Army Group F
Encyclopedia
Army Group F was a strategic command formation of the Wehrmacht
during the Second World War. The commander of Army Group F served also as the Oberbefehlshaber Südost (OB South East).
Created 12 August 1943, at Bayreuth (WK XIII), it was primarily stationed in the Balkans
. Its commander from August 1943 was Maximilian von Weichs
promoted to Generalfeldmarschall on 1 February 1943, with General Lieutenant Hermann Foertsch
serving as the Chief of Staff. Its primarily participation in combat was in defending against possible Allied invasion in what was seen as Germany’s "weak underbelly", and fighting off local partisan
groups that were gaining strength. In late 1944, he oversaw the German retreat from Greece and most of Yugoslavia in the wake of the Budapest Offensive
.
The Army Group included for much of the war the 2nd Panzer Army in Yugoslavia
and Albania
, and the Army Group E
in Greece
.
For the defence of Serbia commander of Army group F assembled on september 26. 1944. Armee group Serbia commanded by General of Infantry Hans Felber
. This Armee gruup was disbanded on october 27. 1944.
The Army Group F was disbanded 25 March 1945.
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
during the Second World War. The commander of Army Group F served also as the Oberbefehlshaber Südost (OB South East).
Created 12 August 1943, at Bayreuth (WK XIII), it was primarily stationed in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
. Its commander from August 1943 was Maximilian von Weichs
Maximilian von Weichs
Maximilian Maria Joseph Karl Gabriel Lamoral Reichsfreiherr von Weichs zu Glon was a German Generalfeldmarschall during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
promoted to Generalfeldmarschall on 1 February 1943, with General Lieutenant Hermann Foertsch
Hermann Foertsch
Hermann Foertsch was a highly decorated General der Infanterie in the Wehrmacht during World War II who held commands at the divisional, corps and army levels. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme...
serving as the Chief of Staff. Its primarily participation in combat was in defending against possible Allied invasion in what was seen as Germany’s "weak underbelly", and fighting off local partisan
Partisan (military)
A partisan is a member of an irregular military force formed to oppose control of an area by a foreign power or by an army of occupation by some kind of insurgent activity...
groups that were gaining strength. In late 1944, he oversaw the German retreat from Greece and most of Yugoslavia in the wake of the Budapest Offensive
Budapest Offensive
The Budapest Offensive was the general attack by Soviet forces against Germany and their allies from the territory of Hungary. The offensive lasted from 29 October 1944 until the fall of Budapest on 13 February 1945.-Prelude:...
.
The Army Group included for much of the war the 2nd Panzer Army in Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
and Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, and the Army Group E
Army Group E
Army Group E was a German Army Group active during World War II.Army Group E was created on 1 January 1943 from the 12th Army...
in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
Order of Battle November 1943
- 2nd Panzer Army
- Army Staff units
- III SS Panzer Corps, SS-Obergruppenführer Felix SteinerFelix SteinerFelix Martin Julius Steiner was a German Reichswehr and Waffen-SS officer who served in both World War I and World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
- XV Mountain Corps, General of Infantry Ernst von LeyserErnst von LeyserErnst Ulrich Hans von Leyser was a German General der Infanterie during World War II who commanded various Army Corps and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross was Nazi Germany's highest award for military gallantry and was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield...
- XXI Mountain Corps, General of Panzer troops Gustav Fehn
- LXIX Corps, z.b.V. General of Infantry Helge AulebHelge AulebHelge Arthur Auleb was a German general of infantry, serving during World War II. He was born in Gehren.Auleb commanded the 6.Infanterie-Division as part of VI. Armeekorps during Operation Typhoon in October 1941...
- V SS Mountain CorpsV SS Mountain CorpsV SS Mountain Corps was a Waffen SS, formation at the end of World War II.The Corps fought on the Oder line as part of the 9th Army, in the Frankfurt am Oder area and in the Battle of Berlin that followed...
,, General Lieutenant Arthur Phelps
- Army Group EArmy Group EArmy Group E was a German Army Group active during World War II.Army Group E was created on 1 January 1943 from the 12th Army...
- Army Group Staff units
- XXII Mountain Corps, General of Mountain troops Hubert LanzHubert LanzKarl Hubert Lanz was a German Army officer who rose to the rank of General der Gebirgstruppe during the Second World War, in which he led units in the Eastern Front and in the Balkans. After the war, he was tried and convicted for several atrocities committed by units under his command in the...
- LXVIII Army, Corps General of Aviation Hellmuth FelmyHellmuth FelmyHellmuth Felmy was a Nazi war criminal, German military officer during World War I, the interwar period, and World War II.-Biography:On 28 May 1885, Helmuth Felmy was born in Berlin in what was then the German Empire...
- Troops of the commander of the fortress Crete
- Bulgarian II (Aegean) Corps
- Troops of the Militärbefehlshaber Südost General of Infantry Hans FelberHans FelberHans Felber was a German infantry general and staff officer.Felber started his military career as Fahnenjunker on March 17, 1908. On August 17, 1909 he was elevated to Lieutenant of the 117th Infantry Regiment. On April 1, 1932 Felber became a Lieutenant Colonel. On July 1, 1935 he found himself...
Order of Battle July 1944
The subordinate units of the Army Group were predominantly the less capable "fortress" and reserve divisions, collaborationist units such as the "Cossacks" and 392nd Croatian division- 2nd Panzer Army
- Army Staff units
- XV Mountain Corps, General of Infantry Ernst von LeyserErnst von LeyserErnst Ulrich Hans von Leyser was a German General der Infanterie during World War II who commanded various Army Corps and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross was Nazi Germany's highest award for military gallantry and was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield...
- XXI Mountain Corps, General of Panzer troops Gustav Fehn
- LXIX Corps z.b.V., General of Infantry Helge AulebHelge AulebHelge Arthur Auleb was a German general of infantry, serving during World War II. He was born in Gehren.Auleb commanded the 6.Infanterie-Division as part of VI. Armeekorps during Operation Typhoon in October 1941...
- V SS Mountain CorpsV SS Mountain CorpsV SS Mountain Corps was a Waffen SS, formation at the end of World War II.The Corps fought on the Oder line as part of the 9th Army, in the Frankfurt am Oder area and in the Battle of Berlin that followed...
, General Lieutenant Arthur Phelps
- Army Group EArmy Group EArmy Group E was a German Army Group active during World War II.Army Group E was created on 1 January 1943 from the 12th Army...
- Army Group Staff units
- XXII Mountain Corps, General of Mountain troops Hubert LanzHubert LanzKarl Hubert Lanz was a German Army officer who rose to the rank of General der Gebirgstruppe during the Second World War, in which he led units in the Eastern Front and in the Balkans. After the war, he was tried and convicted for several atrocities committed by units under his command in the...
- LXVIII Army, Corps General of Aviation Hellmuth FelmyHellmuth FelmyHellmuth Felmy was a Nazi war criminal, German military officer during World War I, the interwar period, and World War II.-Biography:On 28 May 1885, Helmuth Felmy was born in Berlin in what was then the German Empire...
- Troops of the commander of the fortress Crete
- Bulgarian II (Aegean) Corps
- Troops of the Militärbefehlshaber Südost, General of Infantry Hans FelberHans FelberHans Felber was a German infantry general and staff officer.Felber started his military career as Fahnenjunker on March 17, 1908. On August 17, 1909 he was elevated to Lieutenant of the 117th Infantry Regiment. On April 1, 1932 Felber became a Lieutenant Colonel. On July 1, 1935 he found himself...
For the defence of Serbia commander of Army group F assembled on september 26. 1944. Armee group Serbia commanded by General of Infantry Hans Felber
Hans Felber
Hans Felber was a German infantry general and staff officer.Felber started his military career as Fahnenjunker on March 17, 1908. On August 17, 1909 he was elevated to Lieutenant of the 117th Infantry Regiment. On April 1, 1932 Felber became a Lieutenant Colonel. On July 1, 1935 he found himself...
. This Armee gruup was disbanded on october 27. 1944.
The Army Group F was disbanded 25 March 1945.
Sources
- Hogg, Ian V., German Order of Battle 1944: The regiments, formations and units of the German ground forces, Arms and Armour Press, London, 1975
- Thomas, Nigel, (Author), Andrew, Stephen, (Illustrator), The German Army 1939-45 (4): Eastern Front 1943-45 (Men-at-Arms 330), Osprey Publishing, 1998 ISBN 978-1855327962
- Mitcham, Samuel W., Jr., German Defeat in the East, 1944-45 (Stackpole Military History), 2007 ISBN 978-0811733717
- Heeresgruppe F - Lexikon des Wehrmacht