Army Group Centre
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (November 2009) |
| Army Group Centre | |
|---|---|
Heer (  Wehrmacht) | |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Fedor von Bock |
Army Group Centre (
After Army Group North was trapped in the Courland Pocket in mid-1944, it was renamed to Army Group Courland and the first Army Group Centre was renamed "Army Group North". The second iteration of Army Group Centre was formed by the redesignation of Army Group A as the replacement for the first Army Group Centre.
Formation and Command
The army group was officially created by Adolf Hitler when he issued Führer Directive 21[1] on 18 December 1940, ordering German forces to prepare for an attack on Soviet Russia in 1941. The first commanding officer of Army Group Centre was Field Marshal Fedor von Bock, who would lead it until he was relieved on 18 December 1941 after the failure of the Battle of Moscow and was replaced by Field Marshal Günther von Kluge.
Günther von Kluge would remain the army group's commander until he was injured in October 1943 and replaced by Field Marshal Ernst Busch, who would then be replaced by Field Marshal Walter Model in June 1944. When Model was transferred to the Western Front in August 1944, he was replaced by Ferdinand Schörner, who would command the army group until his desertion in May 1945 after Germany surrendered to the Allies.
Order of battle at formation
| Army-level formations | Primary subordinates | Secondary subordinates |
|---|---|---|
| Army group reserves: 537th Signals Regiment | ||
Panzer Group 2 (Guderian )
|
XXIV Panzer Corps (Geyr von Schweppenburg )
|
1st Cavalry Division, 3rd Panzer Division, 4th Panzer Division, 10th Mot. Infantry Division, 267th Infantry Division |
XLVI Panzer Corps (von Vietinghoff )
|
2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich | |
XLVII Panzer Corps (Lemelsen )
|
167th Infantry Division
| |
| XII Army Corps (Schroth) | 31st Infantry Division, 34th Infantry Division, 45th Infantry Division, 255th Infantry Division | |
Panzer Group 3 (Hoth )
|
V Army Corps (Ruoff) | 5th ID, 35th ID |
| VI Army Corps (Förster) | 6th ID, 26th ID | |
XXXIX Panzer Corps (Schmidt )
|
7th Pz, 20th Pz, 14th Mot.Div., 20th Mot.Div. | |
LVII Panzer Corps (Kuntzen )
|
12th Pz, 18th Pz, 19th Pz | |
| 4th Army (von Kluge) | VII Army Corps (Fahrmbacher) | 7th ID, 23rd ID, 258th ID, 268th ID, 221st Sec.Div. |
| IX Army Corps (Geyer) | 137th ID, 263rd ID, 292nd ID | |
| XIII Army Corps (Felber) | 17th ID, 78th ID | |
XLIII Army Corps (Heinrici )
|
131st ID, 134th ID, 252nd ID, 286th ID | |
| 9th Army (Strauss) | VIII Army Corps (Heitz) | 8th ID, 28th ID, 161st ID |
| XX Army Corps (Materna) | 162nd ID, 256th ID | |
XLII Army Corps (Kuntze )
|
87th ID, 102nd ID, 129th ID, 403rd Sec | |
Campaign and operational history
Operation Barbarossa
On 22 June 1941,
- July 1941 order of battle
- 2nd Panzer Group, z. Vfg. 2nd Army
- August 1941 order of battle
- 3rd Panzer Group, 9th Army, 2nd Army, Panzer Group Guderian (2nd Panzer Group, with additional units)
- September 1941 order of battle
- 3rd Panzer Group, 9th Army, 4th Army, 2nd Panzer Group, 2nd Army
Bitter fighting in the
Attack on Moscow
- October 1941 detailed order of battle
-
- 56th ID, 31st ID, 167th ID
- LXIII Army Corps (Heinrici)
- 52nd ID, 131st ID
- XIII Army Corps (Felber)
- 260th ID, 17th ID Reserve: 112th ID
- 2nd Panzer Army (Guderian)
- XXXIV Army Corps (Metz)
- 45th ID, 134th ID
- XXXV Army Corps (Kempfe)
- 95th ID, 296th ID, 262nd ID, 293rd ID
- XLVIII Panzer Corps (Kempff)
- 9th Pz, 16th Mot.Div., 25th Mot.Div.
- XXIV Panzer Corps(Geyer von Schweppenburg)
- 3rd Pz, 4th Pz, 10th Mot.Div.
- XLVII Panzer Corps(Lemelsen)
- 17th Pz, 18th Pz, 29th Mot.Div.
- 4th Army (von Kluge)
- VII Army Corps (Fahrmbacher)
- 197th ID, 7th ID, 23rd ID, 267th ID
- XX Army Corps (Materna)
- 268th ID, 15th, 78th ID
- IX Army Corps (Geyer)
- 137th ID, 263rd ID, 183rd ID, 292nd ID
- Panzer Group 4 (Hoepner), Subordinated to 4th Army
- XII Army Corps (Schroth)
- 34th ID, 98th ID
- XL Army Corps(Stumme)
- 10th Pz, 2nd Pz, 258th ID
- XLVI Panzer Corps(von Vietinghoff)
- 5th Bz, 11th Pz, 251nd ID
- LVII Panzer Corps(Kuntzen)
- 20th Pz, SS "Das Reich" Mot.Div., 3rd Mot.Div. [352]
- XXVII Army Corps (Wager)
- 255th ID, 162nd ID, 86th ID
- V Army Corps (Ruoff)
- 5th ID, 35th ID, 106th ID, 129th ID
- VIII Army Corps (Heitz)
- 8th ID, 28th ID, 87th ID
- 251st ID, 102nd ID, 256th ID, 206th ID
- 161st ID (Reserve)
- Panzer Group 3 (Hoth), Subordinated to 9th Army
-
- 6th Pz, 7th Pz, 14th Mot.Div.
- XLI Panzer Corps (Reinhardt)
- 1st Pz, 36th Mot.Div.
- VI Army Corps (Forster)
- 110th ID, 26th ID, 6th ID
- November 1941 order of battle
- 2nd Panzer Army, 3rd Panzer Group, 2nd Army, 4th Army, 9th Army
The commander in chief as of 19 December 1941 was Günther von Kluge (for a short time before Christmas of 1941, this role was fulfilled by Günther Blumentritt).
Rzhev operations
1942 opened for Army Group Centre with continuing attacks from Soviet forces around Rzhev. The German
Despite the focus on the south, Army Group Centre continued to see fierce fighting throughout the year. While the Soviet attacks in early 1942 had not driven the Germans back, they had resulted in several Red Army units being trapped behind German lines. Eliminating the pockets took until July, the same month in which the Soviets made another attempt to break through the army group's front; the attempt failed, but the front line was pushed back closer to Rzhev. The largest Soviet operation in the army group's sector that year, Operation Mars, took place in November. It was launched concurrently with Operation Uranus, the counteroffensive against the German assault on Stalingrad. The operation was repulsed with very heavy Soviet losses, although it did have the effect of pinning down German units that could have been sent to the fighting around Stalingrad.
- January 1942 order of battle
- 2nd Panzer Army, 3rd Panzer Army, 4th Panzer Army, 2nd Army, 4th Army, 9th Army
- February 1942 order of battle
- 2nd Panzer Army, 3rd Panzer Army, 4th Panzer Army, 4th Army, 9th Army
- May 1942 order of battle
- 2nd Panzer Army, 3rd Panzer Army, 4th Army, 9th Army
Campaign in central Russia
Following the disaster of Stalingrad and poor results of the Voronezh defensive operations, the army high command expected another attack on Army Group Centre in early 1943. However, Hitler had decided to strike first. Before this strike could be launched, Operation Büffel was launched to forestall any possible Soviet spring offensives, by evacuating the Rzhev Salient to shorten the frontline.
- January 1943 order of battle
- 2nd Panzer Army, 3rd Panzer Army, 4th Army, 9th Army, LIX Army Corps
The commander in chief as of 12 October 1943 was
- February 1943 order of battle
- 2nd Panzer Army, 3rd Panzer Army, 4th Army, 9th Army
Belarusian anti-partisan campaign
The following major anti-partisan operations were conducted in the rear of Army Group Centre, alongside many smaller operations:
- Operation Bamberg: conducted 26 March – 6 April 1942 by the Bobruisk. At least 5,000 people (including many civilians) were killed and agricultural produce was confiscated.[2]
- Operation Fruhlingsfest: conducted 17 April – 12 May 1944 in the area of Polotsk by units of Gruppe von Gottberg. Around 7,000 deaths were recorded at the hands of German forces.
- Operation Kormoran: conducted 25 May – 17 June 1944 between German security units in the rear of Third Panzer Army. Around 7,500 deaths recorded.
Increasing coordination of the partisan activity resulted in the conducting of
Operation Citadel
- March 1943 order of battle
- 2nd Panzer Army, 3rd Panzer Army, 2nd Army, 4th Army, 9th Army
- April 1943 order of battle
- 2nd Panzer Army, 3rd Panzer Army, 2nd Army, 4th Army, 9th Army
- July 1943 order of battle
- 2nd Panzer Army, 3rd Panzer Army, 2nd Army, 4th Army, 9th Army
Wotan Line defensive campaign
- September 1943 order of battle
- 3rd Panzer Army, 2nd Army, 4th Army, 9th Army
- November 1943 order of battle
- 3rd Panzer Army, 2nd Army, 4th Army, 9th Army
- January 1944 order of battle
- 3rd Panzer Army, 2nd Army, 4th Army, 9th Army
Destruction of Army Group Centre
In the spring of 1944, the
The Soviet offensive, code-named
The commander in chief of Army Group Centre as of 28 June 1944 was Walter Model.
- July 1944 order of battle
- 3rd Panzer Army, 2nd Army, 4th Army, 9th Army, z. Vfg.
The commander in chief as of 16 August 1944 was
- August 1944 order of battle
- 3rd Panzer Army, 2nd Army, 4th Army, IV SS Panzer Corps
Defensive campaign in Poland and Slovakia
Discussion of the army group's situation in January 1945 should note that the army groups in the east changed names later that month. The force known as "Army Group Centre" at the start of the Soviet Vistula-Oder Offensive on 12 January 1945 was renamed "Army Group North" less than two weeks after the offensive commenced. At the start of the Vistula-Oder Offensive, the Soviet forces facing Army Group Centre outnumbered the Germans on average by 2:1 in troops, 3:1 in artillery, and 5.5:1 in tanks and self-propelled artillery.[3] The Soviet superiority in troop strength grows to almost 3:1 if 200,000 Volkssturm militia are not included in German personnel strength totals.
Defence of the Reich campaign
On 25 January 1945, Hitler renamed three army groups. Army Group North became Army Group Courland, Army Group Centre became Army Group North, and Army Group A became Army Group Centre. Army Group Centre fought in the defence of Slovakia and Bohemia-Moravia as well as sections of the German heartland.
Between January and February 1945, Army Group Centre sustained 140,000 casualties, including 15,000 dead, 77,000 wounded (not counting non-evacuees), and 48,000 missing.[4]: 559
Battle of Berlin
The last Soviet campaign of the war in the European theater, which led to the
- January 1945 order of battle
- 3rd Panzer Army, 2nd Army, 4th Army
- February 1945 order of battle
- 1st Panzer Army, 4th Panzer Army, 17th Army (Wehrmacht)
- May 1945 order of battle
- 1st Panzer Army, 4th Panzer Army, 7th Army, 17th Army
- Army Group Ostmark
Battle of Prague
Some of the Army Group Centre continued to resist until 11 May 1945, by which time the overwhelming force of the Soviet Armies sent to liberate
- May 1945 order of battle
- 4th Panzer Army, 7th Army, 17th Army
- Army Group Ostmark
Surrender
By 7 May 1945, the day that German Chief-of-Staff General
Commanders
| No. | Portrait | Commander | Took office | Left office | Time in office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Generalfeldmarschall Fedor von Bock (1880–1945) | 22 June 1941 | 19 December 1941 | 180 days | |
| 2 | Generalfeldmarschall Günther von Kluge (1882–1944) | 19 December 1941 | 12 October 1943 | 1 year, 297 days | |
| 3 | Generalfeldmarschall Ernst Busch (1885–1945) | 29 October 1943 | 28 June 1944 | 243 days | |
| 4 | Generalfeldmarschall Walter Model (1891–1945) | 28 June 1944 | 16 August 1944 | 49 days | |
| 5 | Generaloberst Georg-Hans Reinhardt (1887–1963) | 16 August 1944 | 17 January 1945 | 154 days | |
| 6 | Generaloberst Ferdinand Schörner (1892–1973) | 17 January 1945 (Heeresgruppe A) / 25 January 1945 | 11 May 1945 | 114 days |
See also
Notes and references
- ^ "Führer Directive 21". 30 July 2010. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
- ^ Gerlach, p. 885
- ^ Ustinov, p. 114.
- ISBN 9783421062376.
Bibliography
- ISBN 978-3421062352.
- Frieser, Karl-Heinz (2007). "The Withdrawal of Army Group Centre to Belorussia up to the Spring of 1944". In Frieser, Karl-Heinz; et al. (eds.). Eastern Front 1943–1944: The War in the East and on the Neighbouring Fronts. ISBN 978-0198723462.
- ————————— (2007). "The Collapse of Army Group Centre in the Summer of 1944". In Frieser, Karl-Heinz; et al. (eds.). Eastern Front 1943–1944: The War in the East and on the Neighbouring Fronts. Germany and the Second World War. Vol. 8. Translated by Smerin, Barry. Clarendon Press. pp. 522–601. ISBN 978-0198723462.
- ————————— (2007). "The Defensive Successes of Army Group Centre in the Autumn of 1944". In Frieser, Karl-Heinz; et al. (eds.). Eastern Front 1943–1944: The War in the East and on the Neighbouring Fronts. Germany and the Second World War. Vol. 8. Translated by Smerin, Barry. Clarendon Press. pp. 602–620. ISBN 978-0198723462.
- Frieser, Karl-Heinz (2007). "The Withdrawal of Army Group Centre to Belorussia up to the Spring of 1944". In Frieser, Karl-Heinz; et al. (eds.). Eastern Front 1943–1944: The War in the East and on the Neighbouring Fronts.
- Gerlach, C. Kalkulierte Morde. Hamburg Edition, 2000
- Tessin, Georg (1980). Die Landstreitkräfte: Namensverbände / Die Luftstreitkräfte (Fliegende Verbände) / Flakeinsatz im Reich 1943–1945 [Ground forces: Named units and formations / Air forces (Flying units and formations) / Anti–aircraft service in the Reich 1943–1945]. Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen–SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939–1945 (in German). Vol. 14. Osnabrück: Biblio. ISBN 3764811110.
- Ustinov, Dmitriy. Geschichte des Zweiten Welt Krieges, Volume 10. Berlin: Militärverlag der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik, 1982
Further reading
- Ian Kershaw, The End: The Defiance and Destruction of Hitler's Germany, 1944–1945, (New York: Penguin Press, 2011). ISBN 978-1101565506.