. The author, a General Staff officer, served as a chief of

staff a t corps, army, and army group level. Von Mellenthin

campaigned with many of these comnanders in Africa, Russi.a, and

France. The biographies he presents are clear, factual, and provide

an excellent insight into the careers of several corrmanders.

15

- - K l a u s Chri.stian Richter is the author of Die Geschichte der

deutschen Kavallerie, 1919-1945, (The ili.story of the German Cavalry

1919-1945). This work is a comprehensive study of the organization,

training, personalities, and operations of cavalry units i.n both

the Weimar Rei.chswehr and the Third Rei.ch Wehrmacht. For this study

i.t provided mst of the information on the cavalry and Cossack corps

of the Army. It has not been translated, but remains an excellent

work on German cavalry during the war.

Sylvester Stadler presents an excellent account of the I1

Waffen SS Panzer Corps a t Kursk in his -Die Offensive -Kursk

-1943 (The Offensive against Kursk 1943). Most beneficial to this

thesis was the i.nformation on corps combat support attachments, a

subject often overlooiced in other orders of battle. Other excellent

features of this work include detailed hourly division reports and

sumnaries of German and Soviet combat losses. Machine produced

situation maps are excellent; however, photograph reproductions of

origi.na1 G e m unit maps are not.

tleeresei nteilung -1939 (Army Classification 1939) by

Friedri.ch Stahl is the G e m order of bat t le effective January 3,

1939. Units down to battalion level are l isted with haw stations

and corrrmanders. l3i.s guide is useful i n locating personnel prior to

the s t a r t of World War 11.

16

--

Georg Tessin, in his thirteen volume wrk , Verbaende -und

Truppen -der deutschen Kehrmacht -und Waffen-SS -im Zweiten !Jeltlaieg

1939-1945 (Formations and Units of the German i\rmed Forces and

Waffen-SS in the Second Xorld !Jar 1939-1945), descri.bes i.n great

detail the organization and campaigns of a l l German ground troops

during the war. This work is another mai.nstay of the German A r q

Archives with no detail spared concerning employment. By month

subordinate unit l is t ings are provided for each army and corps,

while units organic t o division are also extensi.vely covered. Units

are grouped acc0rdi.x to numerical designation i.nto categories of

army, corps, military d i s t r i c t , infantry, mobile troops, a r t i l l e ry ,

engineers, signal, supply, security, naval ground, a i r force ground,

Waffen-SS, and allied. These volumes are invaluable in the study of

the organizati.on of the German Army i n World Xar 11. Although

currently an expensive acquisi.ti.on, these volumes should be

purchased by CARL to ass is t future research.

Heer- und Flottenfuehrer --der Welt (Amy and Navy Leaders of

the World) by Georg Zikovic presents a comprehensive li.st of

European, Japanese, and American ariny and MW comnanuers from the

early 1800s t o the 1970s. Wi.thin the scope of this thesis, Zikovic

lists mst permanent corps conmanders but none of the acting or

temporary c m n d e r s .

17

--

"Generals of the Third Reich" by retired General Bernhard

von Claer is one of an extensive series of the U.S. Army Xistorical

Division post-war stuclies. These works were c d s s i o n e d by the Army

as after acti.on reports wri.tten by fonrer German high ranking

offi.cers. This ar t ic le gi.ves s t a t i s t i ca l data on the general

officers, providing extremely useful information on general offi.cer

casualties. Von Claer served w i t h many rear area comnands during the

war.

"Bi.ographica1 Sketch of High ;(anking German and Russi.an

Officers of the Second World War", Intelligence Research Project

2346 prxoduced in 1946 a t Fort Leavenworth, provides excelIent page-

long biographi.es of 52 German and 21 R u s s i a n officers. G e m

biographies present excellent detail of the pre-1939 careers of

these individuals.

Order of Battle -- -of the German Army October 1942, April 1943,

February 1944, and --Narch 1945 are four Gar Departrent Military

Intelligence Divisi.on documents describi.q the perceived

organization of the Gem Army. Only incomplete l is t ings of

comnanders and s ta f fs are l is ted, but the works provide excellent

infomti.on on wartime organization.

18

BUNDESXCHIV-XILITrZERARCHIV LOCNWS

Several German Army Archive documents provided important

information on dates of rank and assignments and are listed below

along:

vom 12. Oktober Dienstaltersliste _ -zur --A Stellenbesetzung - 91937 (Service Officer Date of Rank Li.st as of October 12, 1937)

(National Archives Microcopy No. 78, Roll No. 512). This work, as

well as those sham below, lists seniority by date of rank.

Dienstaltersliste - -zur Stellenbesetzung-des Heeres -1938,A

(Service Officer Date of Rank List as of 1938) (National Archives

Microcopy No. 78, Roll No. 512).

Di.ensta1tersliste - -zur Stellenbesetzungdes Heeres 1. MayA -- 91940 (Service Officer Date of Rank List as of Nay 1, 1940)

(National Archives Kicrocopy No. 78, Roll No. 513).

Di.enstaltersliste _ _A zur Stellenbesetzung-des Heeres 1. Xay -91941 (Service Officer Date of Rank List as of Yay 1, 1941)

(National Archives Microcopy No. 78, Roll No. 514).

des Heeres -1.Dienstaltersliste - -zur StellenbesetzungA --91942 (Service 0ffi.cer Date of Rank List as of May 1, 1942)

(National Archives Microcopy No. 78, Roll No. 514).

19

des Heeres 1. NayDi.enstaltersli.ste - -ZUI Stellenbesetzung - --I

-1943, (Service Officer Date of X a n k L i s t as of flay I , 1943)

(National Archives Mi.crocopy No. 78, Roll No. 515).

Stellenbesetzung -des Heeres -1938, (Officer Positions i n the

Army 1938) (National Archives Microcopy No. 78, Roll No. 512). This

work li.sts a l l officer corrmand positions to i.nclude company

comnanders.

Stellenbesetzung -von Staeben, HPA, Agr. P3 (Staff 0ffi.cer

Positions i n the Army) (National Archives Plicrocopy No. 78, Roll No.

55). This card f i l e lists division and hi.gher staff posi.ti.ons

concentrating on 1944-1945.

PART I1

BOOKS

jo'm 2. Argolia, in 5 s book -For 'uehrer -and Tacheriand;

Military Awards ---- awards and of the Third Reich, descri.bes the German

decorati.ons system 1933-1945. For thi.s study, the section concerning

the various grades of the award of the Knight's Cross is most

beneficial. The author is widely considered t o be one of the leading

authori.ti.es i n th i s field.

20

- -- The Eastern Front, 1941-45, German Troops and the

3arbari.sation -of IJarfare by Wr Bartov, presents an analysis of

social and polit ical factors i n three divi.sions on the Eastern

Front. The author provides valuable bacwound material concerring

the extent of nobility in the German Army.

Matthew Cooper's -The German Army 1933-1945 is one of the

standard works on the overall picture of German Army operations.

Cooper presents many novel conclusions concerning the "Blitzkrieg",

the role of Hitler. and the strategic d e v e l o p n t of the Army. I t is

an excellent general history.

One of the mre unusual but i.nformati.ve works is Fighting

Power, German Military Performance, 1914-1945 by Martin van Creveld.

The author presents i n detail the contrasti.ng organizational and

leadership aspects of German and American forces during this period.

For th i s thesis he provides extensive infornation on doctrine,

promotions, decorations, casualties, and other leader related

subjects. Hi.s premise is that the German system produced units with

greater fighting p d e r than like h-erican ones.

21

- ---

- -- -

T.N. hpuy i.s the author of two works on the General Staff:

A Genius for gar: The German -and General Staff , 1307-1945 and

The of Demonstrated Excellence for-German General Staff, 1nstituti.on - -National Camand, Planni.ng, Coordi.nation, -and Combat Performance,

hpuy discusses the origins and mission of the General S t a f f , i t s

historical development and its stormy relationship with Hitler. .

-Der deutsche Genera1stabsoffi.zier (Tne German General Staff

0ffi.cer) by Hansgeorg Model addresses the selection and training of

the General Staff i n the Reichswehr, LJetumacht and Ekmdeswehr.

Especially valuable are several appendices l i s t ing a l l General Staff

officers i n 1939 and 1944.

Telford Yaylor, in his .book --The Phrch of Comjuest: .The-German Victori.es -ia GJestern Europe, 1940, describes the 1940

C q i g n in France. He addresses organi.zati.on, retired officers

recalled to active duty, and the canpetence of the generals. Tnis is

one of the better works concerning the early war years of the Army.

Bod0 Scheuri.g tackles the delicate subject of Geman

pri.soner of war officer collaboration with Soviet forces i.n his -Free

Germany, The National Cornnittee and the L e a w of German Officers.

Post war l i terature on thi.s subject is extremely limited. The author

provides an excellent discussi.on of the subject to i-nclude a l i s t ing

of the senior offi.cers involved and their scope of partici.pati.on.

Several were previ.ous corps comnanders.

22

Guenther Blumentritt, the former Chief of Staff for k m y

Group D and Comnander of the 25th Army, compiled "The Gernan .Armies

of 1914 and 1939" for the U.S. Army Historical Divi.sion. He compares

and contrasts the two German Armies i n this work. Most helpful are .his views on retired officers recalled t o active duty and officers

la teral ly transferred from the German police to the army in the mid

1930s.

Another Histori.ca1 Division study is "Cannnents on P-041a -PMlhh" by Heinz Guderian and Kurt Zeitzler. Guderian served as

Comnander 2nd Panzer Amy, Inspector General Panzer Troops, and

Chief'of Staff of the Army, while Zeitzler also served as Chief of

S t a f f of the Army after a tour as Chief of, Staff Army Group D. In

this work they c m n t on the Army promotion system.

-The Guides -to German Records Microfilmed -a t Alexandria,

Virginia. -Nos -46, -55, -58, -59, -60, -61, and 62 provi.de sumnaries of

captured German war docunents mi.crofilmed a t the Xati.onal Archives.

These particular guides cover German corps units. I t has swmaries

of the material photographed, a quick l i s t ing of campaigns, and some

carmanders. The ro l l s of microfilm include operations reports,

1ogisti.cs sumnaries, personnel lists, and enemy order of batt le

i.nformation. The guides are i n Engli.sh, the microfilms in German.

Not a l l unit records were captured, but those that were are the

23

single most important primary sources available in thi.s country.

CARL oms a smil percentage of the xkrofilm, but the National

Archives is reluctant to lend copies of their m microfilm on

inter -ii.brary loan.

German officer efficiency reports are discussed by Rudolf

Hofmann in "German Effidency Report System" another Historical

Division study. The author presents the history of the reporting

system, its importance t o prmti.ons, d i f i c a t i . o n s t o the system

during the war, and the impact of awards and decorations on

promoti.ons. Hofmann was the Chief of Staff t o the 9th Army, 15th

Army and Army Group H.

"The hmy Personnel Office" by Helmut Kleikamp provided the

Historical Division with an in-depth look a t officer performance,

the selecti.on system, c d training courses, and Nazi Party

influence. The author served in the Amy Personnel 0ffi.ce for two

years before assming comMnd of the 36th Infantry Division in the

closing months of the war.

Hasso von Manteuffel presented another detailed manuscript

to the U.S. Army with "Fast, Mobile and Xrmored Troops". He

describes the opposing branch vi.ews toward the creation of the

panzer branch, special attributes of armored comnanders, and the

i.nfluence Guderi.an had on a l l matters concerning a m r e d troops. Von

Manteuffel cmanded the 5th Panzer Army and the 3rd Panzer Army.

24

The l i te ramre reviewed i n this chapter was essential to the

research of thi.s thesis. Yore l i terature was used t o corroborate

corps c d assi-nts and is referenced i n the bibliography.

With the survey complete i.t i.s beneficial t o review the German corps

system of World War 11.

25

The German corps system served as a flexible cornnand and

control headquarters for combat divisions in a l l theaters of the

w a r . The corps headquarters i tself was a tactical and operational

headquarters only, unlike the headquarters a t division and army 1

which included logistic and administration functions.

Personnel staffing was limited but effective. The following

personnel strength was typical of mst fu l l strength corps 2headquarters:

Table 2

Corps Headquarters Strength

Officers C i v i l Servants Enlisted Total

Corps Staff 27 11 157 195

-Flapping Department 0 0 16 16

Military Police 2 0 31 33

Artillery Staff 6 0 16 22

Headquarters Troops 31 3 704 738

Total 66 14 924 1004

26

During the course of the war the G e m Amy fielded eight

different types of corps: infantry, panzer, mountain, reserve

infantry, reserve panzer, arti.llery, corps headquarters for special

employment, and cavalry/cossack corps. Whi.le a l l but three were

designated by Roman m r a l s , each had a somwhat different

organization and function.

Infantry corps (Anwekorps) formed the backbone of the army.

Each corps normally had two or three infantry divisions but the

cannand structure was flexible with respect to di.visions assigned 3

and to parent army assignment based on operational requi.rements.

Panzer corps (Panzerkorps) normally were in cornrand of a

group of divisions in whi.ch panzer or panzer-grenadier di.visi.ons

played a primary role. During the course of the war there were 4

eighteen panzer corps.

Eight mountain corps (Gebirgskorps) were raised from 1940-

1945. Specialized to fight i n mountainous and rough terrain, two

fought i n Norway, three i.n t5e 8alkns, one rotated jet'dee? both, 5

one campaigned in Italy, and one fought in southern Russia. hhen

forced t o fight i n non-mountain terrain, a mountain corps would

often assume control of one or two additional infantry divisions due

to the organi.zationa1 shortage of infantry in the two regiment 6

mountain divisions normally assigned.

27

Initially raised in September 1942, reserve i.nfantry

(Reservekorps) and reserve panzer corps (Keserve-Panzerkorps) served

as controllimg headquarters for the reserve divisions of the

Xeplacemnt Army. In additi.on to replacement and :raining functions,

they provided security duty in Poland, the Ukraine, and France. klany

were redesignated as actual infantry and panzer corps as the war 7

continued.

In the fall of 1944 several artillery units rimed People's

Artillery Corps (Volks-Artillerie Korps) were forned. However, these

were actually only reinforced brigades with five or six battalions

of artillery of varying caliber. For this study, the cmnanders of 8

these units, lieutenant colonels and colonels,w i l l not be analyzed.

Corps headquarters for special employrent (Generalkomnando

2.b.V) were created for operations in secure or quiet fronts and for 9

spcial purpose missions such as V-weapon sites. These units often

did not have the attached heavy artillery or anti-aixraft units

often found in front line organizations. As with reserve corps, many 10

were upgraded io frontline stacus as operations required.

Late in the war the German High cornnand created one cavalry

corps (Kavalleriekorps) and one Cossack cavalry corps (Kosaken-

Kavallerie-Korps). The cavalry corps controlled a mixture of

infantry, panzer, and Waffen SS divisi.ons, while the Cossack corps 11

contained both Cossack cavalry divisions of Russian volunteers.

28

The first of the named army corps was the German Africa

Corps (Deutsches Xfri.kakorps), fomd February 19, 1941 from German

expeditionary forces under R m l . Although the overall comnand was

upgraded from corps to panzer group in August 1941, the -Her

Africa Corps remained in the order of battle until the surrender of 12

German forces in Afri.ca, May 1943.

In the Fall of 1944 the final two named corps were

established, Panzer Corps Grossdeutschland (Panzerkorps Gross-

deutschland) and Panzer Corps Feldherrnhalle (Panzerkorps13

Feldherrnhalle). Both fought on the Eastern Front.

Corps =re frequently switched from control of one axmy to

another. Subordination to army headquarters for.severa1 sample types 14

of corps are s h m below:

Table 3

Parent Army Headquarters

(Assigned at Date)

k rps Type June 40 June 41 May 42 July 43 June 44

I Infantry 4th 18th 18th 18th 16th

111 Panzer 12th 6th 1st PZ AA Kempf 1st PZ

VI Infantry 2nd 9th 9th 3rd PZ 4th

XVI I Infantry 12th 6th 6th 6th 8th

29

Parent Army Headquarters (continued)

(ilssi.gned a t Date)

corps Trpe June 40 June 41 May 42 July 43 June &4

-

xxxv Special - 4th 2nd PZ 2nd PZ 9th

XXXIX P-r 12th 3rd PZ 16th 4th 4th

XXXXIX Mountain - 17th 1st PZ 17th -W X Reserve - - - 2nd PZ 2nd PZ

Legend:

4th: 4th Army 1st PZ: 1st Panzer A m y

- : Corps not f o m d AA: Amy k t a c h n t

The distributi.on of corps per army headquarters i.s shown i n the

followi.ng table of the existing army headquarters and the to t a l 15

number of corps assigned to each by date:

Table 4

W e r of Corps Assigned to A m y Headquarters

(by date shown)

Army 9.9.39 9.6.40 5.6.41 11.5.42 7.7.43 12.6.44 26.12.44

il

1st 2 1 2 3 1st PZ - 2 4 2 2nd - 2 2 2nd Pz - 3 3 3rd 2 - -

30

- - - -

Number of Corps Assigned to Amy Headquarters

(by date shown)

Amy 9.9.39 5.6.41 11.5.42 7.7.43 12.6.44 26.12.44 B

3rd PZ - 2 3 3 3 4 4th 3 7 3 5 3 5 4thPZ - 2 0 2 - 3 3 5th 2 - - - - -5th PZ - - - 0 0 26th - 6 4 3 4 3 6thPZ - 1 7 t h 1

~

4 6 8th . 2 2 1-9th 3 2 10th 5 2 311th - - -12th - - -14th 3 1 1-15th 5 2 1 6 ~ 5 - 4 417th - 0 118th - 2 219th - 1 3 20th KIN - 3 421st - - -25th - - 2

Total 20 51 43 52 53 60

Legend: - : Army not f o m d

0 : Arny f o m d but no corps assigned

These to t a l s are further modified when adding corps i n

transit from one army area t o another and corps direct ly

subordi.nated t o army group level. The to t a l corps assigned t o army

headquarters i n June 1944 was thus further increased t o seventy-

three with these additional categori.es. Total corps strength peaked 16

i n January 1945 a t seventy-seven.

31

Just as the number of corps varied per army, so did the

nmkr of ai.visi.ons a s s i p d ro each corps. The following cable 1 7

presents a sample of thi.s using the corps shown previ.ously:

Table 5

W e r of Assigned Divisions per Corps

(Infantry Divisions 1 Panzer or other type Divisi.ons)

Corps

I

Type of

corps

June 40 June 41 May 42 July 43 June 44

I Infantry 310 5/0 611SS 111L 2/0

I11 Panzer 310 010 013 113 114

V I ' Infantry 410 2/0 310 310 111

.xvII Infantry 210 510 210 310 210

xxxv Special - 110 310 410 510

XXXVI Mountah 210 2!0 210 210 2/0

XXXIX Panzer 112 213 111 310 410

XXXXIX W t a i n - 6/0 210 3/1R -LSIX Xeserve L!O 1;1c

Legend:

110: One i.nfantry, no panzer divi.si.ons assigned

611SS: Six infantry, one Waffen SS divi.si.ons assigned

11lL: One infantry, one Luftwaffe fi.eld divi.sions assigned

3/1R: Three i.nfantry, one Rumanian divisions assigned

1IlC: One infantry, one Cossack division assigned

- : Corps not f o m d

32

In addition t o assigning divisi.ons, the High Comnsnd could

weight combat w r LO inai.vidua1 corps by attac'ment of s-cialized

units. One of the best examples of this technique occurred during

the Kursk offensive witkin the 4th Panzer Army and Ar;rry Detac'mnt

Kempf. The breakdown of specialized units for two corps was as -

18 f o l l m :

I11 Panzer Corps

Rocket Projector Regiuent 54 Flak Regiment 99

Heavy Tank Battalion 503 Flak Regiment 153

Engineer Regitrent 674 Assault G u n Battalion 228

Engi-neer Regiment 601 2nd Bn., Art i l lery Regiment 71

Engineer Battalion 70 Heavy Art i l lery Battali.on 857

Engi.neer Battalion 127 2nd Bn., Arti.llery Regiment 62

Engineer Bridge Battalion 531

XXXXII Corps

deavy rlnti.-Tank 3atcallon 560 F!ak Kegiment 77

Heavy Anti.-Tank Battalion C Light Observation Battalion 13

Mountain Engineer Regiment 620 Construction Regiment 26

2nd Bty., Heavy Artillery Bn 800 Construction Battali.on 219

Construction Battalion 112 Constructi.on Battalion 153

33

In s m r y the German corps system was an efficient,

flexible tactical comnand headquarters whi.ch effectively linked the

fighting divisi.ons to the f ie ld armies. The corps reflected the

combined arms doctrine by both the assignment of divisions and by

attachment of combat support assets. The variety of corps types

faci l i ta ted the wide range of mi.ssions the German Army was required

t o perform in differing terrai.n and climatic condi.ti.ons. Finally,

the system was extremely flexible to rapidly permit both lower and

higher reorganization.

With t h i s understanding of the scope of the corps system,

thi.s study can now begin t o analyze the characterhtics of the

c m n d e r s of these significant units.

ENDNOTES

Martin van Creveld, Fi.ghtiw Power, German Xili tarv Performance, 1914-1945. (Potomac, Maryland: C&L Defense Consultants), 1980, p.56.

Ibid., p.58.

March of Conquest: The German Vi.ctories -Western Europe, 1940.7ew York: Simon and ScEt-958, p.18.

Telford Taylor, The -- i n

R. James Bender and Warren W. Odegard, Uniforms, -and History of the Panzertruppe. (San Jose: R. James Be p.60.

5 James h a s , A 1 ine Elite - German Mountain Troops of World War 11. (London: J a n e ' h 8 - 1 8 6 . -

6 Ibid., p.89. 7 Wehrmacht und m x

' Wolf Keilig, Das Deutsche Heer 1939-1945. (Bad Nauhein, mG.: Pcdzun Verlag), 1936; v ~ ~ Z T

Ibid., Vol 1, p.90/5.

loTaylor, The March. p.18.

Tessin, Verbaende. Vol 2, p.14 and Vol 1, p.5.

K l a u s Christian Richter, Die Geschichte der deutschen Kavallerie 1919-1945, (Stut tgar t , FRG: Notorbuch V e r l a x 1982, pp. 267-275 and 374-375.

The XV Cossack Corps was formed from the many disgruntledcossack prisoners of war and volunteers seeking to gain Cossack i.ndependence from the Soviets. 1ndivi.dual regiments were groupingsof t e r r i t o r i a l clans such as from the Don Basin, the Terek Steppe, etc. Prior t o 1945 these units had operated independently in support of established German units. The XV Cossack Corps was organized February 1, 1945 as follows:

1st Cossack Cavalry Division Don Cossack Regiment 1 Siberian Cossack Regiment 2 Kuban Cossack Regiment 4 Cossack Arti.llery Regiment 1

35

2nd Cossack Cavalry Division Kuban Cossack Regiment 3 Don Cossack Xegknt 5 Terek Cossack Regiment 6 Cossack Artillery Regiment 2

Plastun (InTantry) Brigade Plastun (Infantry) Regiment 7 Plastun (Infantry) Regiment 8 Reconnaissance Detachmnt

l2 R. James Bender and Ftichard D. Law',Uniforms, Organization and of the Afrikakorps. ( S a n Jose: R. James Bender), 1 9 rs 3 . - -

The Africa Corps was mre lightly organized than most other German corps of the war. h i n g the campai.gn it had the 5th LightDivisi.on (later the 21st Panzer Division) and the 15th Panzer Division assigned. In addition the following indi.vi.dua1 combat units were assigned to the corps:

Anti.-TankBattalion 605 1st Bn. Flak Reghnt 18 1st Bn. Flak Xeghnt 33 Flak Battalion 606 Reconnaissance Company 580

l3 Tessin, Verbaende. Vol 1, p.18.

Panzer Corps Grossdeutschland had the proposed organization of:

Panzer Grenadier Division Grossdeutschland Panzer Grenadier Division Brandenburg Corps Fusili.er Regiment Heavy Tank Battalion One Artillery Regiment Armored Engineer Battalion

Panzer Corps r'eldherrhaile had the proposed organization of:

Panzer Division Feldherrnhalle Panzer Grenadier Division Feldherrnhalle 2 Corps Fusilier Regiment Heavy Tank Battalion One Artillery Regiment Armored Engineer Battali.on

Both corps were intended to be a mre permanent organizati.on than other corps with divi.sions assigned on a mre permanent basis.

36

- --

l4 Tessin, Verbaende. Vol 2, pp.14, 95, 160; Vol 3, pp.5-6; Vol 4,p.55; V O ~5, pp. 43, 53, 78, 155, 225, 246.

Tessin, Verbaende. Vol 2, pp.1-3, 5-7, 54-86, 89-92, 153, 154- 156, 220-222, 226-227, 281-283; Vol 3, pp.1-9, 50-52, 87-90, 124- 126, 160-162, 191-194, 227-229, 287-289; V O ~4,pp.1-3, 24-27, 50- 52, 80-83, 111-112, 129-131, 221.

Tessin, Verbaende. Vol 1, pp.17-19.

l7 Tessin, Verbaende. Vol 2, pp.1-3, 5-7, 54-86, 89-92, 153, 154-156, 220-222, 226-227, 281-283; V O ~ 3, pp.1-9, 50-52, 87-90, 124- 126, 160-162, 191-194, 227-229, 287-289; V O ~4,pp.1-3, 24-27, 50- 52, 80-83, 111-112, 12’3-131, 221.

l8 Silvester Stadler, Di.e Offensive Kursk 1943, (Osnabrueck,FRG: &.n Verlag), 1980, p.38.

37

CHAPTER4

B;1cKGRouND, EDUCATION, AND EXF'WIENCE

This chapter w i l l be to examine the background, education,

and experience factors of German corps comnanders i n World War 11. 4

total of 332 men served as permanent or acting comnanders for the

ninety-three German Army corps from 1939 t o 1945. Central to a

thorough understanding of these factors is a review of the system of

general officer grades and their equivalent American counterparts.

The basic grade system is s h m below:

Table 6

General Officer Grades

German Grade Abbreviation Eng l i.sh American

Trans 1ati.on Equi.valent

Gener a1 fe ldmarschall GFM Field Marschal General of

the Army

Generaloberst Go Colonel General General

General der 1nfanteri.e GdI General of Infantry Lieutenant

General

38

G e m Rank Abbreviation English American

Translation Equivalent

General der Artillerie GdA General of Arti.llery Lieutenant

General

General der Panzer GdPz General of Panzers I ,

General der Pionier GdPi General of Engineers

General der Gebirgs- GdGebTr General of Hountain

trim= Troops

General der Kavallerie GdKav General of Cavalry

Generalleutnant GL Lieutenant General Major

General

Generalmajor GM Major General Brigadier

General

In comparing German grades with American ones it should be

noted that a G e m generalmajor w a s routinely a corrmander of a

divi.si.on. h i l e his . k r i c a n counterpart seldom was. Movfnp a?. a

generalleutnant could camnand ei.ther a di.visi.on or corps, h i i e his

major general Ameri.can counterpart mst often stayed a t division 1

level. To av0i.d thi.s mental conversi.on of grades I will use German

grade for a l l comnanders.

39

BACKGROND

AGE

Tne f i r s t characteristic to be examined is age. Yajor

General J.F.C. Fuller i n his work Generalship -Its Diseases -and

-Their Cure: A study of the Personal Factor i.n Gnunand that-- -- - states

physical vigor and energy are important assets of genera1shi.p and 2

are usually found i n younger men. t!espi.te thi.s theory, the German

corps comnanders were a mature group of individuals and were not

young by the standards of the time. The following i.nfonnation shows

the age groups as defined by age on assuming corps comnand.

Table 7

Age of Comnanders

Mmkr of Officers* Percentage of Total

40 to 44 6 1.8

45 to 50 104 31.8

51 to 55 162 49.5

56 to 60 44 13.4

61 to 65 11 3.3

* Note: Ages were determi.ned for 327 of 332 c m n d e r s

40

The oldest individual was GL tIans Schmidt who was 64 years

old &en he assmed c m d of the IX Corps in 1940. 'I"ne ;iomgest

was GM K u r t von Liebenstein who assmed c d of the Africa Corps,

January 1943, a t age 43.

OFFICER SELECTION

Prior to World W a r I an i.ndividua1 could become an officer

by attending one of ten cadet schools or by applying directly to a

regimental comnander. Applicants were evaluated for responsi-bili.ty ,

willpower, and character. Educational factors were consi.dered

secondary. The mst significant element of education was the

"Abitur", a diploma recognizing nine years of primary and secondary

education, and granting the recipient the right to enter a

university. The s ta te of Bavaria demanded the officer candidate

possess this cer t i f icate while by 1910 some 637. of a l l Prussian

cadets had earned one. Long tern implications for the Abitur were

even mre significant as acceptance for General Staff training3

depended on i t .

k i n g World War I , huge demands for officers caused a

di.lution in the character and educational standards of offi.cer

candi.dates. Casualties i.ncreased whi.le replacements were drawn from

older reservists and inexperienced young officers. In 1916 the

Supreme Headquarters began to transfer members of the "old officer

corps" from the front 1i.nes to General Staff service in an attempt

to prevent the total destructi.on of the tradi.tiona1 officer corps.

41

4

After the conflict selecti.on again became diffi.cult. Under

che ?rovi.sions of :he Treaty of Versailles, tne post-war ilei.cnswehr

was reduced to 4,000 officers, of whom 3,000 were wartime officers

and 1,000 were promoted noncomni.ssi.oned officers. Outside candidates

were expected to have an extensive pre-university education level.

The Abitur was desi.red but not required. In its place, the candidate

could take special equivalency examinations, a system which assisted 5

enlisted candidates lacking i n formal educati.on.

The environment through which the future corps ccnananders

entered service fostered candidates with a l l around excellent

character rather than m r e educated, technically oriented

individuals. Additionally, character was often judged by the status

of family influence and wealth. One standard was that of nobility

and w i l l be examined next.

42

NOBILITY

Gr%ile most officers were members of the upper and middle

classes, officers of noble descent had always f i y e d prominently in

German military tradition. k i r g the Reichswehr era of 1924-1932,

nobility again fared well in the cmpsi . t ion of the officer corps.

The following three tables reflect nobility composition of newly

promoted majors (major), lieutenant colonels (oberstleutnant) and

colonels (oberst). Nany of the la ter corps comnanders passed through 6

these grades during this time.

Table 8

Newly P r m t e d Ynjors

Year Promoted Nobles Percent Noble

1924 73 12 16.4

1925 68 16 23.5

1926 74 19 25.6

1927 81 i 7 20.9

1928 93 27 29.0

1929 65 16 24.6

1930 66 10 15.1

1931 90 17 18.8

1932 73 5 1.3

Total 683 139 20.3

43

Table 9

Newiy Trmoted Lieutenant Colonels

Year

1924

1925

1926

1927

1928

1929

1930

1931

1932

Total

Year

1924

1925

1926

1927

Promoted

43

30

43

61

67

7 1

70

83

65

533

Nobles

14

6

13

17

26

17

14

22

12

141

Percent Hoble

32.5

20.0

30.2

27.8

38.8

23.9

20.0

26.5

, 18.4

26.4

* Table 10

Newly Promoted Colonels

Promoted

32

27

29

34

Nobles

10

12

13

7

Percent Noble

31.2

44.4

44.8

20.5

44

Newly Promoted Colonels (continued)

Year Pronoted Nobles Percent Noble

1928 45 13 28.8

1929 40 15 37.5

1930 46 11 23.9

1931 55 22 40.0

1932 45 1 0 22.2

Total 353 113 32.0

However, the high percentage of nobility during the 1932-

1945 p r i o d diminished. In 1932, 23.8% of a l l officers were nobles 7

with 52% of general officers i n this category. This percentage had

dwindled by 1939. A t the beginning of the war, although the .4rmy had

a large number of landed gentry and aristocracy, the percentage of 8

noble general officers had dropped to 33. This percentage decli.ned 9

even further by 1944 when only 19% of a l l generals were nobles.

The scope of this thesis nust 1imi.t the thorough

investi.gation of the various s t ra ta of nobility. David Nelson 1u

Spi.res' doctoral dissertati.on points out that:

...as far as the Reichswehr is concerned, "old" officer families or those that traditionally had supplied off- icers t o the army, could be mre significant than "new" noble families.

45

CXoer Bartov in his study of the German hrny on the Eastern

Front defines rmbership i n the nobili.ty as a l l officers with a

"von" and other prefixs of arist0crati.c origin attached to the 11

family name. Using this definici.on, the following pattern of

nobility emerges when examining the corps COIIpnanders. -

Table 11

comnanders of Noble Descent

Year Comnanders of Noble

Descent i n Corps Ccomand

1937 8

1938 9

1939 13

1940 21

1941 22

1942 31

1943 31

1944 29

1945 27

Seventy-five (22.69.) of the corps comnanders were members of

the nobility. From the results of this analysis it appears as though

this representation remained constant throughout the war.

Addi.tionally, thi.s figure corresponds closely with the percentage of

total general officers.

46

EXPANSION OF THE i(EICHS'dm

k i n g the 1930s, the German Army dramatically increased i n

si.ze. This expansion directly affected the Officer Corps. In 1938

for example, the Army expanded by 7,600 officers: 2,000 recruits,

2,500 la te ra l transfers from the police, 1,500 noncorrmissioned

officer prmotions, 1,800 reactivations from inactive service, and 12

1,600 Austrian officers incorporated i.nto the Wehnuacht. The

variety of sources for general officers who la ter assumed corps

camand are as shown:

Table 12

Comnander's Background

Category Number Comnanders Percentage

Career (Served in WWI 268 80.7

and r a i n e d i n Xeichsweh)

Recalled from iietirement 22 6.6

(In Rei.chswehr, re t i red)

Transferred from Police 27 8.1

(Served in NJI, l e f t Army,

returned with Police rank)

47

Comnander's Background (continued)

Category Number Conananders Per cent age

Joined during 1930s Expansion 4 1.2

(Served in WWI, l e f t Army,

rejoined Army i n mid 1930s)

Incorporated from Austrian Army 11 3.3

Several of these sources of officers should be explained.

More than 80 general offi.cers were recalled from active duty in 1939

from the inacti.ve li.st, and wi.th the continued expansion during the 13

war m y more were brought back.

Twenty-two generals recalled to active duty later comnancied

a t the corps level. &call t o service could be accomplished by two

mthods. Sme retired officers were ternporarily restored to the

regular l i s t , while others were designaced z.V ( m r V e r f u e m ) or 14

"at di.sposa1". As expected, most recalled officers were among the

oldest of the cannariders. Seventeen returned to retirement during

the war, one died i.n comnand, and four remained on active service.

Only one corps comnander d-10 had been recalled from retirement was 15

selected for higher camand.

48

During the mid 1930s many offi.cers rejoined the Xeichswehr

from the police. As an inducement, these men retained their f o m r

poli.ce rank ranging from hauptmann (captain) to generalmajor.

Professional competence of officers h o did not remain in

the Army after World War I was not held in high regard. Guenther

Blumentritt, a former army group chief of staff and cunnander of the

1st Airborne Army i.n 1945, stated that the performances of officers

who reti.red i n 1919 and rejoined during the mid-1930s was lower as

these officers s t i l l believed in obsolete Fi.rst World War 16

experiences.

Despite Blumentritt's assertion, twenty-seven generals who

returned to the Army i n the mid 1930s fiom the police achieved corps

cannard. Nost were absorbed into the infantry. Five later conrnanded

a t the army or army group level, representing 19% of a l l corps17

c d e r s with police backgrounds, and are shown below:

Table 13

Corps Gmnanders with Police Backgrounds

Grade Name Corps Highest Grade Higher Camands

Corrmand

GdPz Eberbach mv11 Pz GdPz 5th Panzer Army

XxxXvIII Pz 7th Amy

xxxx Pz

49

Corps Comnanders with Police Backgrounds (continued)

Grade N a m e Corps Highest Grade Higher Carmands

Gmmland

GdI Grasser XXVI GdI 11th Army

LVI Pz

GL Wller ,F V GdI 18

4th Army

XXXIV 2.b.V

LIX

LXVIII

GdI Wiese VIII GdI 19th Army

xxxv GdI von Zangen LXXXIV GdI 15th Amy

LXXXVII

In examining Blurent?i.tt's assertion more deepiy, xi find

that seven former poli.ce officers comnanded panzer corps, positions

that would seem to require the greatest understanding of modern

mobile warfare. This would seem to undermine che "anti-police"

school of thought until we look at durati.on of c m n d . The

following table shows that only two (29%) comnanded longer than one

mnth. Although Kaellner and Schuenemnn were killed in action it

appears as though "police" comnanders were thought of mre as

temporary panzer corps comrmders than permanent.

50

Table 14

Panzer Corps Comnanders with Poli.ce Bac'kgrounds

Grade N a m e Corps Durati.on of Cornnand

GL Beyer,F LVII Pz 8 days

GdPz Eberbach XxxxVII Pz 7 days

XxxXvIII Pz 27 days

xxxx Pz 9 days

GdPz Fries XxxxVI Pz 4 months

GL Grasser LVI Pz 24 days

GdPz Henrici,S xxxx Pz 18 months

GL Kaellner XXIV Pz 29 days

GL schuenerrmann m1x Pz 1 day

After the annexation of Austria i n i938 ( the Anschluss),

three Austrian corps composed of six divisions were incorporated

in to the German Amy, with a corresponding number of senior i9

off icers . Austri.an of f icers conpared favorably to the i r G e m n

counterparts i n conpetency and leadership. The following ten

Austri.an of f icers achieved corps ccnirnand and were promoted t o higher 20

ccrrmand positi.ons a s s h m :

51

Table 15

Austri.an Army and Army Group Comanaers

Grade Name

GdI Fiendulic

GdPz b u s

GI, Eibl

GdI Yiterna

GdI kyer ,E

GdA Marti-nek

GL Feurstein

GL Eglseer

GL Ringel

GL von Nagy

GdPz Hubicki.

Corps

cornnand

XXXV

XxxXvII Pz

XXIV Pz

XX

XVIII

XXXIX Pz

UII

Lxx

LI Mtn

XVIII Mtn

LXIX Mtn

WI

W I X Pz

Highest Grade

Go

Go

GdI (Post.)

GdI

GdI

GdA

GdGebTr

GdGebTr

GdGebTr

GdI

W Z

52

Bigker C m n d s

2nd Panzer Army

20th 4lountain Army

Army Group Kurland

Army Group North

Army Group South

1st Panzer Amy

3rd Panzer Army

4th Panzer Army L l

None (KIA)

None

None (Died)

None (KIA)

None

None (Ki l led i n

plane crash)

None

None

N O W

5RAiV.X AFFILIATION

Branch r i v a l r i e s played a large ro le i n comnand

relations’hips i n the Amy during both the expansion era and actual

w a r t i m e . David Nelson Spires again presents baseline data for branch

composition for promotion i n the Reichswehr e r a as shown for 22

generalmajor, generalleutnant, and general.

Table 16

Newly Promoted Generalmajor

Year Promoted Infantry Cavalry Ar t i l l e ry Technical

11 % 11 7. ;I % 11 x

1924 13 4 30.7 2 15.4 7 53.8 0 0.0

1925 8 1 12.5 2 25.0 4 50.0 1 1.2.5

1926 10 5 50.0 1 10.0 3 30.0 1 10.0

1927 15 7 46.6 1 6.6 5 33.3 2 13.3

1928 16 11 68.7 0 0.0 5 31.2 0 0.0

1929 i 7 i0 58.1; 2 i1.7 5 29.4 0 0.0

1930 19 12 63.1 0 0.0 7 36.8 0 0.0

1931 1 7 10 58.8 1 11.7 4 23.5 2 11.7

1932 19 11 57.8 2 10.5 6 31.5 0 0.0

Total 134 71 52.9 11 8.2 46 34.3 6 4.4

53

Table 17

Xewly Romoted Generalleutnanr:

Year Promoted Infantry Cavalry Artillery Technical

11 % II % /I 70 c %

1924 4 3 75.0 0 0.0 1 25.0 0 0.0

1925 4 2 50.0 1 25.0 1 25.0 0 0.0

1926 5 5 100.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0

1927 7 4 57.1 1 14.2 2 28.5 0 0.0

1928 6 1 16.6 3 50.0 2 33.3 0 0.0

1929 6 3 50.0 1 16.6 2 33.3 0 0.0

1930 7 4 57.1 1 14.2 2 28.5 0 0.0

1931 5 3 60.0 1 20.0 1 20.0 0 0.0

1932 6 4 66.6 0 0.0 2 33.3 0 0.0

Total 50 29 58.0 8 16.0 13 26.0 0 0.0

Tabie i8

Newly P r m t e d General der Infanterie, etc.

Year Pronoted Infantry

I %

Cavalry

/I %

Artillery

/I %

Technical

II %

1924

1925

0

2

0

1

0.0

50.0

0

1

0.0

50.0

0

0

0.0

0.0

0

0

0.0

0.0

54

Newly Promoted General der Infanterie, etc. (continued)

Year Promoted Infantry Cavalry Artillery Technical

I 7. t 7. t '7. I 1926 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0

1927 2 1 50.0 0 0.0 1 50.0 0 0.0

1928 2 1 50.0 0 0.0 1 50.0 0 0.0

1929 1 1 100.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0

1930 1 0 0.0 0 0.0 1 100.0 0 0.0

1931 1 1 100.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0

1932 1 1 100.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0

Total a 5 62.5 0 0.0 3 37.5 0 0.0

Older generals viewed infantry as the dominant branch and

attempted t o control the Army Personnel Branch to the detriment of 23

other branch offi.cers. This was especially so w i t n respect to the

formation of the new panzer forces. Hasso von W t e u f f e l stated that

the new 7anzer brancn required speciai leaders anu carmnanaers, but

the older arms displayed opposing views. To maintain s tab i l i ty

within the armored force, GO Heinz Guderi.an r e p r t e d directly to

Hitler as Inspector-General of b r e d Troops and had full input 24

concerning appointments to the comnand of armored formations.

55

The distribution of corps comnanders by branch was as

follars:

Table 19

Branch Aff i.lia t ion

Branch Number of Comnanders Percentage

InfXCTY 171 51.5

Artillery 63 18.9

Panzer 54 16.2

Cavalry 18 5.4

bunta in Troops 15 4.5

Engineer 9 2.7

Luftwaffe 2 0.6

Another aspect of branch affi.liation concerns the comnanders

of panzer corps and mountain corps. Sixtyone per cent of a l l panzer

corps comanders were of the panzer branch, h i l e forty-one perc.ent

of the conmanders of the m t a i n corps were mountain troop

officers. Artillery and cavalry officers comnanded i n both infantry

and panzer corps. Infantry generals served across the entire

spectnnn of uni ts.

56

GENERAL STAFF SERVICE

The German General S t a f f Corps was a group of specially

selected, trained, and educated officers. Its mission was to serve

as a control mechanism to assis t the ccarmander i n directing large

military units. This included planning, coordinating, supervising, 25

and assuring operational readiness.

Candi.dates for the General Staff were selected based on 26

"character, di .spsit ion, physi.ca1, and intellectual abil i t ies".

Nemkrship was always select. Fewer than one percent of a l l officers

i n the Army were selected as General Staff Corps officers i n the

PNSsian Army. Membership rose t o twenty percent during the Weimar 27 28

Republic. By 1939 this amounted to 417 officers.

Austri.an General Staff officers had l i t t l e difficulty after

the Anschluss in obtaining positions on the German General Staff. A

former Austrian officer, General de Sartha, stated that in many

respects th Austrian General Staff was the equal of its German 29

counter?art.

Although the size of the General Staff increased to 1167

offi.cers by 1944, their relative importance i n the Amy hierarchy 30

began t o decrease beginning i n 1941. After the failure to take

Moscow i n December 1941, Hitler unfairly blamed not only several

high ranki.ng c m n d e r s , but also the General Staff for the lack of 31

adequate winter preparations.

57

In September 1942 Hitler accused the General Staff of

"cowardice" and berated GO Haiaer, Cuef of Army General Staff. This

led to Halder's dismissal and marked the end of the period when the 32

General Staff t r u l y conducted operati.ons.

Many corps ccmmanders were menbers of the General Staff.

Their prominence during the war was significant and will be

i discussed a t length in a later chapter. Distribution of corps 33

c d e r s with General S taf f experience is as shown:

Table 20

Comnanders from the General Staff

Year hnber of Comnanders Percentage, of Total

from General Staff

1939 31 66

1940 50 70

1941 61 il

1942 75 57

1943 83 49

1944 82 40

1945 50

58

36

Thi.s trend minors Hit ler ' s increasing intervention with the

officer corps. 8y January 1943 he ordered the reintegration of the

General Staff into the regular officer corps and established

performance as the primary c r i te r ia for promoti.on, not General S t a f f 34

membership.

PREVIOUS COMMAND AND STAFF EXPERIENCE

As i n a l l military organizations, mst corps cmmnders had

established a pattern of successful performance a t previous cornnand

and staff assi.gments. In the staff arena, two General Staff

positions were considered extremely important: operations officer

( Ia ) of a division and chief of staff a t a corps or higher level.

Division operations officers normally held the rank of

major. In addition to his duties in operations, he also served as

the chief of staff as the division structure di.d not allocate a

separate position for one. The division supply officer ( Ib) and the 35

di.vi.sion intelligence officer ( Ic ) were subordinated to him.

Chiefs of staff had m h m r e prestige and authority than 36

other oEficers of equal rank. Colonels and lieutenant colonels

59

served as corps chiefs of s ta f f , while army chiefs of staff were

usual ly colonels or major generals. Responsibilities for the corys

chief of staff were in i t ia l ly laid out in the h s i a n Army in 1814 37

and formalized in 1865 i.n a royal order which stated:

When I have given no special i.nstructi.ons on f i l l i ng the post of a general comnanding duringhis temporary absence, the chi.ef of the General Staff will transact the current duties of the general.. .

In reviewing prior staff service, thir ty corps comnanders

had been division operations officers, sixty-six served previ.ously

as corps chiefs of staff, and thirty-eight were army chiefs of

s taff . m t i p l e staff assignments of service as both corps and army

chief of staff were held by thirty-four la ter c d r s . While

these staff assignments were not mandatory prerequisites for future

comnand, they certai.nly were indicators of excellent performance and

potential.

In addition t o previous staff experi.ence, prior division

comnand was essenti.al for elevation to corps c m n d . This trend is 38

imrplified by the following division comnand s m r y :

60

Table 21

Prior i)ivisi.on camand Experience

Corps Comnanders Mmkr Percentage

who were colnnanders of: -

Infantry Divisions 246 74.1

Panzer Divisi.ons 40 12.0

Reserve Divisions 0 0.0

Infantry and Panzer Divisi.0- 11 3.3

No division comnand 35 10.5

An analysis of pri.or division cornnand experience reveals

several important trends. F i r s t , 89.59. of a l l corps cmmnders had

srior di.visi.on c m n d experience. Yost of the 5irf:r-five -ho did

not were very senior generals h o comnanded corps a t the s t a r t of

the war. Tnus, their opportunities for division cnrmand were limited

by the smaller size of the army i n the mid-1930s. Those less senior

who did not comnand a t the divisi.on level frequently were General

Staff officers who held significant staff comnands a t corps, army,

and army group level.

61

None of the corps comnanders had previous reserve division

coIimand as his sole division comnanci experi.ence. I t is safe to

conclude that reserve division colTpnand signalled li.ttle possibility

for further conmand progression.

Fifty-one corps c m d e r s (15.4%) previ.ously comnanded

panzer divisions. In examining the panzer corps, thirty-six

comnanders (40.9%) had previously comnanded panzer divisi.ons. Of

every three panzer division comnanders who la ter comnanded a t the

corps level, two commded a panzer corps while one comnanded a

corps of a different type. No single panzer division served as an

overwhelming source of future panzer corps c m n d e r s . The 4th and

11th Panzer Divisions each produced four. When an individual proved

' he could successfully covmand division mobile forces, he was quite

li-kely to be retained by Guderian and the panzer branch for further

panzer corps comnands, rather than be 'transferred to other

formations.

LNFLUENCE OF THE XAZI PARTY

According to Helmt Kleikamp, author of "The Army Personnel

Office", with very few excepti.ons the Nazi party exercised no

influence on A m y appointmentments. Army officer promotions and

assignrents were based on performance and qualifications, not 39

polit ical considerations.

62

One facet of party aff i l ia t ion was the Nazi Party's highest

decoration for service, "The Decoration of 9 Xovember 1923" also

horn as "The Blood Order". Hitler created this decoration in b r c h

1934 to comnemorate the failed Putsch (attempted overt'mow of

Bavarian government) of November 9, 1923 in M i c h . Eligi.bi.lity was

i.niti.ally limited to persons who had participated i n the events of

November 9th and who were Party members by January 1, 1932. These

individuals were affectionally known as "Old k a d e s " . In 1938,

e l ig ib i l i ty was expanded to persons who had rendered outstanding

services to the Party i n the 1920s and had received a Weeimar court

death sentence and served a t least one year i n j a i l for poli t ical40

crimes, or been severely wounded or kil led i n Party service.

. Awards for this f i r s t cri terion of eligibil i . ty totaled 1500. .

O f these 810 went to Party members, 500 to Freikorps troopers, and

140 to Reichswehr and Poli.ce members. Seven Reichswehr recipients

went on to become general officers: Johannes Block, Curt-Ulrich von

Gersdorff, Wolfdietrkh von Xylander , Edurd lorn, Robert a c h e r ,

Paul Hermann, and Theodor i(retschwr. Only one went on to become a 41

corps cnrmander.

Although Party off ic ia ls may have had no influence on

appointments and promotions, indirect pressures existed in the

presence of several senior Army off ic ia ls who sympathized with the 42

Nazi.s and could affect personnel issues. Generalfeldmarschall

W i l h e l m Keitel, General der Infanterie Rudolf Schmundt, and General

der Infanterie W i l h e l m Burgdorf were three of these men.

63

W i . l h e l m Keitel served as Chief of Staff of the Combined

Services (OKW) from 1938 to the end of the war. Xichard Brett-Smith,

author of Hitler's Generals, states that Keitel did mre than anyone

to "bring about the domination of the Xeichswehr by the Nazis."

Married to Generalfeldmarschall von Blomberg's daughter, he was in

addition the brother of the Chief of the Army Personnel Office

Bodewin Keitel and undoubtedly had some influence in appointxents.

H i s duty assigrrment can be sumnari.zed as funneling Hitler's orders

dam t o the Army and passing up, with a dose of interpretation, 43

their complaints and questions t o the Fuehrer.

Rudolf Schmndt was Chief of the Army Personnel Office f r m

Bodewin Keitel's departure in 1942 to his am death as a resul t of

. injuries suffered i.n the July 20 bombing a t Hitler's .headquarters.

Again Brett-Smith categorizes S c M t as an avowed Nazi who was

ham throughout the Officer Corps as "John the Disciple". Schmundr

influenced a wide range of appointmnts to include even army group

comnand and probably speeded the rise of several like-minded 44

officers.

Wilhelm Burgdorf served faithfully as chief Wehrmacht

adjutant to Hitler pri.or t o assuming the postion of Personnel Chief

from Rudolf Sctrrrmndt i n 1944. He was "hated for hi.s brutali ty by 99

per cent of the officer corps" stated Manfred R m l , son of

Generalfeldmarschall R m l . Frcm colonel to general he did not

64

c d troops but did show loyalty and discretion toward Hi.tler and

was entrusted wi.th v i s i t i n g R-1 .*ith the choice of suicide or 45

arrest for involvement i n the July 20 Plot.

The influence of these mn on the Army Personnel Office was

probably i.n the l ine of what they did not do mre than what they

did. I t would have been very diff icul t t o explain that a particular

officer was selected for a position because he was a National

Socialist. But for officers seeking to return t o active duty from

retirement or volunteering for frontline service from the

Replacement Army bureaucratic delays and refusals 46

were surely i n

order for chronic complainers against the Nazis.

The background i.nformation i n th i s chapter shows the corps

comnanders generally to be mature indi.viduals of approximately 50-57

years of age. About 23 7. were members of the nobili.ty, generally the

same as for general offi.cers as a whole. Most corrmanders were career

soldiers with minterrupted service from "'Or?d ':Jar I , sore encerec

the Army from the police, the Austrian Army after the Anschluss, and

some were recalled from reti.rement. Concerning branch aff i l ia t ion,

52 7. were infantry officers, 19 % ar t i l l e ry , and 16 7. panzer. A l m o s t

50 % of the corps comnanders were General Staff officers with many

having staff experience as division operations officers and corps

chiefs of s ta f f . More than 89 7. had been d ivkion ccmnanders.

Finally, Nazi Party influence was minimal i n their ri.se.

65

--- - 1 Ri.chard Brett-Smith, Hitler 's Generals, (San Rafael,

Cali.fornia: Presidi.0 Press), 1937, p.12. 2

J.F.C. Fuller, Generalship Its Diseases and Their Cure: A Studv - -of the Personal Factor i n Comnand,-(Harrisburg, PennsyTvania:Military Servi.ce Umngx.),, p.70.

3 Martin van Creveld, Fi.ghti.ng Power, Gem Militar Performance, 1914-1945, (Potanac, Maryland: C&L Associates)* pp. 150-152.

4 Martin van Creveld, Fightiw, Power -, p. 152.

5 Martin van Creveld, Fi.&tirg -Power, p. 152.

The selection process for Eduard Zorn, a later generalmajor, w a s a typical one and worthy of review. Late i n 1920 Zorn applied in writing to the comnander of Infantry Regiment 19 Colonel Ritter von Haack for admission for officer training. In his application Zorn included informati.on on: date of bi.rth, s ta te aff i l ia t ion, religion, level of educati-on, profession of father, and personal history. In addition he furnished two r e c m n d a t i o n l e t t e r s from prominentcitizens of his comrmnity.

During the ensuing background investigation, Zorn underwent a physical aptitude and mdical tes t . With these complete, he participated in a one t o three day personal interview with Colonel von Haack and selected members of hi.s staff .

The results of this process ref lect Zorn's aptitude for service. He was a candidate for the Abitur which fulf i l led educati.ona1 requirements. H i s character was exemplary as he was the son of an officer killed in action during World War I. Additionally,hi.s brother Hans was already a juni.or officer i.n the regiment and had an excellent service record himself. In sum, Eduara Zorn was i.ntellisent, physically f i t , motivated, and apli . t ica1. Davi.d Nelson Spi.res, "The Career of the Reichswehr Offi.cer", ( k c t o r of Philosophy ilissertation: Universi.tjr of iqasningtcn), iY79, pp.3-iZ.

6 David Nelson Spires, "The Career of the Rei.cnswetu Officer",

p.508. I her Bartov, The Eastern Front, 1941-45, German Troo s and

Barbarisation -of W a z r m Y o r k : S t . Martin's P r e s s d 6 z . 4 3 . a Richard Brett-Smi.th, Hitler's Generals, p.5. 9

her Bartov, -The Eastern E,p.43. 10 David Nelson Spires, "The Career of the Reichswehr Officer",

p.27.

66

11 Ckner Bartov, -The Eastern Front, p.172.

12 Michael Geyer, "The Transformation of the German Officer Corps"

(Ann Arbor, Echigan: Uni.versi.ty of Michigan), p.44. 13

Telford Taylor, The March-- of Conauest: -The German Victories i n Western Europe, 1940,Tew York: Simon and Schus- 1958, p p . zand.

-14 Telford Taylor, The March, p. 409.

Table 22 Corps Comnanders Coming Gut of Retirement

Grade Name Corps Date 0ri.gi.nally Date Fi.nally Comnanded Retired R e t i red

GdI Boehm-Tettelbach XXXII 31.3.33 28.2.43 XXXVII 7 711

GL Brandt ,G XXXI I 31.1.31 31.8.42 GL Feige m 30.9.35 30.6.42 GdI Geyer IX 30.4.39 31.12.43 GL von Gienanth XXXVI 30.9.33 30.6.43 GdI von Grei.ff I11 31.12.29 31.8.42

xiMx7I GdI Haenicke m 1 1 30.9.32 Did not GL Heinemann LXv 30.9.37 28.2.45 GdA Kaupi sch XXXI 30.9.32 30.6.42 GdK von Kleist XXI I 28.2.38 Did not GdI Koch,F XXXXIV 30.9.31 31.5.42 GdA Lucht XI11 31.3.32 Did not

GdI Met2.H 1.4.31 31.1.43 GdI von Nagy LXXI 31.12.35 31.1.43 GdK von Pomell XXXI I 28.2.38 31.5.42 GdI von G g e r XXV 1.2.31 30.5.42

XXVII~~~ ~

GdI von Schenckendorff xIc(v 28.2.30 Died 6.7.43 GdI Schmidt,H IX 31.1.31 31.10.43 GdI Sctiwandner LIX 1934 30. a .42 GdA Ulex.~~~~ X 31.3.39 31.12.41 GM von Unger XXXIII 31.7.32 Did not GdI Wiktorin XXVIII 1935 30.11.44

15 Erwin k n f e l d and Franz Thomas, Die Eichenlaubtraeger, p.91.

G d K Ewald von Kleist comnanded the XXII Corps from 1939-1940. He continued h i s ri.se wtth the comnands of Panzer Group Kleist, 1st Panzer Army, Army Group A , and Army Group South Ukraine. He was dismissed from the service March 30, 1944 and died i n 1954 i n a Soviet Pri.soner of War Camp.

67

- -

16

17

Guenther Blurrentri.tt, “The German Armies of 1914 and 1939”, U.S. .Amy 9istori.cal Division Study 611 8-296, (Washington, 9.C.: Office of the Chief of a l i . t a r y History), 1947, p.46.

Wolf Kei.lig, Die Generale des Heeres, pp.76,113,232,370,379.

The following corps comnanders transferred frcm the Police t o the Army:

Table 23 Corps Comnanders from the Police

Grade Name Corps Date Transferred Grade retai.ned from Police from Police

GdI Abraham W I I 15.10.35 Naj or GL Seyer ,F XVII 1.4.35 Oberstleutnant

xxxxIX Lxxx LVII

GL chill XXVI 1.10.36 i4ajorLV

GdPz Eberbach XxxXvII Pz 1.7.35 MajorXxxxVIII Pz xxxx Pz

GdPz Fries rnPz 1936 MajorGdI Grasser XXVI. 1935 Er,jor

LVI GdGbT vonHengl XIX 6.10.36 Major

LIX GdPZ Henrici,S xxxx Pz 1.10.35 Oberst GL Hohn IX 1.9.35 Xauptmann GL Jahr XXIV 22.11.35 Oberstleutnant GL .Kaellner XXIV 1935 HauptmannGL Lasch LXIV 1.7.35 MajorGdI von Leyser xv 15.3.35 Oberstleutnant

XXI XXVI

GZ Weller ,F V 16.3.36 :.laj or XXXIV LIX LXVIII

GL XXX 15.10.35 Oberstleutnant XXXIII IXXXIX

GdI von Oven XXXXIII 15.3.35 Oberstleutnant GdA Pfei.f f er VI 1.10.35 Oberstleutnant GL Roetti.g LXVI 1.10.35 Oberst GdPi. S a c k LXIV 1.10.35 Oberst GL Schuenenmann XXXIX Pz 16.3.36 Major GL Sponheimer XXVIII 16.3.36 Oberst

X LIV LXVII

68

Corps Corrmanders from the Police (continued)

Grade "ame Corps Date Transferred Grade retained from Police from Poli.ce

GdI Strec'ker X I 14.6.35 Generalnajor XVII

GL Usinger I 1.10.35 MajorGdI Wiese V I I I 1.8.35 Majorxxxv GdI Witthoeft XXVII 1.4.36 Oberst GM Wolpert IXXXVIII 15.10.35 Oberstleutnant GdI von Zangen IXXXIV 1.8.35 Oberstleutnant

LXXXVII 18

Erwin Lenfeld and Franz Thomas, Die Ekhenlaubtraeger1940-1945. (Wiener Neustadt, Cesterrei.ch: Weirburg Verlag), 1952, p.105. GdI Friedrich W i . l h e l m Nueller mde the mst rapid rise of the "Police" cOmnanders. Laterally transferri.ng frm the Hamburg Police i n March 1936, he was a bat ta l ion ccmnander from 1938-1940, a regimental comnander 1940-1942, and a division comuander from 1942-1944. In 1944 he served as both temporary and permanent corpscamnander before assuming cornnand of the 4th Army January 29, 1945. After the w a r he was condenmed for war crines and hanged i n Athens, Yay 1947.

19 Friedrich Stahl, Heereseinteilung 1939 (Friedberg, FRG:-9

Podzun-Pallas-Verlag), 1953, p.145. 20

Wolf Keilig, Die Generale des Heeres. (Friedberg, FRG: Podzun-Pallas-Verlag) , 1 9 8 3 , p ~ 8 0 , 8 9 , 1 5 2 , 2 1 8 , 2 3 7 , 2 7 3 , 2 7 8 .

LJ. Dernot Bradley and Richard Schulze-Kossens, Taetigkeitsbericht ---des Chefs des Heerespersonalamtes General & Infanterie 3udolf

S c h d t : 1.10.42-ck, FRG.: Biblio Verlag), 19W, ~ . 4 2 . GL Eibl became the onlv corm comnander t o be k i l led by h isbwn troops when he was seriously wbundea by a handgenade t h r k bya soldier i n a passing I t a l i an truck column as he was s i t t i n g on the fender of h i s s ta f f car. He undemenr: emrgency surgery, h3chour: anathesi.a, whi.cn resulted i n the amputation of a leg, but died.

22 David Nelson Spi.res, "The Career of the Reichswehr Officer",

pp.508-509. 23

Hei.nz Guderian and K u r t Zeitzler, "Comnents on P-041a-P-O4lhh", U.S. Army Histori.ca1 Di.vision Study MSI/ P-04111, (Washington, D.C.: Office of the Chief of Mili.tary Hi.story), 1953, p.2.

24 Hasso von Manteuffel, "Fast Mobile and Armored Troops", U.S.

Army Hi.storica1 Division Study MSll 8-036, (Washington, D.C.: Office of the Chief of Military History), 1945, pp.3,10,19.

69

zation), 1984, p.6.

26 Franz Halder, "Control of the German Army General Staff", U.S. Army i l istorical Divi.si.on Study MSd P-O41d, (Washington, D.C. : Office of the Chief of Yil i tary History), 1952, p.3.

27 Trevor N. ~epuy ,General ~taf f ,pp. 6 and B-1.

W. Victor Madej, German Army -Order of Battle 1939-1945, (Allentown, Pennsylvania: Garre Y t r k e t i n g c O m p a n ~ 9 8 1 , Vol 1,p.37.

29 de Bartha, "Austro-Hungarian General Staff", U.S. ArmyHistorical Division Study bS# C-063, (Washington, D.C. : Office of the Chief of .Military History), 1946, p.5.

30 Walter Goerli-tz, Histo of the G e m General staff 1657-1945. ( N e w York: Praeger), 1e3, p.4n.-

31 Walter Goerlitz, History, p.405. 32 Hansgeorg i.lodel, deutsche Generalstabsoffizier , (Frankfurt,

ERG: Bernard & Graefe Verlag),8, p.127.

33 ~ c h a e le y e r , "~b_e Transformation of the ~ermanoff icer . corps" p.47.

34 Helmt Kleikamp, "German Army High Cannand: The Central Branch of the Army General Staff", U.S. Army Hi.stori.ca1 Division Study z/s#P-O41x, (Washington, D.C.: Office of the Chief of Military History), 1952, p.7. . 35 phrt in van Creveld, Power, German Xil i tar

Perfornance, 1914-1945, (Potomac, Mary ==f and: dc&L Defense Cosu tants 1980, p . 3 .

36 %chard Brett-Smith, Hitler's Generals, p.13.

37 Bronsart von Schellendorf, Tne ht ies of the General Staff (Volume -1). (London: C. Kegan Paul&Co?@$, n772.160.-38 Tne following individuals comnanded both panzer divisions and

panzer corps.

Table 24 Panzer Corps Cannarulers frm Panzer Divi.si.ons

Grade Name Corps Gmnanded Division Comnanded

GdF'z von Amim,H XXXIX Pz 17th Pz

70

Panzer Corps Comnanders f rom Panzer Di visions (continued)

Grade Name

GdPz Balck

GdPz Breith,HGdPz Cruewell GdPz Decker GdPz Eberbach

GdPz von Edelsheim GdPz von Esebeck,H

GdPz Fehn,G

GdPz von Funck GdPz Gey von

Schweppenbur g GL HarpeOberst Heidkaemper GL Heim GdPz Herr GdPz Hube GL , Kaellner GdPz von Kessel GdPz Kirchner GdPz von hobelsdorff

GdPz Krueger,WGdPz vonLangemann

und ErlencinnpGdA Lemelsen GL von Luettwitz,S GL von Luettwitz.H GdPZ Ne'ming

GdPZ b u s GdPZ K-1 GdPZ von Saucken

GdPZ Schaal GdPZ von Schwerin,G W Z von Senger und

Etterlein GdPZ von Thm

GM von Vaerst GL von Vormann

Corps Gnnnanded

xxxx Pz XxxXvIII Pz XIV Pz I11 Pz Africa XXXIX Pz m 1 Pz XxxxvIII Pz XXXX Pz m 1 1 Pz LVII Pz m Pz xxxx Pz Africa m 1 Pz 111 Pz xxxx Pz XXXXI Pz XXIV Pz m 1 1 Pz LXXVI Pz XIV Pz XXIV Pz VII Pz LVII Pz XXIV Pz xxxx Pz XxxxvIII Pz LVIII Pz XXIV Pz

m 1 1 Pz m Pz m 1 Pz :a1v JZ XxxxVIII Pz Africa XxxXvII Pz Africa XXXIX Pz Gross Deutschland I11 Pz LVI Pz LVI Pz XIV Pz

Africa

Africa XxxXvII Pz

Divisi.on Comnanded

11th Pz

3rd Pz 11th Pz 5th Pz 4th Pz

24th Pz 2nd Pz,llth Pz 15th Pz 5th Pz

7th Pz 3rd Pz

12th Pz 4th Pz 14th Pz 13th Pz 16th Pz 19th Pz 20th Pz 1st Pz 19th Pz

1st Pz 4th Pz

5th Pz 26th Pz

2nd Pz,2Oth Pz 18th Pz

6th Pz 7th Pz 4th Pz

10th Pz 116th Pz 17th Pz

6th Pz,l7th Pz 20th Pz 15th Pz 23rd Pz

GL von Wi.etersheim,W XXXXI Pz 11th Pz

71

39 Helmut Kleikmp, "The Army Personnel Office", U.S. Army Historical Division Study YSf! P-O4lhh, (Washington, D.C. : Office of :he LXef of Xilitary History), 1952, 2.37.

4o John R. Angolia, For Fueher Fatherland; Military Awards of -the Third Reich ( V o l m T - m n Jose: R.- James Sender), 1976,Vx 2, p x -

41 Klaus Patzwall, Blutorden -der -'WAP (Hamburg, FRG.: Patzwall Verlag), 1985, pp.1-

Block was dismissed from the Xeichswhr May 31, 1924. He reentered i n 1934 and served as a battalion comnander from 1937-1940, and a regimental comnander from 1940-1942 prior t o connnand of the 294th Infantry Division. k i n g the l a s t two years of the war he commnded three different corps before being kil led i n action January 26, 1945 near Lask Poland. H i s "Blood Order" medal number was 111393. Source: k n f i e l d and Thonas, Die Eichenlaubtraeger,p.353.

42 Dr. S.A. Lewis, Combat Studies Insti tute, U.S. Army Coxnand and General Staff College, F t . Leavenworth, Kansas, i n a privatediscussion circa October 1987.

43 Richard Brett-Smith, Hitler's Generals, pp.188-190.

44 Richard Brett-Smith, Hitler ' s Generals, pp. 193-194.

45 Richard Brett-Smith, Hitler's Generals, pp.194-195.

46 H e m Geyer, D a s I X Armekm s im (Neckargemuend, FRG: Scharnhorst Buchkamera --% s c h s t )

An excellent example of this is shown i n the career of Herman Geyer. i3orn i n 1882, he served i n both staff and c d positionsi n World War I and the Reichswehr before assuming comnand of the V Corps i n 1935. He l e f t active duty i n April 1939 embittered a t the thought of the "injustice" a t having to retire a t this t i m e . However his re t i rewnt ended ar'rer onby four nonths hken he returned :3 service as the conmander of the I X Corps which he led i n the French Campaign winning a Knight's Cross. Geyer was dismissed again i n January 1942 after a serious disagreenent with his army comander Generaloberst Hceppner. He attempted to regain active c m n d but was known to Post Minister Ohnesorge as a c r i t i c of the Nazi Party. H i s requests went unanswred fron the Personnel Office and he finally c m i t t e d suicide in 1946.

72

PERFORiiCE, PRCNOTION, AND FQTEWIAL

INIRODUCTION

To t h i s point this study has exmined many of the background

characteri.stics of corps conmanders. This chapter w i l l review the

actual performance of the generals i.n corps c m n d by examining

four major areas: demonstrated performance, as evidenced by awards

and decorations, promotion, by examining the German Army promotion

system, potential, through advancement to higher c d , and the

final di.spsiti.on of the cclmnanders t o include retirements, re l iefs ,

prisoners of war, and killed in action.

The f i r s t characteri-stic exanined is demonstrated

performance of duty through the German system of awards and

decorations. J.F.C. Fuller, i.n his t reat ise on generalship, stated

that heroism is the "soul of 1eadershi.p" and is essential to 1

genera1shi.p.

73

The Germans apparently agreed with Fuller as they

established the mst elaborate awards system of any ccnnbatants i n

the war, due i n parc to their experience in Uorld W a r I. The awards

system then was mismanaged, with too few different medals, confusing

distinctions between bravery and service, and separate awards for

officers and enlisted men. In addition, the subordinate states of 2

Germany, such as Bavaria, issued their own awards.

A t the outbreak of World War 11, the Iron Cross 1st Class

and 2nd Class were reinstituted. Both medals had originally been

proposed by Colonel Gneisenau to King Friedrich W i l h e l m 111 of

Prussia i n 1811, for acts of military bravery. Two years later both

were offici.ally founded and awarded to Prussi.an soldiers during the

campai.gns against Napoleon. Both awards were reinstituted by Kaiser

Wilhelm I i n 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War, and were open to

a l l Germans, not only PNssians. In 1914 Kaiser W i . l h e l m I1 reopened

the awards and expanded e l ig ib i l i ty t o include bravery i n the f ie ld 3

or for service to the war effort .

On September 1, 1939 Hi.tler rei.nstituted the venerable Iron

Cross 2nd Class to reward a single act of bravery in combat beyond

the normal requi.remnts of duty. I t could be awarded to a l l members

of the Arrred Forces or to non-mili.tary i.ndivi.duals serving with the

mili.tary. The Iron Cross 1st Class, reinstituted the same day, was

74

4 usually awarded for an addi.tiona1 three to five si.gni.ficant acts.

Although the i.ntent was to le t an appropriate ti= pass between

award of the 2nd Class t o that of the 1st Class, th i s could be 5

compressed to one or two days.

-

Also on September 1, 1939 Hitler insti tuted a new

decoration, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for continuous acts

of exceptional bravery or i n the case of higher ranks for successful 6

execution of bat t le or for formulating oustanding bat t le plans.

Recmndat ion for the Knight's Cross required the endorsement of

the chai.n of c m d through army c d e r with the f inal decision 7

made by Hitler. Prerequisites included previous award of both

classes of the Iron Cross. Enlisted personnel as w e l l as officers

were eligible for this award. Some 7,300 Knight's Crosses were 8

awarded.

For conananding offi.cers however, bravery alone was not

justificati.on for recmndat i .on for the Kni.ght's Cross. In addition

the officer had to demonstrate several instances of exercising

independent decisions. This is best amplified by c m n t s by Field

Harschall Schoener concerning a recmndat i .on for the award to a

colonel. Schoerner wrote that for a regimental comnander to lead a

counterattack personally with machi.ne-guns and hand grenades was not 9

excepti.ona1 bravery but a "self evident duty".

75

On June 3, 1940 Hitler instituted the next higher grade the

of Knight's Cross, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross wi.th

Oakleaves. This award was intended to further recognize those

individuals, already winners of the Knight's Cross, for continued

- accomplishrents of bravery and i.niti.ative. Enlisted personnel,

.officers, and foreign military personnel were e l ib le to receive the 10

Oakleaves and by war's end 882 had.

Gne year la ter on June 21, 1941 Hitler agai.n introduced

another higher grade of award the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

wi.th Oakleaves and Swords. This grade was designed to continue t o

reward those previous recipients of the Oakleaves who accomplished

further feats of military achi.evement. Although a l l German mili.tary

personnel were eligible t o receive t h i s award, only 159 offi.cers 11

actually did.

On July 15, 1941 Hitler introduced what was believed to be

the f inal upgrade, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with

Oakleaves, Swords, and Diamonds. Again it was intended to reward

further achievemnt and by the end of the war had only been awarded 12

27 times.

By December 29, 1944 Hitler deci.ded that one ultimate award

be created for Germany's twelve bravest soldiers, the Knight's

Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oakleaves, Swords, and Diamonds.

76

Three days la ter the f i r s t of these decorations was bestowed on

Lur'twaffe Stuka pilot Colonel Hans Ruciel. No other presentati.ons 13

were made.

Each of the grades of the Knight's Cross except the l a s t was

won by Army personnel and are shown below:

Table 25

~ r m yRecipients of the ~nigt~i'scross

NLrmbeK Percentage of Total

Knight's Cross 5070 69

Oakleaves 486 55

Swords 75 47

Diamonds 11 41

Corps cOmnanders figured prominently as reci.pi.ents of a l l of

these awards as Hitler used the higher classes of Knight's Cross as 14

an effective motivati.ona1 tool. The following i.s a presentation of

77

those corps cc-armanders as a function of their hi-ghest award received

and the percentage of all corps comnanders receiving each grade:

Table 20

Highest Decorations Received by the Corps Com;landers

NLrmber Percentage of Total

Knipht's cross 133 40.1

Oakleaves 102 30.7

Swords 35 10.5

Diamonds 7 2.1

Many of the corps comnanders received these awards for

previous service as regimental and division c d e r s . In reviewing

actual corps comnand, we find that none received the Dimnds for

78

corps comnand. Individuals &IO received the Knight's Cross with 15

Oakleaves and Swords for achievewnt -as corps corrnnanders were:

Table 27

Knight's Cross with Oakleaves and Swords for Corps Ccnrmand

Grade Name Decorati.on corps Date

GL HUbe Swords XIV Panzer 21.12.42

GdPz Harps Swords XXXXI Panzer 15.9.43

GdPz Breith Swords 111 Panzer 21.2.44

GdGebTr Kreysing Swords XVII 13.4.44

GdI Jordan Swords V I 20.4.44

GdI Wegener Swords ' L 17.9.44

GdPz v. Knobelsdorff Swords XXXX Panzer 21.9.44

GdI Recknagel Swords m11 23.10.44

GdI v. Obstfelder Swords LXXXVI 5.11.44

GdA Wei.dli.ng Swords XXXXI Panzer 28.11.44

GdPz Herr Swords LXXVI Panzer 18.12.44

It is i.nteresting to note that of these eleven comnanders,

six received the award as cnrmanders of panzer corps. Forty-five

received the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves for service as corps

c m n d e r s . Fifteen of these men were c m d e r s of panzer corps.

Fi.nally, a further forty five individuals earned the Knight's Cross.

79

only f ive of these E n were panzer corps camanders. This

dist.ribution reveals two item. Firs t , recognition for achievement

i n panzer corps came quicker than that i n other types. Second, by

the time mst individuals reached corps comnand they had already

been awarded the Knight's Cross for previous subordinate comnand -

level achievement, although th is was certainly not a prerequisi.te.

The importance of the bestowal of the grades of the Knight's

Cross can not be over estimated. Xudolf Hofmann, a former department

chief i n the Army Personnel Office, i.n his descri.pti.on of the

officer promotion system stated that Knight's Cross winners 16

"automatically" were given mre generous, preferential prorrmtions.

Recipients received favorable publicity including tours among

civi l ian industry, Wstcards i n their honor and free g i f t s .

Interviews with several radianen i n the 12th SS Panzer Regiment

aptly sum up the presti.ge associated with the award. They stated

that after a particularly di.ffi.cult tank assault the following radio

message was transmitted by the battalion cOmnander: "Tanks halt! 17

That should get us the Knight's Cross!" ( I t did).

Although many corps comnanders received the Knight's Cross,

others were awarded the German Cross i n Gold. Hitler instituted this

award i n September 1941 for repeated acts of valor or outstanding

service not justi.fying the higher Knight's Cross. The recipient had

t o have the Iron Cross 1st Class, but the German Cross was not i n

the cumulative l ine as previously described. W i n g the Fried 1941-

1945 Army personnel recei-ved 16,876 German Crosses. Twenty corps 18

comnanders had this award as thei.r highest decoration.

PROMOTIONS

The basis for officer promotions i n the German Army was the

officer efficiency reporting system. This program had a t i m e honored

tradition, i.niti.ally established i n the Prussian Army by King 19

Frederick W i l h e l m I i.n 1725. Prior t o World War I1 the system

called for an annual report for each officer. Based on these reports

seven categories. were established into which an officer could be

classified. The highest two classifications were: (1) Officers

suitable for service a t the Hi.& Comnand, and (2) Officers sui.table 20

for General Staff duty.

General offi.cers were arranged on lists submitted every

three months to the A m y Personnel Office. The top chree categories

were: (1) "Born Leaders", ( 2 ) Officers who would perform well in the

next higher comnand, and ( 3 ) Officers d-10 should be placed 21

temporarily i.n the next hi.gher ccrrmand to prove their abi1i.ties.

The efficiency report provided the most important i .nfomtion i n nn

determi.ni.ng appoinmnts and promotions. LL

81

The narrative c m n t s on the report furnished valuable

insights into the potential of each officer. A promotion list

prepared i n February 1945 on several officers reflects these 23

observations.

GdGebTr Jcdl - "Bright w i t h a strong willed personality, p r d n e n t

tactical ability."

W z Roettiger - "Suitable as a c d i n g general (corps), la ter an

army comnander ."

GdK Westphal - "Tareri.ng personal leader. Great achiever .I'

GL von' Gyldenfeldt - ""Tactical and operational talent. Clear

judgement, sure decisi.ons."

GL Foertsch - "Outstanding tactical and operational vision.. . steady

i n a crisis."

GL ?lelzer - "Personally valiant.. . g o d tactical vision. s:eaay in a

cr is is . Gccd improvisor."

As reflected by the comnents, these individuals represented

the best i n the promotion system and a high level of competency.

a2

Until 1942 the promotion system was oriented on seniori.ty.

However after this time, under pressure from Hitler and growing

officer losses, the system reoriented fron seniority t o frontline

service. In practical terms this meant that General Staff officers ,

for example, could not qualify for promotion without doi.ng a 24

frontline tour. Wi.th this i n mind Kurt Zeitzler, f o m r Chief of

Staff of the Army, stated after the war that promoti.ons were handed 25

out too quickly and lavishly during the war. The following table 26

shows this expansion of general offi.cer grades fran 1938 to 1944:

Table 28

General Officers i n Service

Grade October 1938 May 1942 May 1943 May 1944

Genera1fel&r schal1 0 8 15 16

Generaloberst 3 19 ia 26

General der Infanterie, '31 99 141 170

etc.

Generalleutnant a7 223 369 473

Generalmajor 154 465 501 565

Total 275 814 1044 1250

a3

Eleven corps ccxnnanders were promoted to generalfeld-

marschall. They are sharn in the table below:

Table 29

Corps Comnanders Promoted to Generalfeldmarschall

Grade Name Corps Corps Comnander Date Romoted

from to to G M

GdA von Brauchitsch I 1.10.35-1.4.37 19.7.40

GdI Busch VIII 4.2.38-24.10.39 1.2.43

GdK von Kleist VIII 1.5.35-4.2.38 1.2.43

XXII 8.39-11.40

GdA von Kluge VI 1.d.35-1.12.38 19.7.40

GdA von Kuechler I 1.4.37-8.39 30.6.42

GdI von Manstein XXXVIII 1.2.40-15.3.41 1.7.42

LVI 2.41-12.9.41

GdPz Wdel XXXXI Pz 1..lo .41-15.1.42 1.3.44

GdA von Rei.chenau VII 1.10.35-4.2.38 19.7.40

GdGbT Schcerner XIX 15.1.42-1.10.43 5.4.45

xxxx Pz 10.43-4.44

GdK von Wei.chs X I 1 1 1.10.37-20.10.39 1.2.43

GdI von Wi.tzleben I11 1.12.34-10.11.38 19.7.40

Several poi.nts beccme obvious when examining this data.

F i r s t , eight of eleven (73%) of these men came from the nobi.lity.

84

Branch representati.on was led by a r t i l l e ry with four of the

comnanders (36%) foilowed 3y infantry .with three (27%). The average

time span from leaving corps cornnand t o promotion to GM was

approximately twenty-seven months, with von Manstein the fastest

riser a t ten months and Busch and von Weichs the slowest a t forty

months each. Six (55%)were prewar corps comnanders, while two (18%)

were promoted out of this level within two months of the beginning

of the w a r . Finally, the average corps cDrrmand tom was twenty-one

months, with Mcdel serving the shortest time, less than four months.

The rank of generaloberst was the next senior grade i n the

general officer structure. Twenty-eight corps cOmnanders attained

this rank, with very different results frcm those reaching GFM. Only

six (21%) came from the nobility. Branch representation was led th i s

time by infantry with thirteen of the cnrmanders (46%) followed by

eight panzer (29%), three ar t i l l e ry (11%),three cavalry (1172, and

one engineer (3.5%). The average time span from leaving corps

conmand to prcmoti.on to GO was less than twelve months. Only two

(7%) served entirely as prewar corps comnanders. The average corps

comnand tour was fourteen month, with GdPi Jaenec'ke serving :he

shortest time a t only two an a half months i.n comnand of the 27

IV

Corps i n the surrounded 6 th Army a t Stali.ngrad.

85

The great majority of corps comnanders served a t the

General der Infanterie, etc. , level and were not promoted hi.gher.

This was not a reflection of unsatisfactory performance but rather a

result of the personnel needs of the Army. By May 1944 there were

seven requirements for t!!e rank of general der infanteri.e for every

need for a generaloberst. N i n e officers served as cdrmanders a t the 28

generalleutnant grade and were p r a t e d t o the GdI level.

HIGHER COMMAND

rln even mre important factor than prmoti.on was selection

for higher level comnand, army and army group. As mentioned before,

general officers with the highest ratings could be categorized i n

efficiency reports as those who would perform well in higher

cdrmands or who should be placed temporarily i n the next higher

ccmnand to prove their abi.liti.es. As only twenty-seven armies

existed during the w a r , and not a l l simultaneously, selection

cri.teri a was i.ntense.

Ei.ghty-two corps comnanders were elevated to army comnand

with twenty-two (27%) members of the nobility. Seventy-six (93%) had

served as career officers through the Rejchswehr period, f ive (6%)

had transferred from the police, and two (1%)returned from earlier

80

r e t i r a n t . m i n i n g branch affiliati.on, thirty-five (43%) were

from the infantry, twenty-one (26%) from the panzer, and thirteen

(16%) from the ar t i l lery. Sixty-two (73%)were General Staff.

Concerning awards mnty-eight (34%) were Knight's Cross

recipients, thirty-one (389.) Oakleaves, eighteen (22%) Swords, and

five (6%) Diamonds. No army c d e r failed to receive one of the

above awards.

In examining actual corps c d factors, twenty-two of the

army comnanders had been panzer corps c d e r s , four were mountain

corps comnanders and sixty-three were infantry corps comnanders. The

average time of service as a corps comnander was eighteen months

before elevati.on to army ccnnnand.

The hi.ghest f i e ld c-nd i n the German Army was the army

group. Eighteen existed during the course of the war with selection

t o cannand being even mre stri.ngent than that a t armylevel.

Twenty-five corps comnanders were ultimately elevated to army group

camand after successful army comnand. The remaining army group

cmnanders were very senior officers who had started the war a t army

level or higher. Ten (40%) of a l l army group comnanders were members

of the nobility. Twenty-three (92%) had served completely through

the Kei.chswehr period as career soldiers, one (4%)had transferred

from Austrian Army. and only one (4%) returned from reti.rement.

Concerni.ng branch aff i l ia t ion, eleven (44%)were from the infantry,

six (24%)were panzer offi.cers, four (16%) came from the ar t i l l e ry ,

87

three (12%) from the cavalry, and one (4%)was a mountain troop

officer. N i n e (36%) of these indi.viduals were General Staff

officers .

In the f ie ld of awards, three (12%) were Kni.ght's Cross

recipients, ten (40%)Oakleaves, nine (36%) Swords, and three (12%)

Diamonds. S ix (24%) of the army group ccmnanders had been panzer

corps comnanders, one (4%)a m t a i n corps comnander and eighteen

(72%) infantry corps c m d e r s . The average time of service as a 29

corps comnander was twenty-one months.

FINAL DISPOSITIONS OF THE CORPS cGU4ANDER.S

In the previous segplent many corps comanders Were promoted

to higher grades and ccmnand positions. This section will exmine

those individuals kil led i n action as corps comnanders, taken

prisoner during the war and joined the National Camittee for a Free

Germany, or who were retired or dismissed from conmand.

G e m losses during World War n o were staggering. A yearly

breakdam of casualti.es by total dead and offi.cer dead shown on the

next page reveals the scope of this statement:

88

Table 30

Gem Dead 1939 - 1944

Year Total Dead 0ffi.cer Dead Officer % of Total

1939-1940 73,829 4,357 5.9

1940-1941 138,301 7,831 5.6

1941- 1942 445,036 16,960 3.8

1942-1943 418,276 16,484 3.9

1943-1944 534,112 20,696 3.9

1944-12.44 167,335 5,304 3.2

Total 1,776,889 71,614 4.0

Losses amng general off icers was also high. Bernhard von

Claer, i n his study "Generals of the Third Rei.ch", stated that 342 31

general off icers died during the war as s h m .

Table 31

General Officer Fa ta l i t i es (By Grade)

G raae h b e r Died

Generalfeldmarschall 7

Gener alober st 11

General der Infanterie,etc. 62

Generalleutnant 126

Generalmajor 136

Total 342

89

Table 32

General Officer Fatali.cies (By Cause)

Fate General Officers

Killed in Action 169

Missing i n Action ( F - r e s d Dead) 45

Accidental Death 25

Died of Natural Causes (On Duty) 46

Died of Natural Causes (After Discharge) 12

Suici.de 25

Executed 20

Total 342

Corps comnanders also suffered heavily. Tne following is a

l i s t ing of a l l corps comnanders kil led while i n c d :

Table 33

Corps Comnander Fatali.ties

Grade Name Cornnand Date Killed Location

GL Baa& IXXXI 8.5.45 Segeberg

GdI Block,J LVI Pz 26.1.45 Lask

GL von Bodenhausen L 2.5.45(S) Kurland

90

Corps comnander Fatali t ies (continued)

Grade Name corranand Date Ki.lled Location

GclI von Briesen,K LII 20.11.41 Derijewka

GdPz Decker XXXIX Pz 21.4.45(S) Braunschwei g

GdI Dostler IXXIII 2.5.45 I ta ly

GdGbT Eglseer XVIII 23.6.44(A) Salzburg

GL Eibl XXIV Pz 21.1 .it3 Don

GdI von Erdmannsdorff,W XCI 8.5.45 Laibach

GdPz Fehn,G XV 5.6.45 Yugos1avi.a

GdI Hauffe XI11 22.7.44 %ai.ne

GL Jahr XXIV Pz 20.1.43 (S) Storoshewoje

GL Kaellner XXIV Pz 18.4.45 Sokolnica

GdI von Krosigk XVI 16.3.45. Kurland

GdPz von Langermann XXIV Pz 3.10.42 Storoshewoje

GdA Marcks,E LXXXIV 12.6.44 Normandy

GdA Martinek XXXIX Pz 28.6.44 Beresi now

GdI Mieth IV Pz 2.9.44 Jassy

GdI Priess M I 21.10.44 Easr: Prussia

GdI Recknagel XXXXII 23.1.45 Petrikau

GL Schuenemnn XXXIX Pz 29.6.44 Pagost

GL von Speck XVIII 15.6.40 France

GdA Stemnermann,W XI 18.2.44 Tscherkassy

GdA Wandel XXIV Pz 14.1.43 Chilino

GdI Megener L 24.9.44 Kurland

GdI von Wickede X 23.6.44(A) Salzburg

GdPZ Zorn m 1 Pz 2.8.43 Krassnaja

91

This information provides several important conclusions.

Twenty-seven corps comnanaers were killed while i n comnana. O f these

mnty-two (817.1 were killed in acti.on, three (11%)comni.tted

suicide (S), and two (7%) were :killed in a i r accidents (A). Eleven

individuals (41%) were kil led while comnanding panzer corps. As

expected losses increased la ter i n the war after the t ide had turned

against Germany. only three comnanders (117.) were killed during

Germany's offensive years of 1939 t o 1942, while four di.ed (15%) in

1943, a year of transition, and twenty f e l l (747.) during the

defensive fighting of 1944 and 1945. Examining locations for each

fatali.ty reveals that twenty-one (777.) were kil led on the Eastern

Front against the Soviets and three (11%)were killed on the Western

/ Italian Fronts against the Western Allies.

The Nati.ona1 Corrmittee for a Free Germany was formed in July

1943 from German emigrees and prisoners of war held in the Soviet

Union. Thi.s group published a manifesto which called on the German

people t o overthrow Hitler, establi.sh a non-Nazi governmnt, stop 32

the war, and relinquish a l l occupied terr i tor ies . Membership in

the comnittee was open co a l l ; liarever, che Soviets encouraged

hi.gher ranking officers t o j0i.n to legitimize the m v e n t . 'he High

Cornnand and Hitler naturally condemned the members as t ra i tors .

Reaction of junior mili.tary personnel seems to have been mixed,

perhaps leaning against the comnittee also. I t would seem that no

92

personnel as high ranking as corps comnanders would have joined, but

this is not the case. The following table lists those h o did:

Table 34

Nati.0-1 Gmucittee for a Free Germany-

Grade N e corps cornnand Date Captured

GdI Buschenhagen LII 8.44

GdI Gollwitzer LIII 28.6.44

GdA Hell VII 8.44

GL Hoffmeister XXXXI 1.7.44

GL von Luetzar xxxv 5.7.44

GdI &Her ,L XXXXIV 21.8.44 .

GL Mueller ,V xxII,xxvII 7.7.44

GL Postel xxx 8.44

GL Schloemr XIV 29.1.43

GdA von Seydlitz-Kurzbach LI 30.1.43

GdI Strecker XI ,XI11 2.2.43

GdI Voelckers WIi 9 . i . U

i n examining thi.s i.nfonnati.on it is seen that tmlve

generi s who had been corps comnanders joined the Connittee. Eleven

(92%) were career officers; one (8%) had been in the poli.ce. Four

c d e r s (33%) were General Staff officers and two (17%) were

members of the nobility. i n branch analysis nine (75%) were

infantry, two (17%) arti.llery, and one (8%) engi.neer. No panzer or

mountain generals joined.

93

Twenty corps comnanders were dismi.ssed from the service a t

the termination of c m d . Dismissed is a d i f f icu l t word io define.

Four were probably fired; GdA Behlendorff, GdE'i Fcerster, GL von 33

Spneck, and GdPz S t u m e . Sixteen others were perhaps more

gracefully retired after corps comnand. When exami.ning these sixteen

it is seen that six (38%)were members of nobility and three (19%)

were General Staff officers. Not many were recipients of higher

awards, i n fact eleven (69%) di.d not win even the German Cross i n

Gold. Eight were infantry offi.cers, three were ar t i l l e ry , three were 34

cavalry, one was an engineer, and one w a s a panzer officer.

In reviewing the factors of performance, promoti.on, and

potential the corps comnanders were well decorated soldiers, in a

society that valued this characteristic. Two hundred seventy-seven

c m n d e rs , (83.4'Z), received one of :he grades of the Knight's

Cross, Germany's highest m i . l i tary decoration. Concerning promotions,

eleven corps comnanders continued their careers to be promoted to

Generalfeldmrschall which represents 3 . 3 percent of a l l corps

comnanders. Twenty-eight reached the rank of Generaloberst, most

within twelve months of leaving a corps.

94

Eighty-two ccnnnanders la ter conrnanded armies and twenty-five

went on to c m n d army groups. i n reviewing both promotions and

la ter connards these cOmnanders represented a higher percentage of

nobility and General Staff officers t'mn the overall general officer

pop1ation.

Sumnarizing branch affili.ation i.t would appear as though

panzer and mountain cOmnanders fared well concerning awards

promotions, and later comnand i n comparison to overall branch

strength.

Twenty-seven corps conmanders were kil led while i n c d ,

mst on the Eastern Front and mst during the latter course of the

w a r . Many camanders became prisoners of war with twelve joining the

National Ccmnittee for a Free Germany. A further w n t y were

di.smi.ssed from service after their corps corranand.

In the f inal chapter a more detailed suamary of a l l factors

of c m n d will be presented and the corps c m n d e r s on t'ne

Eastern, 'Geestern, and I ta l ian Fronts .xiil be measured against t h i s

standard.

95

1 J.F.C. Fuller, and Their Cure: AGeneralship Its Diseases ----

- -of the Personal Factor & Comnand,(Harrisburg, Pa.: Mili.taryService Publi.shing Co.), 1936, p.23. L

Martin van Creveld, F i ti Power, German Militar Performance,1914-1945, ( P o t m c , ?hry C o s u d 1980, p.124. *-me J1

John R. Angolia, On the Field of Honor, A History of the Kni-ght's Cross Bearer r (V&m, =an Jose: RT James B e g e x 1980, Vol l,.14-22. 4

John R. Angolia, For Fuehrer and Fatherland; Militar Awards of the Third Keich ( V o l e - k m - & e : James -ad-- R. Ben r 1476,Vol'1, p.337 a n 3 4 3 .

Unpubli.shed award d o c m n t s to Unteroffizier Karl B i n z , 25th Infantry Division, show the award of the Iron Cross 2nd Class on June 5, 1940 and the Iron Cross 1st Class the following day.

John R. Angolia, -For Fuehrer, Vol 1, pp.356-357.

Martin van Creveld, Fighting Power, p.126.

John R. Angolia, _--On the Field, Vol 1, p.14.

Marti.n van Creveld, Fighting P m r , p.126.

lo John R. Angolia, On --Field, Vol 2, pp.108 and 125. Leopoldthe Stei.nbatz, a Luftwxfe Non-Ccrrmissi.oned Officer pi lot , was posthumously awarded the Swords and promoted to lieutenant after bei.ng shot dam by Soviet anti-aircraft f i r e near Woltshansk. tie had amassed 99 kills before his death. Thi.s is the only i.mtance of an NCO winning the award.

John 9. Angoli.a, -For Fuehrer, Vol I , pp.366-367

l2 John R. Angolia, On the Field, Vol 1, p.52.

l3 John R. Angolia, On- -the - 9Field Vol 1, pp.46-50. Rude1 was a legend in World War I1 Germany for his incredlble feats of dive banbing effici.ency. By war's end he had destroyed 1 battleship, 1 cruiser, numerous smaller naval ships and mre than 519 armored vehicles. He was wounded five times, one resulti.ng i n the loss of a leg.

l4 John R. Angolia, -For Fuehrer, Vol 1, p.336.

96

15 Erwin LenEeld and Franz Thomas, Die Eichenlacbtraeger 1940-1945,

(Wiener Neustadt, 0esterrei.ch: Weilburg Verlag), 1Y82I PP.14, 18,81, 85, 88, 129, 204, 273, 341, 344, 431.

GL Hube won the Kni.ght's Cross as c m n d e r of the 16th Panzer Division August 1, 1941, and the Oakleaves as cOmnander of the same unit January 16, 1942. He was awarded the Swords for hi.s leadership of the XIV Panzer Corps i n the Stalingrad pocket December 12, 1942, and the Diamonds as comnander of the 1st Panzer Army during the breakout from the Kamnez-Pcdolsk pocket. On April 20, 1944 Hube received this l a s t award a t Berchtesgarden from Hitler and was ki l led in an a i rcraf t accident the followi.ng day enroute to the front.

GdPz Harp was awarded the Knight's Cross August 13, 1941 and the Oakleaves December 31, 1941 as corranander of the 12th Panzer Division. He won the swords as comnander of the XXXXI Panzer Corpsfor actions during the Kursk offensive September 15, 1943.

GdPz Breith won the 1;ni.ght's Cross as corrmander of the 5th Panzer Brigade during the French Campaign in 1940. He assumed c d of the 3rd Panzer Di.vi.si.on and received the Oakleaves i n this position January 31, 1942. He won the Swords as comnander of the I11 Panzer Corps February 21, 1944 for defensive actions alongte Dnjepr River.

GdGebTr Kreysi.ng was awarded the lbight's Cross as c&er of the 16th Infantry Regiment May 18, 1940 and the Oakleaves January 18, 1943 as the c m d e r of the 3rd Mountain Division. He received the Swords on April 13, 1944 as colrmander of the XVII Corps also for acti.ons along the Dnjepr River 1i.m.

. GdI Jordan received the Knight's Cross June 5, 1940 as comnander of the 49th Infantry Regiment and the Oakleaves June 16, 1942 i n the same unit. After a tour as the 7th Infantry Division cmnander, he assured conmand of the 6th Corps and received the Swords for mili.tar7 acnievemnt in t h i s unit April 20, 1944 as part of the 9th Army a t Rshev.

GdI Wegener won the Kni.ght's Cross October 27, 1941 and the Oakleaves January 18, 1942 as colTpnander of the 94th InfantryRegiment. Promoted to colrrnand the 32nd Infantry Divi.sion la ter i n the year, he a s s m d camand of the L Corps and won the Swords September 1 7 , 1944 for actions i.n Kurland with Army Group North. He was ki.lled i n action seven days later.

GdPz von Knobelsdorff earned the Knight's Cross as comnander of the 19th Panzer Division September 17, 1941. On November 12, 1943 he won the Oakleaves as corrmander of the XxxXVIII Panzer Corps. For actions a t Jassy Rumania he was awarded the Swords as corrrmander of the XXXX Panzer Corps.

97

GdI Recknagel won the Knight's Cross as the 54th Infantry Regiment c m d e r August 5, 1940. As comnander of the 111th Infantry Divisi.on he won the Oakleaves November 6, 1943. He recei.ved the Swords October 23, 1944 as connnander of the XM(xI1 Corps for defensive actions a t Kmel w i t h the 4th Panzer Army. Recknagel was k i l led i n action near Lodz Poland January 18, 1945.

GdI von Obstfelder received a l l three grades of the Knight'sCross as a corps ccutnander. As the XXIX Corps cOmnander he won the Knight's Cross on July 27, 1941, and the Oakleaves June 7, 1943. On November 5, 1944 as coamander of the IXXXVI Corps for actions in s tab i l iz ing the Western Front near Venlo i n the Netherlands.

GdA Weidling was awarded the Knight's Cross as the 86th Infantry Divi.sion ccutnander January 15, 1943. He received the Oakleaves and Swords as corrmander of the XXXXI Panzer Corps February 22 and November 28, 1944 respecti.vely for acti.ons i n defense of Army GroupCenter during the massive Soviet Sumner 1944 0ffensi.ve. He died i n 1955 i n a Soviet prisoner of war camp.

GdPz Herr won the Knight's Cross as comnander of the 13th mtori.zed Brigade, October 2 , 1941 and the Oakleaves whi.le i n c d of the 13th Panzer Division August 9, 1942. He f ina l lyreceived the Swords as c m d e r of the IXXVI Panzer Corps December 18, 1944 for the tenacious defense up the Italian peninsula with the 14th Army.

l6 Rudolf H o h , "Gem Efficiency Report System", U.S. h n yHistori.ca1 Division Study MS# P-134, (Washington, D.C.: Office of the Chief of Military History), 1952, p. 46.

l7 Jost W. Schnei.der, Their Honor was Loyalty! -An I l lustrated and Docurnentar Histor of the K n i g h t ' s C G s Holders of -the K a f f e n x d- d 9 = , 7 S a n J o s e , m i m James BendG F u b l i m , 1977, p.167. l8 Horst Scheibert, Die Traeger des Deutschen Kreuzes i n Gold (Band -I , --Das fleer), (Friedberg, FIG: P o & - P a l l a s - V e m 1983, 3p.11-15. 19

Rudolf H o h , "German Efficiency Report System", U.S. ArmyHistorical Di.vision Study MS# P-134, (Washington, D.C: Office of the Chief of lulilitary History), 1952, p.3. 2o Kartin van Creveld, Fight iW Power, p. 166.

21 Helmut Klei.nkmp, "The Army Personnel Office", U.S. ArmyHi.storica1 Di.vision Study MS/I P-O4lhh, (Washington, D.C: Office of the Chief of Military History), 1952. p.21. 22 Rudolf Hofmann, "German Effi.ciency Report System", p.36.

98

23 Oberkomnando des Heeres, Heerespersonalamt, Amtsgmppe P3, Roll U3, Item H 8 l 7 , Series T-78, Records of Headquarters German Army Hi.gh Connand Mi.crofi.lm, (Washi.ngton, 3.C: The National Archives), 196i.

24 Martin van Creveld, Fighting -Power, p.167. 25

Heinz Guderian and K u r t Zeitzler, "Comnents on P-41a - P-O4lhh", U.S. azTny Historical Division Study Wl P-04111, (Washi-lgton, D.C: Office of the Chief of Nilitary History), 1953, p.34. 26 Wolf Keilig, D a s Deutsche Heer 1939-1945 (Band 1-1111, (BadNauheim, ERG: P o d i % 3 J e ~ 5 6 ~ 1111, p.203. 27

The following corps cannanders were promoted to the rank of generaloberst:

Grade N a m e

GdPz von Arnim,H GdI Blaskaritz GdA Dollmann GdI von Falkenhorst GdI Friessner GdPz Guderian

GdA Haase,C GPz HarpeGdI Heimici

GdA Heitz GdI Hilpert

GdK HcepnerGdI Hol li.dt

GdI Hoth GdPZ Hube

GdPi Jaenecke GdK Lindemann,G GdK von Mackensen

GdPZ Raus

GdPZ Reinhardt GdI Rendulic GdI Ruoff

Table 35 Generaloberst

k P S

XXXIX PZ I1 I X XXI XXIII XVI XIX~ ~~~ ~

I11 XXXXI PZ VII X II XXXXIII VIII LXIX XXIII LIV VI I

-m XVII

xv XIV

I V L I11 Pz

X I xx)(xvII PZ XXXXI xxxv V

Corps Ccmnander from t o

11.11.41-30.11.42 1935-1938

1.10.34-8.39 8.39-4.40

20.1.43-7.12.43 4.2.38-20.11.38 1.9.39-11.40 ~

19.11.38-13.11.40 15.1.42-15.10.43 1.2.40-8.4.40 9.4.40-16.6.40

18.6.40-20.1.42 25.10.39-31.1.43 22.6.42-25.7.42 25.7.42-20.1.43 20.1.43-1.8.43 i3.5.43-11.&3

10.11 A3-1.2.44 30.3.44-1.9.44

24.11.38-2.41 23.1.42-2.4.42 12.6.42-7.12.42

10.11.38-11.40 15.9.42-17.1.43 5.3.43-22.10.43

1.11.42-16.1.43 25.10.40-16.1.42

15.1.41-31.3.42 20.7.42-2.1.43 1.3.43-10.43

5.11.43-25.11.43 15.2.40-30.9.41 1.11.42-4.43

5.39-12.1.42

Date Promoted to Go

3.12.42 1.10.39 19.7.40 19.7.40 1.7.44 19.7.40

19.7.40 20.4.44 1.1.43

30.1.43 1.5.45

19.7.40 1.9.43

19.7.40 20.4.44

30.1.44 3.7.42 6.7.43

15.8.44

1.1.42 1.4.44 1.4.42

99

Generoberst (continued)

Grade Nane

GdI GdPz GdI GdI

GdPz

GdI 28

von Salmth Schidt,R von Schobert Strecker

von Vietlnghoff

Weiss

generalleutnant and w a s promoted after leaving corps conmand: Each of the following comnanders served his

Grade

GL

GL

GL GL GL GL

GL GL GL 29

Name

von Choltitz

Graeser . Jahn myerRcetti.g von Scheele

Stapf von Vormann Ziegler

Grade

GdFz GdPz GdI

GdA GdI

Name

von Arnim,H Balck Blaskowitz

von Brauchitsch Busch

Corps

xxxm1x Pz VII XVII XI XIX XI11 XxxXvI XXVII

Corps Ccmnander from to

10.5.41-27.12.41 1.2.40-10.11.41 4.2.38-25.10.40 2.4.42-6.5.42 6.5.42-2.2.43

1.39-8.39 26.10.39-25.10.40

1.11.40-10.6.42 31.8.42-2.2.43

Table 36 Generalleutnant

Corps

lxXxIV XxxxvIII Pz XVII

~

XXIV XxxXvIII Pz LXXXVIII I1 IXVIIXVI-~~

LIILII LIIILIII XXXXIVXXXXIV XxxxvII Pz I11 Pz

Promoted To

GdI

GdPZ

GdA GdI GdIGdI~~~

GdIGdI

GdIGdI GdPZ GdA

The f o1 lowi .q cor?s cormnanders went on t o c m n d z t :he axmy group level:

Table 38 Army Group Comnanders

Army Group

Tuni.s G G H 4 Center Northwest

Date Promoted t o Go

1.1.43 1.1.&2 19.7.40 30.1.43

1.9.43

1.2.44

entire tour as a

Date Promoted

1.8.44

1.9.44

1.10.44 1.4.45 1.8.43 1.12.43

1.10.42 27.6.44 1.1.44

Dates Carrmanded

9.3.43-12.5.43 9.44-12. 44

12.44-1.45 28.1.45-7.4.45

1937-1939 12.10.43-27.6.44 20.3.45-23.3.45

100

--

Army Group Conmanders (continued)

Grade Nane m Group Dates Comnanded

GdI Friessner North 1.7.44-25.7.44 South Ukraine 25.7.44-22.12.44

GL GdI

tIarpeHeinrici.

A Vistula

28.9.44-16.1.45 20.3.45-29.4.45

GdI GdK

Hilpert von Kleist

b l a n d A

24.3.45-30.4.45 10.9.42-9.3.43 -

South Ukraine 9.3.43-31.3.44 GdA von Kluge Center

D 2.7.44-17.8.44 19.12.41-10.43

B 2.7.44-17.8.44 GdA von Kuechler North 17.1.42-9.1.44 GdK GdI

Lindemann,G von Manstein

North b r . 1 South

31.3.44-1.7.44 22.11.42-31.3.44

GdPZ Model North 9.1.44-31.3.44 North Ukraine 31.3.44-27.6.44 Center 28.6.44-16.8.44

GdA von Reichenau B South

17,8.44-21.4.45 1.12.41-17.1.42

GdPZ GdI

Xeinhardt ,G Rendulic

Center Kurland

16.8.44-25.1.45 15.1.45-27.1.45

North 27.1.45-10.3.45 b l a n d 10.3.45-24.3.45 South 25.3.45-8.5.45

GdGbT Schoerner South 31.3.44-20.7.44 North 25.7.44-18.1.45 Center 18.1.45-30.4.45

GdI GdPZ

Schulz,F von Vietinghoff

G KUKland C

2.4.45-8.5.45 29.1.45-10.3.45 10.3.45-30.4.45

GdK von Wei.chs B 15.7.42-10.7.43 F 26.8.43-25.3.45

GdI Weiss North 12.3.45-5.4.45 GdI von Witzleben D 26.10.40-15.3.42 GdI Woehler South 28.12.44-25.3.45 30 Martin van Creveld, Fighting -Power, p.183. 31 krnhard von Claer, "Generals of the Thi.rd Rei.ch", U.S. AxmyHistorical Division Study WII B-513, (Washington,D.C.: Offi.ce of the Chief of Mili.tary History), 1946, Annex 2.

Bod0 Scheurig, Free German The Nati.ona1 Conittee and the League of German m c e i & k d d E m , Connecticutt: WesleyanUniversity Ress), 1-3.

101

33 D e m t Bradley and Richard Schulze-Kossens, Taeti.gkei.tsbericht

---des Chefs des Heerespersonalamtes General Infanterie Rdolf Schmdt: 1.10.~2-29.10.G4. (Osnabrueck, FRG: B i b l i m , 1 9 8 4 , pp.72,126._ -34

Wolf Keilig, Die Generale des Heeres, (Friedberg, FRG: Podzun-Pallas-Verlag), m 3 , pp. 1 7 , 4 ~ 1 ~ 2 , 1 6 4 , 1 8 6 , 2 3 7 , 2 6 0 , 2 6 2 , 2 9 0 , 31%,305,318,355,359.

102

CtlARFX6

OvERtzLI, CHAl7ACTWISTICS

Taken together, the data relating to various characteristics

selected in this study offer a revealing profile of German corps

comnanders. This sumnary w i l l form the "baseline" for comparison of

the conmanders serving on the Eastern Front and those on the Western

/ I ta l ian Fronts. Although there is no single b e n c h r k

characteristic on which t o base degrees of comnand success, several

i n combinati.on give new insight t o the thesis question. Factors

considered in th i s evaluation include the cmnander's career pattern

(career servi.ce, recalled from r e t i r e n t , transferred from p l i c e ,

etc. 1, branch affi.li.ation, General Staff service, previ.ous comnand

and staff assigrmnts, decorations, and la ter promotion to hig'her 1

rank and higher ccnmand.

The comnander's background i.s a significant factor of

c m n d success. Career comnanders (individuals with uninterrupted

service in the army from W to M I ) canposed 80.7% of the total i n

c m n d , while those i.ncorprated from the Austrian Army after the

Anschluss, 3.3% of the total , should also f a l l into this category.

According to Blumentri.tt's assertion, therefore, 84% of a l l corps

cdrmanders would possess the mst current professional conpetence,

versus the 1CL who transferred from the police or returned from

retirement.

103

A review of branch affili.ation reveals that three major

branches held the l ion 's share of corps corranand positions: infantry

with 51.5%, a r t i l l e ry with 18.91, and panzer with 16.2%. Avai.lable

data indicates t'nat panzer generals overall may have fared k t t e r in

awards and promotions, but it is outside the scope of this thesis t o

examine this point fully. Additionally, i.t would be i.ncorrect to

s ta te that panzer officers were mre proficient than other branch

officers. HaJever, the relationship between these three percentages

on each front is significant i n examining the application of

traditi.ona1 tact ics of the infantry, m b i l i t y tactics of the panzer,

and fireparer application of the ar t i l lery.

General Staff service was viewed highly by senior military

lea&rship who made the selections of corps colrmanders. Although

, Hitler disliked the General Staff and implemented several policies

t o 1imi . t i.ts importance, th i s study has found no evidence that he

became deliberately involved i n selection of comnanders a t C O T ~ S

level. Further research must be done as sources indicating General

Staff officers are not complete and complete fi,mes may be

u l t ima te ly 'nigher than the 50% found belonging t o chis group.

b r o w examples of successful cornnand a t this and higher levels by

non-General Staff officers exist. However, with the German High

Camand's am special selection, training, and education processes,

i t i.s evident that General Staff service was considered a mark of

success. Therefore it also w i l l be considered i n the final

conpari son.

104

Previous comnand and staff experience are addi.tiona1 factors

that w i l l be considered for compari.son. A l m o s t 907. of a l l corps

comnanders had comnandea a t the divjsion level, with 15.3% previous

panzer division conmanders. Concerning prior s taff service, 9% had

served as divisi.on operations offi.cers, 207. as corps chiefs of

s ta f f , and 11%army chiefs of staff. These three s taff positions are

closely related to General S t a f f service as during both the

Reichswehr, albeit secretly, and the Wehrmacht they were coded for

General Staff officers.

Overall the corps ccmnanders were highly decorated with

various military decorations of their nation. Consideri.ng the

emphasis that a l l segnents of government and society placed on these

decorati.ons it would appear that they were indicative a t that time

of military success. Individual examples of cOmnanders not receiving

a specific award due t o conflicts with Hitler exi.st but do not

disprove overall results. Combi.ning a l l grades of the Knight's

Cross, 83.4% of a l l corps ccmnanders were winners of th i s award.

Concerning the bestowal of awards for achi.everent as corps

comanaers, 3 . X received the Knight's Cross w i . t n Oakieaves anc

Swords, while 13.6% received the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves.

105

Later promotion to higher rank and higher c d is a

significant indi.cator a l l ami.es use to reward success and indicate

potential. The Gennan Army was no different with respect to corps

comnand. Eleven forner corps ccnnnanders ( 3 . 3 % ) attained the rank of

Generalfeldmarschall while twenty-eight former c m n d e r s (8 .4%)

achieved the rank of Generaloberst. Above the corps level were the

armies and army groups. Eighty-five corps ccmanders (25.6%) were

elevated t o army comnand while twenty-five (7.5%) ultimately assumed

anny group comnand. Selecti.on for either was a significant indicator

of past success and are crucial t o the thesis.

The results that will be used for the analysis can also be

displayed i n table format t o fac i l i t a te cqar i . son:

Table 38

Corps Carmander Baseline Characteristics

Category Percentage

Career Officer 84

Branch Affiliation:

Infantry 51.5

Artillery 18.9

Panzer 16.2

106

Corps Com;lander Baseline Characteristics (continued)

Category Percentage

General Staff Membership 49.7

Previous Division Cornnand

Infantry 77.4

Panzer 15.3

Infantry and Panzer 3.3

Previous Staff erience

Division Operations 0ffi.cer 9.0

Corps Chiefs of Staff 19.8

Army Chiefs of Staff 11.4

Award Recipients

A l l Grades of Knight's Cross 83.4

Swords as Comnander 3.3

Oakleaves as Comnander 13.6

Later Promotion

To Generalfeldmarschall 3.3

To Generaloberst 8.4

Later Cornnand

To Army Gmnander 25.6

To Army Group Comnander 7.5

107

Before i.nferences can be drawn based on the above data, one

poi.nt rust be addressed. There is sow built- in inequi.ty in the

comparison due t o the duration of the war on each front. The German

military effor t on the Eastern Front lasted from June 1941 to May

1945, a period of almost four years. The I ta l ian Front lasted from

July 1943, with the invasion of Sicily, t o May 1945, s o m twenty-two

months. The Western Front was i n operation for an even shorter

duration, f rom June 1944 to May 1945, only eleven months. Corps

cdrmanders on the Eastern Front had more time to be promoted as more

higher corrmands became avai.lable in four years than i n two. However,

prior background factors s t i l l exi.sted for a l l ; and the awards

system continued t o the very end of the war.

With these factors i n mind the following Front comparisons

can be made:

Table 39

Carps Comnanders by Front Comparison

Category Overall Eastern Xestern Italian

7. Front Front Front

Career Officer 84.0 55.8 84.8 100

Branch Affiliation:

Infantry 51.5 53.5 55.7 16.6

Arti.llery 18.9 15.6 21.7 25.0

Panzer 16.2 19.1 5.7 33.3

10s

Corps Comnanders by Front Comparison (continued)

Category Overa11 Eastern Western I ta l ian

70 Front Front Front

General Staff Membership 49.7 49.8 32.6 41.6

Prior Division cornnand

Infantry 74.1 75.1 82.6 66.6

Panzer 12.3 12.0 8.7 16.6

Infantry & Panzer 3.3 4.4 2.2 16.6

Prior Staff Experience

Division I a 9.0 5.3 4.3 8.3

Corps Chief of Staff 19.8 23.1 17.3 25.0

Chief of S t a f f 11.4 13.3 10.9 8.3

Award Recipients

Knight's cross 83.4 93.3 80.4 91.7

Swords as Corrmander 3.3 4.0 4.3 8.3

Oakleaves as Comnander 13.6 18.7 6.5 8.3

Later Promtion

To G M 3.3 1.3 0.0 0.0

To GO 8.4 8.9 0.0 0.0

Later ccmnand

Army ccmnander 25.6 27.6 8.7 8.3

Army Group Comnander 7.5 8.4 2.2 8.3

109

I t is evident, according to these cr i te r ia , that m front was

"stacked" with more cmpetent corps ccrrmanders to the disadvantage

of the others. Career officer representation for the Eastern and

Western Fronts closely paralled the overall trend, with the I ta l ian

Front showing SOmewhat greater representation of this category.

Corps ccmuianders on static fronts, such as France from 1941 t o

before the Normandy invasion, were generally older, less decorated,

and less l ikely t o be prromoted or be given army/army group c d .

Upwardly mobile corps carmanders with more complete credentials were

given c b i n active combat sectors, regardless of front.

Branch affi1i.ation i.s also well represented by the three major

branches on a l l three fronts. It is interesting to note, however,

the relatively high proportion of panzer officers i n I ta ly , where a

mre traditional, position- oriented campaign was fought, rather

than a fluid bat t le that such a representation' of panzer cOrrmanders

night suggest. Panzer officers did receive a hi.gher proportion of

awards and promotions than a s t r i c t branch allocation would

indicate. Twdve of eighteen panzer corps fought exclusively in

Russia, one solely on the Western Front, one exclusively in Italy,

and one only in Africa. The other three rotated between the Eastern

and WesterdItalian Fronts. With th i s ra t io , i.t is obvious that many

mre panzer corps comnanders served i n Russia than on other fronts.

The extremely low percentage (8.7%) of corps comnanders of the

panzer branch on the Western Front was partially offset by the

presence of Waffen SS panzer corps and panzer comanders during the

batt les of Normandy and the Ardennes.

110

The two traditional branches, a r t i l l e ry and infantry, provided

the highest overall percentage of comnanders. The preponderance of

panzer officers i n tile East apparently cut directly into the numbers

of a r t i l l e ry corrmanders on this front. In reviewing army command,

representation by branch was highest for infantry (43%), followed by

panzer (2673, and arti.llery (16%). As more panzer comnanders served

on the Eastern Front, i.t is clear that these individuals muld

constitute much of the panzer representation for army comnanders.

The same is t rue for army group cornnand *re 44% were infantry, 24%

panzer, and 16%art i l lery.

General Staff membershi.p declined as the war progressed and is

reflected i n the reduced General Staff representation amow corps

cdrmanders on the Western Front from 1944-1945.' Again more work must

be done in thi.s area. The rank lists f r m 1920-1938, the primary

sources for this criteri.on, are not complete as by the Versailles

Treaty Germany was prohibited from'~vi.ng a General Staff. Ymy

individuals could be identified as members of the General Staff by

examining duty positions tradi.tionally held by General Staff Corps

officers, but no Xeichswetu l i s t wouid actually uelineace

membership. O t h e r officers, who did not hold these tradilional

positions may have been General Staff offi.cers also.

Most corps c m n d e r s on a l l three fronts had been di.vision

corrmanders. I t is again interesting to note that a full third of the

corps c m n d e r s in Italy had c m n d e d panzer divisions, double the

111

percentage of those i n Xussia, and three tiws that of cOmnanders on

the Western front. Although many infantry and panzer division

c-nders la ter comnanded corps, no reserve division cORnanders

did. Thirty-five corps c m n d e r s di.d not comnand a t division level.

Most, however, comnanded corps a t the s t a r t of the war. Their

opportunity for di.vi.sion comnand, therefore, would have been during

the Reichswehr, when the German Army was extremely small. After 1940

almost a l l corps conmanders had served as division comnanders. A t

the other end of the spectnnn, eleven corps comnanders had comnanded

both infantry and panzer divisions. Some of these cdi.nati.ons

occurred when infantry divisions converted to panzer status a t the

beginning of the war, although the division headquarters remained

unchanged. Repeated divisi.on conmand could occur, but certainly was

not a prerequisite for elevati.on to corps c m n d .

‘fie results concerning prior staff experi.ence are well-balanced

for a l l three fronts, The slightly higher results for army level

chiefs of staff for the Eastern Front most accuracely relect the

longer durati.on of this caqaign. Again, comnanders i n I ta ly are

well represented i n Division Operations 0ffi.cers and Corps Chiefs of

Staff. These numbers are probably more accurate than overall General

Staff representation as the Reichswehr rank l i s t s included specific

assignments for a l l officers.

112

Overall award recipients sli.ghtly favor those on the Eastern

Front, especi.ally in Winni.n& the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves as a

corps comnander. Part of this i.s due t o the duration of the

campaign, and also the offensive nature of this front Eron 1941 to

1943. The other two fronts, with some exceptions such as the 1944

Ardennes Offensive, were predominantly defensive in nature. In

looking a t any awards system discrepancies do exi.st. Undoubtedly,

some general officers deserved t o wi.n one of ti= hi.gher grades of

award, but did not. Some may have received awards when ti1ei.r

performance did not truly merit the award. There i.s scant evidence

of di.ssati.sfaction with the awards system. If widespread inequities

existed, they surely would have been noted i.n postwar memoirs.

Therefore, overall results are probably valid, keeping i.n mind that

any such system is imperfect.

Promtion to both generaloberst and generalfeldmarschal can only

be seen on the Eastern Front. Later camand a t army and army goup

level i.s not so one- sided, but sti.11 is clearly represented core by

comnanders i n Russia. Again many of these promotions and assigments

went to individuals who comnanded a t t'he corps level in 1941 and

1942. Late war comnands do not appear to be by default. More than

2400 men reached general officer c m n d . About 350 became

fa ta l i t i es . Assuming another 500 were tw old or i l l to take on the

ri.gors of corps c m n d , the German High Gnnnand sti.11 had well over

1000 eligible officers, from whi.ch t o select. Qualifi.ed alternates

113

did exist. Temporary corps comnanders were often selected from mre

readily available officers, but could be replaced by penanent

cdrmanders wi.thi.n a few days.

Ideally, inmdiate postwar interviews with High Coomand personnel

officers on the relative merits of each cmmnder would establi.sh

exact c r i te r ia for promotion. The USAREUR Historical Division

undertook a wide ranging interview program, but di.d not include

subject matter of t h i s nature. Without such sources this thesis nust

turn t o traditi.ona1 military leadership theory to vali.date the

c r i te r ia used for the study. The Xeichswehr was highly competitive

and demanding i n the respect of officer advancent . The High

Camnand leaders, above corps level, were products of this system.

Despite the presence of several "politi.ca1" generals i n the Army

Personnel Office, these leaders had great i.nput t o the selection of

corps c m n d e r s . The mst l i k e l y response would have been to select

junior individuals "in their own image." That image included s m

representation by the nobili.ty, an excellent educational background

evidenced by selection for the General Staff , demonstrated

excellence i n s taff and comand assignwrics, che potenci.al for

higher semice, and like-minded thi.niti ng.

To deviate sharply from these princi.pals would have opened the

possibility of an unfavorable clunge i n the enti.re officer caste

114

system. To be sure, some radically different indivi.duals, perhaps

mre closely ali.gned with prevai.li.ng poli.ti.ca1 conditions, were

elevated to corps c m d . But it was not i n the best interest of

a l l the higher military leadership for this t o occur too often. A s

this thesis has shown, men of high quality were di.stributed

throughout a l l major theaters of the war.

In sumnary, the corps cuunanders on the Eastern Front were not

conspicuously mre competent than those on the Western or I ta l ian

Fronts. The German High CQrmand distributed talent well in a l l three

areas, and continued t o select quality indivi.duals for th i s level of

responsi.bility for the duration of the war. Using the evaluation

system employed here, it does not appear that corps colrnnanders

gravitated t o any specific front t o get a "ti.cket punched". Quality

indi.vi.duals were selected t o cornnand in active combat fronts, where

dedicated courageous leadership was needed.

115

1 Concerning age, 49.5% of the comnanders were between 51 and

55 and 31.8% between 45 and 50 upon a s s d n g corrmand. Only 1.8%were younger than 45 and 3.37. older than 60. Other aspects of relative colIpnand success cannot be di.rectly related to age, so this criterion w i l l not be used i.n comparing various front camanders.

Xepresentation of the nobility remai.ned constant throughout tlze w a r a t approximately 22.6% of a l l corps conmanders. This percentage dramatically increased t o 73% of a l l corps c d r s prcmoted to the rank of Generalfeldmarschall, the characteristi.c of nobility i t se l f i s not a valid b e n c h r k of relative success and will also not be used in the cumpari.son.

Nazi. Party membership and influence wi.11 not be used for canpari.son. More concrete research "St be done in this area t o adequately document the extent of the relati.onship between Amyleaders and the Nazi. Party. This thesis however, w i l l not use unsubstantiated post-war i.nuendo t o categ0ri.z certain officers as Nazi.s.

Twenty-seven corps comnanders (8.17.) were killed whi.le i n comnand. kn ty - two were killed in action, three were suicides, and two were killed in accidents. While this information shows that corps camand w a s hazardous, it does ~t reveal any conclusion concerning proficiency of these i.ndividuals. Additionally,membership i n the National Cornnittee for a Free Germany was solely an Eastern Front phenomenon, with the question of resulting honor versus disloyalty l e f t t o other dissertations.

116

-APPENDIX A - ABBREVIATIONS

AF'PmIX A

The following i.s a glossary of Geman terms and

abbreviations used both in th i s m u s c r i p t and related Gernan

sources which w i l l ass i s t in further research. For t e rn that have

mre than one abbreviation I have used the fi .rst l isted.

German term Abbreviation Equivalent

Arnee A / h a q

Arrreekorps AK army corps

Armeeoberkomnando AOK army conmand

Arti.lleriekLxrmandeur Ark0 army level a r t i l l e ry

corrmander

Auszei.chnung decor ati.on

Blutorden Blood Order of Nazi

Party

Deutsches Kreuz i n Gold DK Geman Cross i n Gold

Division DivlD division

Eisernes Kreuz Ex Iron Cross

Gebirgskorps GebK mountain corps

Geboren geb born

&fallen gef fallen (kil led)

118

General der Art i l ler ie

General der Flieger

General der Gebirgstruppen

General der Infanterie

General der Kaval1eri.e

General der Panzer

General der Pionier

Generalfeldmarschall

Generalkomnando z.b.V.

Generalleutnant

Gener a h j or

Generaloberst

Gener alstab

GdA / Gen.d.Art.

GdF / Gen.d.Fl.

GdGebT/Gen.d.Geb .

GdI / Gen.d.Inf.

GdK / Gen.d.Kav.

W z I Gen.d.Pz.

Wi / Gen.d.Pi.0.

GFM / Feldm

GenKdo 2.b.V.

GZ / Genlt

Q1/ Genmaj

GO / Genobst

Genstbe / GSt

119

General of Artillery

( 3 star rank)

General of Flying

troops (Luftwaffe

3 star rank)

General of Mountain

troops ( 3 star rank)

General of Infantry

( 3 star rank)

General of Cavalry

( 3 star rank)

General of Panzer

troops ( 3 star rank)

General of Engineers

( 3 star rank)

Field &shall

( 5 s ta r rank)

corps for special

employment

Li eutenann-Gener a i

( 2 s ta r rank)

Yljor-General

(1 star rank)

Colonel-General

( 4 star rank)

General Staff

H e e r H

Heeresgruppe m Hoehere Arti.lleriekomandeur Park0

Hceheres Komnando z.b.V.

Infanterie Division

Kavalleri.ekorps

Kosaken-Kava1leri.ekorps

hank

Kri.egsgef angenen

Kriegslazarett

m i t der Fuehrung beauftragt

Oberkonmando des Heeres

Oberkorrmando des M e h c h t

O b e rst

Panzerbrps

Reserve-Korps

Ritterkreuz des Eisernes

Kreuz

Ri tterkreuz des Eisernes

Kreuz mit Ei chenlaub

HoehKdo 2.b.V.

I.D.

Kav.Korps

Kos.Kav. Korps

kr

Kriegsgef

Kr.Laz.

m.d.F.b. I m.f.b..

OKH

OKW

Ob i Obst

PZK

RK

RK

EL I Ei.cn

the h l y

army S O U P

army level arti.llery

comnander

corps for special

employrent

infantry divi si.on

cavalry corps

cossack cavalry

corps

sick, ill

pri.soner of war

frontline hospi.ta1

charged with cornnand

(temporary cdr)

High Cannand of the

h Y

Hi.gh Conmind of the

a d Forces

Colonel

a m r e d corps

reserve corps

Knight 's Cross

Knight's Cross with

Oakleaves

120

Ri.tterkreuz des Eisernes

Kreuz nit Eichenlaub und

Scllwer ten

Ritterheuz des Eisernes

keuz nit Eichenlaub,

Scl-rwerten und Brillanten

. Stellvertreter

Verfugung

Verwundet

Volks-Arti.llerie-brps

Volksturm

GJaffen SS

Weiurnacht

sk' I schw

BR

St l lv

vf I vfg

v I vem

VAK

vst

ss W e b .

121

Xnight's Cross wi.th

Oakleaves and

Swords

Knight's Cross with

Oakleaves, Swords,

and Diamonds

deputy

a t disposal

wounded

Peoples Artillery

Corps

Peoples forces

Waffen SS

Arned Forces

APPENDIX B - CGYNANDFJS

APPENDIX B

The following is a listing of all corps cnrmanders. Two

ranks are given when the general was pronoted while i.n c o m d .

GL-GdA von Brauchitsch

GdA von Kuechler

GL-GdA Petzel

GL-GdI von Both,H

GL-GdI Wcehler

GL-GdI Grase

GdI Hilpert

GL Hartmann,W

GdI Hilpert

GL-GdI Busse

GL Mayer

GL-GdI Fangohr

GL Usinger

GL-GdI Blaskowitz

GdI Strauss,A

123

1.10.35-1.4.37

1.4.37-8.39

8.39-26.10.39

26.10.39-1.4.43

1.4.43-15.8.43

15.8.43-10.11.43

10.11.43-1.2.44

1.2.44-30.3.44

30.3.44-1.9.44

1.9.44-19.1.45

19.1.45-21.2.45

21.2.45-25.4.45

25.&.&5-.2.5.&5

1935-1938

10.11.38-30.5.40

GdI Stuelpnagel ,K

GL-GdI von Brockdorff-Mefeldt

GdI von Tippelski.rch

GdI von Brockdorff-Ahlefeldt

GdI Law

GL Mayer ,J GdI Laux

GL Mayer ,J

GdI Laux

GL Yiyer ,J GL-GdI 1Iasse,W

GL xcepke

GdI Hasse,W

GL Mayer ,J

GL Gause

I11 ARMEEKORPS (12.34-5.42)

GL-GdI von :.Ji tzleben

GdA-GO base ,C

GdI von Greiff

GdK von Mackensen

W z von Schweppenburg

GdK von Mackensen

GdSS Steiner

30.5.40-20.6.40

20.6.40-5.42

5.42

5.42-28.11.42

28.11.42-1.4.44

1.4.44-5.5.44

5.5.44-11.5.44

11.5.44-14.6.44

14.6.44-2.7.44

2.7 .44-14.7.44

15.7.U-9.44

9.44

9.44-15.1.45

15.l.45-1.4.45

1.4.45-8.5.45

/ 111 PA"X0WS (6.42-5.45)

1.12.34-10.i1.38

19.11.38-13.11.40

13.11 .P0-15.1.41

15.1.41-31.3.42

31.3.42-19.7.42

20.7.42-22.11.42

22.11.42-2.1.43

124

GdPz Breith 2.1.43-20.10.43

GL Ziegler 20.10,. L3-25.11 .L3

GL, Schulz,F 27.11.43-9.1.44

GdPz Breith 9.1.44-31.5.44

GL von Saucken 1.6.44-29.6.44

GdPz 6rei.th 29.6.44-5.5.45

I V ARMEFKORPS (10.35-9.44) / IV PAICEFXSPS (10.44-11.44)

PAHZEFXW'S~WXRR"E (11.44-1.45)

GdI L h t 1.10.35-4.2.38

GdI von Sched le r 4.2.33-13.10.42

GL-Gdpi Jaenecke 1.11.42-16.1.43

GdA Pfeffer 17.1.43-31.1.43

(Corps destroyed a t Sta1ingrad;reforr;led)

GdI Mieth 1.3.43-2.9.44

(Corps destroyed Gnjestr;reformd)

GdPz Kleenann 2.9.44-5.5.45

GL-GdI Geyer 16.5.35-29.4.39

GdI Ruoff 29.4.39-12.1.42

GL-GdI Wetzel 12.1.42-1.7.43

125

GdI Allnendinger 1.7.43-4.5.44

GL Mueller,? 4.5.U-2.6.44

GL-GdI Beyer,F 2.6.44-19.7.44

(Cor?s destroyed Crima;reformed)

GdA Waeger 26.1.45-5.45

GL-GdA von Kluge 1.4.35-24.11.38

GdPi Foerster 24.11.38-12.41

GdI Bieler 12.41-31.10.42

GL-GdI Jordan 1.11.42-20.5.44

GdA Pfei.ffer ,G 20.5.44-26.6.44

GdA Wei.dlirg 26.6.44-1.7.44

(Corps destroyed Witebsk;refomd)

GL-GdI Grossmann 11.8.44-8.5.45

V I I ARXLKOKPS (10.35-8.44) / VII PANZERKORPS.(12.U-5.&5)

GL-GdA von Reichenau 1.10.35-4.2.35

GdI vOn Schobert 4.2.38-1.2.40

GL Heinri.ci.,G 1.2.40-8.4.40

GdI-GO von Schobert 9.4.40-25.10.40

GdA Fahrmbacher 25.10.40-8.1.42

126

GL-GdA Hell 8.1.42-5.10.43

GdI Dostler 5.10. L.3-30. li .43

GdA Hell 30.11.43-8.44

(Corps destroyed a t Jassy;reformed)

GbCdPz von Kessel 27.12.44-8.5.45

VIII ARmEKoRPs

GL-GdK von Kleist 21.5.35-4.2.38

GdI Busch 4.2.38-24.10.39

GdA-Go Heit2 25.10.39-31.1.43

(Corps destroyed a t Sta1ingrad;refonned)

GdI H c e h n e 20.7.43~1.4.44

GL Block 1.4.44-14.4.44

GL Schlemner 15.4.44-12.5.44

12.5.44-4.8.44GdI H c e h n e

GL Mueller,J 4.8.44-24.8.44

GdA Hartmann,W 24.8.44-20.3.45

GdI Wiese 20.3.45-19.4.45

GdA von Xellenthin 19.4.45-8.5.45

127

a-GdA Dollmann

a1Geyer

GL-GdI Schmidt,H

GdI Cloessner

a - G d A WUthmaM

GL Dr Hohn

GL-GdK Knochenhauer

GdA Ulex

GL-GdA F!en,C

GdI Sponheimer

GdA Hansen,C

GL-GdI von Wicicede . GdI Koechling

LL-GdI Foertsch,H

GL Wyer

a-GdA Thcmlaschki.

IX ARMEEKWS

128

1.10.34-8.39

8.39-31.12.41

1.1.42-15.10.43

15.10.43-3.12.43

3.12.43-20.4.45

20.4.45-8.5.45

16.5.35-28.6.39

8.39-15.10.39

15.10.39-'1.7.43

1.7.43-1.8.43

1.8.43-4.10.43

4.10.43-23.6.44

25.6.44-3.9.44

3.Y.U-20.12.U

20.12.44-27.12.44

27.12.44-8.5.45

GL-GdA Ulex

GdA Leeb,E

GL-GdI von Kortzflei.sch

GdI O t t

GdI von Kortzfleisch

GdI Strecker

6.10.36-1.4.39

1.b.39-1.3.40

1.3.40-6.10.41

6.10.41-10.12.41 .

10.12.41-6.5.42

6.5.42-2.2.43

(Corps destroyed a t Stali.rgrad;reformed)

GdPz ;(aus 1.3.43-10.43

10.43-5.12.43

GdA Stemmmann,W 5.12.43-18.2.44

(Corps destroyed a t Tscherkassy;reformed)

GdI von Euenau

GdA von Hellenthin

GdK Kress von Kressenstein

GdI Schroth

GdI Heimici.,G

GdI Schroth

GL Heinemann

20.3.44-16.3.45

16.3.45-19.4.45

19.4.45-8.5.45

6.10.36-28.2.38

1.3.38-9.4.40

9.4.40-16.6.40

16.6.40-12.41

12.41-17.2.42

129

GL-GdI Graessner 18.2.42-15.2.43

GdI Tippe1ski.rcn 15.2.43-6.44

GL k l l e r , V 6.44-7.7.44

(Corps destroyed at Xogi.lew)

GdK von Weichs 1.10.37-20.10.39

GL-GdF'z von Vietinghoff 26.10.39-25.10.40

GdI Felber 25.10.40-13.1.42

GL Ottenbacher 14.1.42-21.4.42

GL-GdI Straube 21.4.42-20.2.43

GL-GdI Siebert 20.2.43-7.9.43

GL-GdI Hauffe 7.9.43-25.4.44

GL Block 25.4.44-5.6.44

GdI Hauffe 5.6.44-22.7.44

(Corps destroyed a t Ercdy;refonned)

GdI Felber 6.12.44-12.2.45

LL von Oriola ?2.2.L5-1.4.45

GL Park 1.4.45-15.4.45

GdI Hatun 15.4.45-18.4.45

GL Tolsdorff 18.4.45-20.4.45

GdA Lucht 20.4.45-1.5.45

130

XIV ARNZEK3RPS (4.38-5.42) / XIV PAL~ZEFXORPS (6.42-5.45)

GdI von Wietersheim 1.4.38-14.9.42

GL-GlPz Hube 15.9.42-17.1.43

GL Schloener 18.1.43-29.1.43

(Corps destroyed a t Stalingrad ;reformed)

GdPz h b e 5.3.43-2.9.43

GL Balck 2.9.43-2.10.43

GdPz We 2.10.43-22.10.43

GL-GdPz von Senger und Etterlia 23.10.43-2.5.45

XV AREFKORPS (11.38-11.40) / XV GEBIRGSKORPS (8.43-5.45)

GdI tioth 10.11.38-11.40

(Corps converted t o Panzer Group 3 ;reformed)

GdI Lueters 25.8.43-10.10.43

* GdI von Leyser 1.11.43-1.8.44

W z Fehn 1.8.44-8.5.45

XVI ARMFEKORPS

GL-GdPz Guderian 4.2.38-20.11.38

GL-GO Hoepner 24.11.38-2.41

(Corps converted t o Panzer Group 4;refo-d)

131

GdK Kleffel 4.7.44-20.10.44

GL von Mellenthin 20.10.44-2O.ll.U

GdI von kos igk 20.11.44-7.4.45

GL Weber 7.4.45-8.5.45

GdI Kienitz

GdI Holli.dt

GdI Strecker

GdI Hollidt

a-GL von Cholitz

GL-GdI Schneckenburger

GdPz Brandenberger

GdGbT Kreysing

GL Beyer,F

GdGbT Kreysing

GdPi. Tiemann

XVIII ARMEEKORPS (4.38-11.40)

GdI Beyer

GL von Speck

1.4.38-23.1.42

23.1.42-2.4.42

2.4.42-6.5.42

6.5.42-7.12.42

7.12.42-5.3.43

5.3.43-7.9.43

7.9.43-21.11.43

21.11.43-27.4.44

27.4.44-25.5.44

25.4.44-28.12.44

28.12.44-8.5.45

/ XVIII Gl3RGSKORPS (12.40-5.45)

1.4.38-5.6.40

5.6.40-15.6.40

132

GL-GdI B o e k , F

GL-CdGbT Eglseer

GL-GdIHochbaum

XIX ARNEEKOWS (1.39-11.40)

GL von Vietinghoff

GdPz Guderian

15.6.40-10.12.43

10.12.43-23.6.44

24.6.44-8.5.45

/ XIX GEBIRGSKWS (1.42-5.45)

1.39-8.39

8.39- 11.40

(Corps converted t o Panzer Graup 2;reformed)

GL-GdGbT Schoerner

GL-GdGbT von Hengl

GL-GdGbt Jodl

GL-GdI Materna

GL-GdA von i(0man

M I Vierow

GdA von Xornan

GdK Koehler

15.1.42-1.10.43

1.10.43-15.5.U

15.5.44-5.45

1.10.40-10.9.42

10.9.42-14.2.43

1&.2.L2-i0.3.4?

10.3.43-3.45

3.45-5.45

133

XXI A R i o R p S (8.39-4.40) / XXI GEBIRGSKORPS (8.43-5.45)

GL-GdI von Falkenhorst 8.39-4.40

(Corps converted to Group 21;refoma)

(3.A Bader 25.8.43-10.10.43

GdPz Fehn,G 10.10.43-1.8.44

GdI Leyser 1.8.44-ll.i0.44

GL Baier 11.10.44-25.10.44

GdI Leyser 25.10.44-29.4.45

GL von W g e r 29.4.45-5.45

XXII ARMEEKORPS (8.39-11.40) / XXII GEBIRGSKORPS (2.43-5.45)

GdK von Kleist 8.39-11.40

(Corps converted to Panzer Group 1;refo-d)

GdGbT Lanz 22.2.43-8.5.45

~mm.IwDER G?,i3lZ?RlJPPN EIFEL (8.39-iO.39)

'XXIII MWEKOFS'S (10.39-5.45)

GdI Raschirk 8.39-21.10.39

GdI Schubert 26.10.39-25.7.42

134

GL-GdI Hilpert

G-GdI Fri.essner

G i von Funck

GL-GdPi Tiemann

GL-CdI Plelzer

25.7.42-20.1.43

20.1.43-7.12.43

7.12.43-2.2.44

2.2.44-12.10.44

12.10 .&-a. 5.45 -

KCHMNIX DER Q(EN2'RUPPF.N SAARPFALZ (8.39-10.39)

XXIV ARIEEKOPSS (10.39-6.42) . / XkV PANZERKORPS (6.42-5.45)

GdPi. Kuntze

GL-Gdpz Geyr von Schweppenburg

GL-GdPz von Langermann und Erlencamp

GdPz von Knobelsdorff

GL-GdA Wandel

GL Jahr

GdI Eibl

Oberst Heidhenper

GdPz Nehring

GL Graeser

GdF? Nehring

GL Kaellner

GdA HartlllaM

1.10.38-14.2.40

15.2.40-7.1.42

8.1.42-3.10 ..42

10.10.42-30.11.42

1.12.42-14.1.43

15.1.43-20.1.43

20.1.43-21.1.43

21.1.43-9.2.43

10.2.43-27.0.44

28.6.44-19.8.44

20.8.44-19.3.45

20.3.45-18.4.45

19.4.45-8.5.45

135

GL-GdI Waeger ,A

GdI von Prager

GdA Fahrmbacher

GL von Choltitz

GdA Fahmbacher

8.39-6.11.39

6.11.39-1.5.42

1.5.42-12.6.44

12.6.44-15.6.44

15.6.44-5.45

Koi(pS WODFiIG (8.39-10.39) / XXVI KMF.EKOFPS (10.39-5.45)

GL-GdA Wcdrig

GL-GdI von kyser

GdPz Fehn,G

GdI Hilpert

CdI Grase

GL-GdI Grasser

GL-GdIMatzky

GL Chill

GdI Hatzky

8.39-1.10.42

1.10.42-1.7.43

1.7.43-19.8.43

19.8.43-11.43

11.43-1.1.44

1.1.44-3.7.44

3.7.44-12.4.45

1?.4.L5-4.45

4.45-5.45

136

GdI von F-rager

GdI Waeger

GL von Gablenz

GL-GdI Witthoeft

GdI kiss

GL Jaschke

GL Burdach

GL-GdI Voelckers

GL Wller ,V

GdI voe1ckers

GL-GdI Pr iess

GL-GdA F e l z m m

GdI Hcernlein

a von %-ockdorff-.Ahlefe?dt

GL Weyer

GdI Wikt0ri.n

GdA Loch

GL Sponheimr

GdA Loch

GL Matzky

GdI Gollnick

8.39-6.11.39

6.11.39-23.12.41

23.12.41-13.1.42

13.1.42-31.8.42

31.8.42-4.2.43

4.2.43-1.3.43

10.3.43-8.6.43

8.6.43-21.10.43

21.10.43-26.10.43

26.10.43-9.7.44

27.7.44-21.10.44

26.10.44-14.4.45

14.4.$5-8.5.45

1.6.!+0-20.6.40

20.6.40-26.10.40

26.10.40-30.1.42

30.1.42-25.5.43

25.5.43-1.7.43

1.7.43-28.3.44

28.3.44-28.5.44

28.5.44-5.45

137

GdI von Obstfelder 1.6.40-21.5.43

GdPz Brandenberger 21.5.43-30.6.44

GL vqn Mauchenheim 2.7.44-9.44

GL-GdI Roepice 9.44-5.45

GL-GdA Hartmann,o 8.39-25.3.41

GL O t t 25.3.41-10.5.41

GdI von S a l m t h 10.5.41-27.12.41

GL-GdA Fretter-Pi.co,M 27.12.41-18.7.44

GL Postel 18.7.44-8.44

(Corps destroyed hjestr ; reformed)

GL von TresckaJ 15.11.44-23.11.U

GL Xeumann,tW 23.11.44-15.12.44

GdK Kleffel 15.12.44-20.3.45

GRENZSCWTZ ABSCHNITM3W 1 (8.39-9.39 )

KORPS 1;AupISCH (9.39-11.39)

HOMERES KmW 2.b.V. XXXI (11.39-6.42)

GdF-GdA Kaupisch 25.8.39-10.4.42

GdA Gallenkamp 10.4.42-6.42

(Corps converted t o LXX Armeekorps)

138

CRENZSCHUTZ ABSCHNITTKMMANW 2 (8.39-10.39)

HGEEERES K O M X A i 2.5.11. XXXII (10.39-5.42)

GL Buechs,F 26.5.39-10.1.40

GL Boetun-Tettelbach 10.1.40-1.3.40

GdK von Pogrell 1.3.40-1.4.42

GdPz Kuntzen 1.4.42-5.42

(Corps converted to Urn1 Armeekorps;reformed)

GL-GdI Schack 26.3.45-5.45

GKKZSCHUTZ A 6 S C H N I T R O ~3 (8.39-10.39)

HOMERES KCMMNKI z.b.V XXXIII (10.39-1.43)

XXXIII ARMEEKORPS (L.43-4.45)

GL-GdK Brandt,G 26.8.39-30.4.42

GdI Fischer von Neikersthal 1.5.42-15.6.42

GL-GdA Engelbrecht 15.6 .42-24.12.43

GdI Volff ,L 25.12.43-8.44

GL-GdK Kcehler,K S .L4-3.45

GI von Urger 3.45-15.4.45

GL Reeumann 15.4.45-5.45

139

GRExzsm A B s c H N 1 T r K m 12 (9.39)

H O m S K C i P C O z.5.V XXXIV (10.39-12.41)

XXXIV ARMEEKORPS (9.44-5.45)

GL-GdI vet2 1.9.39-1.9.41

GL Schaal 1.9.41-12.9.41

a1 Met2 12.9.41-23.12.41

(Corps destroyed Jelez ;reformed)

GdI Mueller,F 9.44-11.44

GL von Ludwiger 11.44-12.44

GdF Felmy 12.44-5.45

GRENZSCHUTZ A B s C l I N I l T K ~ ~ N l X l13 (9.39)

HOEYFKFS l<QVANM)z.b.V XXXV (10.39-1.44)

xx'w aRPEEKORPS (1.44-7.44)

GL-GdI von Schenckendorff 10.39-15.3.41

GdK Kwh-Erpach 15.3.41-15.5.41

Gii-CdA Kaempfe ij.j.<i-30.9.42

(Corps destroyed;refomd)

GL-GdI Rendulic 1.11.42-4.43

4.43-5.8.43

GdI Wiese 5.8.43-1.44

GL Grossmann 1.44

GdI GJiese 1.44-29.6.44

GL von Luetzow 29.6.4-5.7.44

(Corps destroyed a t Bobruisk)

140

G R E N Z S m Z AEXXNI’ITKO~Ai14 (9.39)

kiOEHEES K O P M W 2.b.V M I (10.39-11.41)

XXXIV GEBIRGSARNEFKOWS (11.41-5.45)

GL von Gienanth 1.9.39-13.5.40

GL-GdI Feige 13.5.40-20.11.41

GdI Weisenberger 20.11.41-10.8.44

GL-GdGbT Voge1,E 10.8.44-5.45

GRENZSCHUTZ ABScHNI’iTKcPPUUW3 30 (9.39)

HOEHEXES KO~lANKl2.b.V XXXVII (10.39-5.42)

GdI k c h i c k 20.10.39-1.3.40

GL-GdI Boe’mn-Tettelbach 1.3.40-27.5.42

(Corps converted t o W I I Anneekorps)

M I 1 1 ARMEEKWS (2.40-1.45) / XXXVIII PANZERKOTSS (1.45-5.45)

GL-GdI von Y m t e i n 1.2.40-15.3.41

GdI von Chappuis 15.3.41-29.3.42

GdI Haenicke 29.3.42-29.6.42

GL-GdA Herzog 30.6.42-9.1.45

GL von Mellenthin,H 9.1.45-15.3.45

GdA Herzog 15.3.45-8.5.45

141

MIX AWFEKOFPS (2.40-7.42)

GL-GdPz Schmidt,R

GdPz von Arnim

GL Martinek

GL Puechler

GdA ivlartinek

GL schuenenmann

GL Mueller,V

GL-cdpz von Saucken

GL-GdPz Decicer

GL Arndt

XXXX AXHEEKORSS (2.40-7.42)

GL Stumne

GL Zorn

GdPz stumne

Gdpz Gey von Schweppenburg

GL-GdPz Fehn

GM Eberbach

GL-GdPz Henri.ci ,S

GdGbT Schoerner

GdPz Balck

/ M I X PANZFRXOPSS (7.42-5.45)

1.2.40-10.11.41

11.11.41-30.11.42

1.12.42-13.11.43

14.11.43-18.4.44

19.4.44-28.6.44

28.6.44-29.6.44

29.6.44-8.7.44

8.7.44-15.10.44

16.10.44-21.4.45

21.4.45-8.5.45

/ XXXS PANEFXOFPS (7.42-5.45)

15.2.40-14.1.42

15.1.42-1’5.2.42

16.2.42-20.7.42

20.7.42-30.9.42

1.10.42-14.11 A 2

15.11.42-24.11.42

25.11.42-30.9.43

1.10.43-11.11.43

12.11.43-15.11.43

142

GdGbT Schoerner 16.11.43-31.1.44

Gdpz von i(nobe1sdorff 1.2.44-2.9.44

GdPz Henrici.,S 3.9.44-8.5.45

W I hRMEEKoRpS (2.40-7.42) I S X I PANZERKORPS (7.42-5.45)

GL-GdPz Reinhardt 15.2.40-30.9.41

W Z Mcdel 1.10.41-6.10.41

GL Ottenbacher 6.10.41-13.10.41

GL Ki.rchner 14.10.41-25.10.41

GdPz Model 26.10.41-14.1.42

GL Harp 15.1.42-15.10.43

GL-GdA Wei.dling 16.10.43-1.2.44

GL Boege 1.2.44-10.3.44

GdA Weidling 10.3.44-19.6.44

GL Hoffmister 19.6.44-1.7.44

(Corps destroyed a t bbruisk;refomd)

GdA Weidling 2.7.44-10.4.45

GL von Wietersneim,X 10.4.45-i9.4.&5

GL Holste 20.4.45-8.5.45

143

XXXXII ARYEEKWS

GdPi Kuntze,Gj 15.2.40-24.10.41

GdI Bieler 24.10.41-11.41

GL von Sponeck,H 11.41-31.12.41

GdI Nattenklott 1.1.42-22.6.43

GL Dostler 22.6.43-4.43

GdI %ttenklo t t 4.43-3.44

(Corps destroyed a t Tscherkassy;reforrred)

GdI Mattenklott 3 .44-15.6.44

GdI Recknagel 15.6.44-1.45

(Corps destroyed a t Baranow)

XXXXIII m i s

GL von Speck 1.5 .LO-31.5.40

GdI Hei.nrici 31.5.40-20.1.42

G! Berthold 20.1.42-24.1.42

GdI BKeMeCke 24.1.42-28.6.~

GdI von Kortzfleiscn 28.6.42-15.8.42

GdI Brennecke 15.8.42-27.1.43

GL-GdI von Oven 27.1.43-25.3.44

GL-GdI Ekege 25.3.44-5.9.44

GL-GdGbT Versock 5.9.44-14.4.45

GL Kullmer 14.4.45-8.5.45

144

GL-GdI i(och, F 1.5.40-10.12.41

GL Stapf 10.12.41-26.2.42

GdA de Angelis 26.2.42-30.11.43

GL Kcechli.ng 1.12.43-15.1.44

GL-GdI Wller 15.1.44-21.8.44

(Corps destroyed a t Kischinew)

H0EHERE.S KOMMANDO 2.b.V XxxXV

GdI von Greiff 10.3.40-14.4.42

GdI Felber 14.4.42-21.5.42

(Corps converted t o LXXXIII Armeekorps)

xXXXVI AFWEKORPS (11.40-6.42) / XXZXI PAXZEXKOEPS (6.42-5.45)

GdPz von Viet:ngnoff 1.11.$O-iO.6.42

GdI Zorn 11.6.42-21.11.42

GM von Esebeck 22.11.42-20.6.43

CdI Zorn 21.6.43-2.8.43

GL-GdI Gollnick 5.8.43-22.3.44

GdI Schulz,F 23.3.U-20.7.44

145

GL von Luettwitz,S

GL Felzmann

GL-GdPz Fri.es

GL-MI Gareis

xXXXVII ARMEEKOReS (11.40-6.42)

GdA-GdPz Lemelsen

GdPz Eberbach

GdPz k m e l s e n

GdPz Raus

GL von Buenau

GL von V o m

GdPz Funck

GL-GdPz von Luettmitz,H

XlcxxvIII AFXZFKCIRPS (1.41-6.42)

GL-GdPz Kempf ,w GL-GdPz Veiel

GdPz Kempf,W

GL Heim

Cramer

-1 /

21.7.44-28.8.44

29.8.44-20.9.44

21.9.44-19.1.45

21.1.45-3.5.45

PANZEXORPS (6.42-5.45)

25.11.40-14.10.43

15.10.43-22.10.43

23.10.43-4.11.43

5.11.43-25.11.43

26.11.43-31.12.43

1.1.44-4.3.44

5.3.44-4.9.44

5.9.44-8.5.45

/ XxxXvIII PANZERKORPS (6.42-5.45)

6.1.41-31.1.42

19.2.42-5.5.42

5.5.42-31.10.42

1.11.42-19.11.42

20.11.42-25.11.42

146

GX Eberbach

GdPz von ‘Kmbeisdorff

GL von Cholti.tz

GdPz von Wbelsdorff

CL vOn Cholitz

GdPz Eberbach

W z Balck

GdPz Nehring

GL-GdPz Graeser

GL-GdPz von Edelshein

GL Hagemann

XXXXIX aRMEEKoRpS (10.40-12.40)

GdGbT Kuebler,L

GL-GdGb‘i Konrad

GdA Hartmann,W

GdI Ekyer ,F

GdGbT von -Le Suire

26.11.42-30.11.42

1.12.42-6.5.43

7.5.43-30.8.43

31.5.43-30.9.43

1.10.43-21.10.43

22.10.43-14.11.43

15.11.43-4.8.44

5.8.44-19.8.44

20.8.%-20.9.44

21.9.44-31.3.45

1.4.45-8.5.45

/ XXXXIX GEBIRGSKORPS (12.40-5.45)

25.10.40-19.12.41

19.12.41-10.5.44

10.5.44-26.7.44

26.7.44-5.8.44

j .a .U-a. j .L5

147

GL-GdK LhdenaM 25.10.40-16.1.42

GL Kleffel 20.1.42-10.3.42

GLGI von Boecla3ann 10.3.42-20.7.42

GdK -Kleffel 20.7.42-17.9.43

GL-GdIWegener 17.9.43-24.9.44

GL Boeckh-khrens 24.9.44-3.10.44

GL t.iayer 3.10.44-25.10.44

a-GdGbli Volckamer 25.10.44-11.4.45

GL von Bodenhausen 12.4.45-5.45

LI AFCiORE'S (11.40-1.43) / LI GEBIXGSKORPS (8.43-5.45)

GdI Reinhard 25.11.40-8.5.42

GL-GdA von Seydlitz-Kurzbach 8.5.42-30.1.43

(Corps destroyed at Sta1ingrad;refo-d August 1943)

GdGbT Feurstein 25.8.43-2.3.45

L z - a a ,'lauc:c 2.3. Lj-5. Gj

LII ARMEEKoRes

GdI von Bri.esen,K 25.11.40-20.11.41

GdI O t t 20.11.41-1.10.43

148

GL von Scheele 1.10.43-20.11.43

Gz-GdI Buschenhagen 20.i1.43-3.U

(Corps destroyed at Dnjestr)

L I I I fLmEEKoRPs

GdI Weisenberger 15.3.41-30.11.41

GdI Fischer von Weikersthal 30.11.41-22.3.42

GdI Clcessner 22.3.42-11.4.43

GL von Scheele 11.4.43-22.6.43

GL-GdI Gollwitzer 22.6.43-28.6.44

(Corps destroyed at Witebsk;reformed)

GdK von Kothki.rch und Trach 3.11.44-10.3.45

GL Flcerke 10.3.45-29.3.45

GL Sayerlein 29.3.45-5.45

GdK Hansen,E 1.6.41-20.1.43

GdI Hilpert 20.1.43-1.8.43

GdI Sponheimer 1.8.43-3.44

(Corps converted to Ameeabtei.1u-g Narwa)

149

GdI Vierow

Cd4 von Xmn

GL-GdI Jaschke

GdI Herrlein

GL Grossmann

GdI Herrlein

GL chill

GdI Matzky

LVI & i s (2.41-6.42)

GdI von Manstein

GLGdpz Schaal

GL-GdI Hossbach

GL Grasser

GdI Hossbach

GdI 8lock

6.1.41-14.2.43

14.2.43-3.3.43

3.3.43-17.10.43

17.10.43-

-5.44

5.44-5.2.45

5.2.45-12:4.45

12.4.45-5.45

I LVI PANZERKOWS (6.42-5.45)

2.41-12.9.41

13.9.41-1.8.43

2.3.43-14.11.43

15.11.43-9.12.43

10.12.43-14.6.44

15.G.U-26.i.G

(Corps destroyed a t Bara.now;reformed)

GdK Kcch-Erpach 16.2.45-10.4.45

GdA Weidling 11.4.45-2.5.45

150

LVII ARMEEKORPS (3.41-6.42) / LVII PANZEFXOiVS (6.42-5.45)

GL Kmtzen 15.3.41-14.11.41

GL I(i.rchner 15.11.41-12.1.42

GdPz Kuntzen 13.1.42-31.1.42

1.2.42-30.11.43GdPz Kirchner

GdPz von Esebeck 1.12.43-19.2.44

20.2 .44-24.5.44GdPz Kirchner

GL !3r. k y e r 25.5.44-2.6.44

3.6.44-8.5.45GdPz Kirchner

LVIII RESERVE-PANZERKOWS (8.43-7.44)

LVIII PANZEPXORPS (7.44-4.45)

GdPz Geyr von Schweppenburg 5.8.43-30.11.43

GL von Esebeck,H 1.12.43-9.2.44

GL-GdPz Kruegeer,W 10.2.44-24.3.45

GL Botsch 25.3.45-17.4.45

(Corps destroyed in iluhr pockecet)

LIX ARMEEKORPS

16.10.40-28.12.41GdI Schandner

GL-GdI von der Chevalleri.e,K 28.12.41-22.6.42

151

GL Hi.lpert 22.6.42-25.7.42

GdI von der Chevalleri.e,K 25.7.42-17.1.43

GL Brandenberger 17.1.43-15.3.43

GdI von der Chevallerie,K 15.3.43-4.2.44

GL Schulz,F 5.2.44-22.3.44

GL-GdI Rcehricht 22.3.44-2.6.44

GL W l l e r , F 2.6.44-10.6.44

GdI Rcehricht 10.6.44-29.1.45

GdGbT von Hengl 29.1.45-7.2.45

GL von Tresckow 7.2.45-10.4.45

GL Si.eler 10.4.45-8.5.45

GL-GdK Koch-Erpach 1.11.40-1.3.41

GL-GdI von Viebahn 1.3.41-31.12.41

CdA Behlendorff 31.12.41-5.42

(Corps converted t o W I V Anneekorps)

GdA 'ihei.ssen 14.9.42-21.2.44

(Corps destroyed a t Wilna)

152

LXII RESERVEI<ORPS (9.42-8.44) / LXII AXEF.KORPS (8 .42)

GdI Neuling 15.9.42-22.8.44

(Corps destroyed a t ihrseiile)

GL Schack

GL-GdI Abrahm

IXIV RESBVFKORPS (9.42-8.44)

GdPi Sachs

GL Hcernlein

GL Lasch

GL-a1Thulinn

GL Hauck

GL-GdA Grimnei.ss

GdA X m n

GL Friebe;H

24.11.44-13.12.44

13.12.44-4.45

I LXIV ARMEEKORPS (8.44-4.45)

20.9.42-29.7.44

29.7.44-2.9.44

2.9.44-25.10.44

25.10.44-15.1.45

15.1.45-24.1.45

24.1.45-4.45

4.45-15.4.45

15.4.45-5.45

153

GdA Bader 5.5.41-14.3.42

(CorTs disbanded;reformd)

GdA Heinemann 18.11.43-9.44

(Corps converted to Generalluxmando z. b. V. XXX Ameelcorps)

LXVI RESEEWKOWS (9.42-8.44) I LXVI AaMEE;<oRpS (8.44-4.45)

GL Marcks,E 21.9.42-12.11.42

GL-GdI Kniess 12.11.42-10.5.43

GL Roettig 21.5.43-6.43

. GdI Kniess 6.43-7.7.43

GdI Wetzel 7.7.43-20.12.43

GdA Lucht 20.12.43-3.4.45

GL Flcerke 3.4.45-5.45

GdI Fischer von Weikersthal 25.9.42-7.6.44

GdI Sponheimer 7.6.44-16.12.44

GL Schwalbe 16.12.44-21.12.44

GL-GdI Hi.tzfeld 21.12.44-5.5.45

GENEFXKCHWXXJ 2.b.V. LXVIII (5.43-9.43)

L X I I & ~ O R P S (9.i3-5.&5)

W Felrny 5.43-8.12.44

GdI Wller,F 8.12.44-29.1.45

GdGbT Konrad 29.1.45-5.45

M I X RESERVEKORPS (7.43-1.44) / MIX A R i i O R F S (1.44-5.45)

GdI Dehner 15.7.43-1.4.44

GL-GdGbT Ringel 1.4.44-24.6.44

GdI Auleb 24.6.44-8.5.45

HOEHERES KWm 2.b.V. LXX (4.41-1.43)

LXX ARMEEKORPS (1.43-5.45)

GL-GdGbT Feurstei.n 16.4.41-22.6.43

cnla Tixel L2.5.43-5.Lj

155

H0EEERE.S KCMUNEO 2.b.V. LXXI (3.42-1.43)

L;MI ARMWW"S (1.43-4.45)

GL-GdI von Xag] 15.3.42-1.11.42

GL-GdA Moser 1.11.42-15.12.44

GdA von Mauchenheim 15.12.44-5.45

LXXII ARMFEKWS

GdI von FWrSter 22.7.43-25.9.44

GN Zwade 25.9.44-10.44

GL Schmidt,A. 10.44-4.45

GL Schmidt-tImr 4.45

GENEiULK- @ F iLXXIII PRfEEKWS 2.b.V.

GdI Dostler 9.44-5.45

1.8.43-16.12.44

16.12.44-4.45

156

GdI Dostler

GL-GdGbT Sch lemr

LXXVI ARi%EKOlZPS (6.43-7.43)

GL-GdPzHerr

von Choltitz

GdPz Herr

GdPz von S c k r i n , G

GL von Graffen

GdA Gallenkamp

GdI Beyer

GdPz Kuentzen

GL Schack

13.1.44-1.9.44

1.9.44-5.45

I W I PANZEFXOWS (7.43-5.45)

1.7.43-28.2.44

1.3.44-15.4.44

16.4.44-24.11.44

24.11.44-25.4.45

26.4.45-2.5.45

27.5.42-7.8.44

10.8.44-8.5.45

1.4.42-7.9.44

7.9.44-20.9.44

157

GdI Koechling

GL 6aade

GdI Boetun-Tettelbach

GL-GdI Dehner

~ - G d ASinnhuber

GL-GdI Hcernlein

GdI Hahm

GdA Lucht

GL Tolsdorff

lxxxIII ARMEEKORPS

GdI Felber

GdA Behlendorff

a-GdI von Zangen

158

20.9.44-10.3.45

10.3.45-5.45

27.5.42-31.10.42

1.11.42-10.7.43

10.7.43-7.9.44

7.9.44-1.12.44

1.12 .U-15.4.45

15.4.45-20.4.45

20.4.45-5.45

21.5.42-15.8.43

15.5.42-1.4.43

1.4.43-1.8.43

GdA Flarcics 1.8.43-12.6.44

GdA r'ahrmiiacher 12.5.44-15.6.3

GL von Choltitz 15.6 .44-30.7.44

30.7.44-20.3.44GL Elfeidt

(Corps destroyed a t Normandie) -

GdI Kniess

GL Schack

GdI Kniess

GdPz von Luettwitz

GdI Bieler

CdPi Jaenecke

GL von r"lauchienheim

W z Fehn,G

GdI von Obstfelder

GdI Fuechler

GdI Straube

10.7.44-15.11.44

15.11.44-16.12.44

16.12.44-26.3.45

26.3.45-8.5.45

16.11.42-1.4.43

1.4.43-3.6.43

3.6.43-;. 7.&3

1.7.43-25.8.43

25.8.43-30.11.44

30.11.44-15.12.44

15.12.44-5.45

159

GdA Ynrcks,E 12.11.42-1.8.43

GdI von Zangen 1 .S .43-5.7.44

GL Jahn 5.7.44-9.44 -

(Corps converted to hneeabteilung von Zangen)

GdI kinhard 1.7.42-21.12.44

GL-GdI Schwalbe 21.12.44-3.4.45

GM Wolpert 3.4.45-5.45

GdPz von tlubicki 25.10.42-11.6.43

GL-GdI von und zu Gilsa 11.6.43-1.12.44

MI Hoehe 1.12.44-5.45

W z Nehring 14.11.42-9.12.42

(Corps converted to 5th Panzer Army;refomd)

GdF Petersen 10.44-5.45

160

LXMXI ARMEEKORPS

GL-GdI von Erdmannsdorff,W

LxXXXVII AiwEEKORPs

GdGbT Kuebler,L

CI ARMEEKORPS

GdA Berlin

a GL Sixt

GdK Harteneck

15 KOSAKENKORPS

GL von P a d . t z

9.10.44-8.5.45

9.44-5.45

27.2.45-18.4.45

18.4.45-5.45

10.6.44-5.45

1.2.45-5.45

161

GdPz von Saucken 12.44-11.2.45

GdPz Jauer 12.2.45-8.5.45

GLCdPz RmEl

GL-GdPz CrUew2l l

GL-GdPz Nehring

Oberst Bayerlein

GM von Vaerst

GL.-GdPz v m Thoma

Oberst Fiayerlein

GdPz Fehn

GN von Li.ebenstein

GL Zi.egler

GL-GdPz Cramer

19.2.41-15.8.41

15. a .41-a. 3.42

8.3.42-31.8.42

31.8.42

31 .a.42-17.9.42

17.9.42-4.11.42

4.11.42-19.11.42

19.11.42-16.1.43

16.1.43-17.2.43

17.2.43-5.3.43

5.3.43-12.5.43

162

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Diary of Obergefreiter Fri.tz Bleichert.

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