German 1st Parachute Army
Encyclopedia
The German 1st Parachute Army (1st Fallschirm-Armee) was formed in September 1944 to consolidate the various Luftwaffe
Fallschirmjäger
-Units and the Luftwaffe Field Division
. It was given the task of defending the 60 mile stretch of the Low Countries
between Antwerp and Maastricht
with a force of just over 3,000 men.
Its first commander was Colonel General
Kurt Student
, the Wehrmacht
s airborne pioneer. During the Allied Operation Market Garden
, Student's men played a vital role in delaying the Allied advance across the south of the Netherlands. The 3,000 paratroopers were likely the only combat-ready reserve forces in Germany at the time.
Student was transferred to the Eastern Front, and on 18 November 1944, command of the First Parachute Army passed to General der Fallschirmtruppe
Alfred Schlemm
, who opposed the Canadian First Army during the Battle of the Reichswald. Schlemm's troops were a motley but effective collection of under-strength infantry divisions and battle groups entrenched in the West Wall (Siegfried Line). Schlemm disagreed with the current view that the next Allied attack would be further south and ensured that his troops built formidable defences.
The Canadian First Army and Lieutenant-General William Hood Simpson
’s U.S. Ninth Army
compressed Schlemm’s forces into a small bridgehead on the west bank of the Rhine opposite Wesel. On 10 March 1945, the rearguard of the 1st Fallschirm-Armee evacuated their bridgehead, destroying the bridge behind them, and Schlemm prepared to meet the inevitable Allied crossing of the river. Schlemm was wounded in an air attack on his command post at Haltern eleven days later and on 20 March 1945, command passed to General der Infanterie
Günther Blumentritt
.
Just before Operation Varsity
, First Parachute Army had three corps
stationed along the river; 2 Parachute Corps to the north, 86 Corps in the centre, and 63 Corps in the south. Of these formations, 2 Parachute Corps and 86 Corps had a shared boundary which ran through the proposed landing-zones for the Allied airborne divisions, meaning that the leading formation of each corps would face the airborne assault — these being 7 Parachute Division and 84 Infantry Division. After their retreat to the Rhine both divisions were under-strength and did not number more than 4,000 men each, with 84 Infantry Division supported by only 50 or so medium artillery pieces.
In the final days of the war, command passed once more to Student
(10 April) and finally to Erich Straube
.
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
Fallschirmjäger
Fallschirmjäger
are German paratroopers. Together with the Gebirgsjäger they are perceived as the elite infantry units of the German Army....
-Units and the Luftwaffe Field Division
Luftwaffe Field Division
The Luftwaffe Field Divisions were German military formations which fought during World War II.-History:...
. It was given the task of defending the 60 mile stretch of the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
between Antwerp and Maastricht
Maastricht
Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
with a force of just over 3,000 men.
Its first commander was Colonel General
Colonel General
Colonel General is a senior rank of General. North Korea and Russia are two countries which have used the rank extensively throughout their histories...
Kurt Student
Kurt Student
Kurt Student was a German Luftwaffe general who fought as a fighter pilot during the First World War and as the commander of German Fallschirmjäger during the Second World War.-Biography:...
, the Wehrmacht
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:...
s airborne pioneer. During the Allied Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was an unsuccessful Allied military operation, fought in the Netherlands and Germany in the Second World War. It was the largest airborne operation up to that time....
, Student's men played a vital role in delaying the Allied advance across the south of the Netherlands. The 3,000 paratroopers were likely the only combat-ready reserve forces in Germany at the time.
Student was transferred to the Eastern Front, and on 18 November 1944, command of the First Parachute Army passed to General der Fallschirmtruppe
General der Fallschirmtruppe
General der Fallschirmtruppe was a General’s rank of the German Luftwaffe.The rank was equivalent to the long established General der Kavallerie, General der Artillerie and General der Infanterie...
Alfred Schlemm
Alfred Schlemm
Alfred Schlemm was a German General der Fallschirmtruppe in the Wehrmacht. His last command in World War II opposed the advance of the First Canadian Army through the Reichswald in February 1945....
, who opposed the Canadian First Army during the Battle of the Reichswald. Schlemm's troops were a motley but effective collection of under-strength infantry divisions and battle groups entrenched in the West Wall (Siegfried Line). Schlemm disagreed with the current view that the next Allied attack would be further south and ensured that his troops built formidable defences.
The Canadian First Army and Lieutenant-General William Hood Simpson
William Hood Simpson
General William Hood Simpson was a distinguished U.S. Army officer who commanded the U.S. Ninth Army in northern Europe, during World War II, among other roles....
’s U.S. Ninth Army
U.S. Ninth Army
The Ninth United States Army was one of the main U.S. Army combat commands used during the campaign in Northwest Europe in 1944 and 1945. It was commanded from its inception by Lieutenant General William Simpson...
compressed Schlemm’s forces into a small bridgehead on the west bank of the Rhine opposite Wesel. On 10 March 1945, the rearguard of the 1st Fallschirm-Armee evacuated their bridgehead, destroying the bridge behind them, and Schlemm prepared to meet the inevitable Allied crossing of the river. Schlemm was wounded in an air attack on his command post at Haltern eleven days later and on 20 March 1945, command passed to General der Infanterie
General of the Infantry (Germany)
General of the Infantry is a rank of general in the Imperial Army, Reichswehr or Wehrmacht - the second-highest regular rank. The same rank spread to the Imperial Russian Army and the Defence forces of Finland between the world wars...
Günther Blumentritt
Günther Blumentritt
Günther Blumentritt was a German officer in World War I, who became a Staff Officer under the Weimar Republic and went on to serve as a general for Nazi Germany during World War II...
.
Just before Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity was a successful joint American–British airborne operation that took place toward the end of World War II...
, First Parachute Army had three corps
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
stationed along the river; 2 Parachute Corps to the north, 86 Corps in the centre, and 63 Corps in the south. Of these formations, 2 Parachute Corps and 86 Corps had a shared boundary which ran through the proposed landing-zones for the Allied airborne divisions, meaning that the leading formation of each corps would face the airborne assault — these being 7 Parachute Division and 84 Infantry Division. After their retreat to the Rhine both divisions were under-strength and did not number more than 4,000 men each, with 84 Infantry Division supported by only 50 or so medium artillery pieces.
In the final days of the war, command passed once more to Student
(10 April) and finally to Erich Straube
Erich Straube
Erich Straube was a German general who held several corps level commands during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
.
Commanding officers
- Generaloberst Kurt StudentKurt StudentKurt Student was a German Luftwaffe general who fought as a fighter pilot during the First World War and as the commander of German Fallschirmjäger during the Second World War.-Biography:...
, 1 March 1944 – 4 November 1944 - General der Fallschirmtruppe Alfred SchlemmAlfred SchlemmAlfred Schlemm was a German General der Fallschirmtruppe in the Wehrmacht. His last command in World War II opposed the advance of the First Canadian Army through the Reichswald in February 1945....
, 4 November 1944 – 28 March 1945 - General der Infanterie Günther BlumentrittGünther BlumentrittGünther Blumentritt was a German officer in World War I, who became a Staff Officer under the Weimar Republic and went on to serve as a general for Nazi Germany during World War II...
(Heer), 28 March 1945 – 10 April 1945 - Generaloberst Kurt Student, 10 April 1945 – 28 April 1945
- General der Infanterie Erich StraubeErich StraubeErich Straube was a German general who held several corps level commands during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
(Heer), 28 April 1945 – 8 May 1945