Kempf's Army Group (abbreviated Kempf AG , German: Armeeabteilung Kempf or Armee-Abteilung Kempf ) [approx. 1] - operational unit of the Wehrmacht troops , which was part of the Army Group "South" . AG "Kempf" took an active part in the Battle of Kursk , acting in the Belgorod-Kursk direction.
| Kempf Army | |
|---|---|
| him. Armeeabteilung kempf him. Armee-abteilung kempf | |
 The headquarters of the Kempf AG during the Battle of Kursk | |
| Years of existence | 1943 year |
| A country | Third Reich |
| Included in | Army Group South |
| Type of | Operational union |
| Participation in | Battle of Kursk |
| Commanders | |
| Famous commanders | Werner Kempf Otto Wöhler |
Werner Kempf was the commander of the group throughout its existence except for the last week. On August 15, 1943, Werner Kempf was removed from office and replaced by infantry general Otto Wöhler . A week later, on August 22, 1943 , the remnants of formations and units of the Kempf AG entered the forming 8th army , whose commander was Otto Wöhler.
The article describes the compounds included in the Kempf AG during the battles on the Kursk Bulge . Accordingly, the time frame in which the fate of the formations is traced is from July 5, 1943 (the beginning of the German offensive operation "Citadel") to August 30, 1943 (the end of the Soviet offensive operation "Commander Rumyantsev" and the liberation of Kharkov ).
During offensive and defensive battles, German troops actively operated with regiments of tank and infantry divisions, using such regiments practically as separate brigades and reinforcing them as necessary with additional divisions, corps and army units. Formal affiliation of a division to a specific corps does not guarantee that the battle formations of the division are only in the zone of responsibility of the corps (see, for example, the 198th Front of the 11th TC ). This should be taken into account when studying combat reports and comparing them with the standard staff formations.
Due to heavy losses and military setbacks during the fighting in the summer of 1943, the command staff of the group had many replacements for the place of those killed, wounded and removed from their posts. The list of commanders of the formations is the first to indicate the persons who commanded this formation on July 5, 1943 and in the rank that they had at that time. For subsequent commanders, the rank that they had at the time of taking command of the formation was indicated. The Russian equivalents of military ranks, if any, are used, including: Oberst - Colonel , Oberstleutnant - Lieutenant Colonel , Hauptmann - Captain , Oberleutnant - Senior Lieutenant .
Available photographs taken in different years of the Second World War were used , therefore, visible insignia and awards may not correspond to the rank and list of awards for July-August 1943. Cases where it is known for certain that the photograph was taken during the Battle of Kursk are indicated separately.
Content
3rd Panzer Corps ( III. Panzerkorps )
The 3rd Panzer Corps ( German III. Panzerkorps ) is one of the key formations of the group. Commander - General of the tank forces German Bright ( German: Hermann Breith ).
The corps took an active part in Operation Citadel , covering the withdrawal of Wehrmacht units from Belgorod to the Dnieper .
6th Panzer Division ( 6. Panzer-Division )
Major General Walter von Hünersdorf ( German: Walther von Hünersdorff )
On July 13, he was twice wounded in the morning (as a result of an erroneous bombing of the division headquarters by German aviation, despite being wounded, he remained in service) and at noon (a mortal wound to the head by a sniper). He died on July 17 in a field hospital in Kharkov .
The interim command of the division took Colonel Martin Unrein ( German: Martin Unrein ).
The next day, July 14, Colonel Wilhelm Crisolli ( German Wilhelm Crisolli ) took command.
In general, after the fighting on July 12-13, the division no longer represented a significant combat formation. The remaining equipment and personnel were used as a battle group in the 11th AK.
On August 21, during the formation of the 8th Army, the remnants of the division (6 serviceable tanks) entered the less damaged 3rd Panzer Division. On the same day, Colonel Rudolf Freiherr von Waldenfels assumed command of this new compound [approx. 2] .
7th Panzer Division ( 7. Panzer-Division )
Major General Hans von Funck ( Hans Freiherr von Funck ) [approx. 2] .
August 17 withdrawn to the command reserve.
Few days acting The division commander was Colonel Wolfgang Gläsemer .
On August 20, Major General Hasso-Eckard von Manteuffel was appointed division commander.
19th Panzer Division ( 19. Panzer-Division )
Lieutenant General Gustav Schmidt
By August 7, most of the division, together with its headquarters, were surrounded in the Berezovka area. Wanting to escape captivity, Lieutenant General Schmidt committed suicide.
Division escaped encirclement led by Colonel Hans Källner .
The division remained on the list of Wehrmacht units, was re-formed and participated in battles up to surrender, however, it is of no interest to the Battle of Kursk after August 7.
Parts of corps submission
54th MLRS Regiment ( Werfer-Regiment 54 )
- Colonel Heinrich Diedrich
- In August 1943 (date to be specified) Colonel Walter Hänsch .
- 3 three-battery battalions, 2 Panzerwerfer batteries and 7 Nebelwerfer batteries.
228th Assault SPG Battalion ( Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 228 )
- Captain Wilhelm Hans-Joachim von Malachowski ( Wilhelm Hans-Joachim von Malachowski )
- Three assault companies, 31 self-propelled guns (22 StuG III and 9 StuH 42 )
503rd Heavy Tank Battalion ( schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503 )
- Captain Clemens-Heinrich Graf von Kageneck [approx. 2]
- July 8, von Kagenek was seriously injured (he returned to duty only in October 1943)
- Since July 8, Captain Hans-Jürgen Burmester commanded the battalion. [one]
- Three tank companies, 45 tanks PzKpfw VI "Tiger" , 14 in each company and 3 at the headquarters of the battalion. At the beginning of the offensive, it was used separately, one company assigned to each tank division: 1st company - 6th division, 2nd company - 19th division, 3rd company - 7th division.
- On July 17, the battalion was reassigned to the 11th corps of Routh [2] , but continued to operate with the tank divisions of the 3rd TC.
- July 24, joined the battle group Beke ( Kampfgruppe Bäke ) from the battalion of the Tigers and the battalion of Panther.
- August 1 - 7 defensive battles near Belgorod as part of the 11th corps.
- On August 12, the battalion was reassigned to the SS Reich division .
- July 24, joined the battle group Beke ( Kampfgruppe Bäke ) from the battalion of the Tigers and the battalion of Panther.
Other connections
- 612th Special Purpose Artillery Regiment ( Artillerie-Regiment zbV 612 )
- 2nd Battalion of the 62nd Regiment of Field Artillery ( II / Artillerie-Regiment 62 )
- 2nd Battalion of the 71st Regiment of Heavy Howitzer Artillery ( II / Artillerie-Regiment 71 )
- 857th Heavy Artillery Battalion ( schwere-Artillerie-Abteilung 857 )
- 99th and 153rd Air Defense Regiments ( Flak-Regiment 99, 153 )
- 601th and 674th Engineer Regiments ( Pionier-Regiment 601, 674 )
- 70th, 127th (without one company) and 651st combat engineer battalions ( Pionier-Bataillon 70, 127, 651 )
- 531st and 925th bridge building battalions ( Brücken-Bau-Bataillon 531, 925 )
- pontoon columns ( Brückenkolonnen , usually abbreviated Brüko )
- repair and other rear services of the case
11th Army Corps ( XI. Armeekorps )
Tank Troop General Erhard Raus
The name of the compound at the beginning of Operation Citadel and until July 20 is the Reserve of the General Command Raus ( Generalkommando zbV Raus ) [approx. 3] .
106th Infantry Division ( 106. Infanterie-Division )
Lieutenant General Werner Forst
168th Infantry Division ( 168. Infanterie-Division )
Lieutenant General Walter Chalet de Beaulieu [3]
198th Infantry Division ( 198. Infanterie-Division )
Lieutenant General Hans-Joachim von Horn
By the beginning of the offensive, it was transferred to the 11th corps from the 57th corps of the 1st TA. For reasons that are not completely understood, the unjustly “forgotten” division, almost all online sources do not mention it as part of the Kempf AG. [approx. four]
Some sources [4] list it in the compounds of the 3rd TC. Formally, the 198th infantry regiment was and remained part of the 11th corps, however, on July 11, its 429th regiment was transferred with heavy losses to the 19th TD of the 3rd TC. [five]
320th Infantry Division ( 320. Infanterie-Division )
Colonel (from August 1, Major General) Kurt Röpke
On August 20, he was ordered to command the 46th Infantry Division of the 40th AK 1st TA.
Since August 20, the command of the division was taken by Major General Georg-Wilhelm Postel .
Parts of corps submission
52nd MLRS Regiment ( Werfer-Regiment 52 )
- Lt. Col. Emsmann
- 3 three-battery battalions, 2 Panzerwerfer batteries and 7 Nebelwerfer batteries.
393rd assault self-propelled gun battery ( Sturmgeschütz-Batterie 393 )
- Senior Lieutenant Otto Gensicke
- 12 StuG III self-propelled guns
905th Assault SPG Battalion ( Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 905 )
- Three assault companies, 32 self-propelled guns (23 StuG III and 9 StuH 42 ).
Other connections
- 2nd battalion of the 54th fur. artillery regiment ( II / Artillerie-Regiment 54 RSO )
- 1st battalion of the 77th fur. artillery regiment ( I / Artillerie-Regiment 77 RSO )
- 1st battalion of the 213rd mech. artillery regiment ( I / Artillerie-Regiment 213 RSO )
- 4th, 7th and 48th Air Defense Regiments ( Flak-Regiment 4, 7, 48 )
- 31st Correctional Battalion ( Beobachter-Abteilung 31 )
- 18th Reserve Engineer Regiment ( Pionier-Regiment zbV 18 )
- 52nd Engineer Battalion ( Pionier-Bataillon 52 )
- 246th Road Construction Battalion ( Straßen-Bau-Bataillon 246 )
- 923rd Bridge Building Battalion ( Brücken-Bau-Bataillon 923 )
- pontoon columns ( Brückenkolonnen , usually abbreviated Brüko )
- repair and other rear services of the case
42nd Army Corps ( XXXXII. Armeekorps )
Infantry General Franz Mattenklott
Writing Part XXXXII. Armeekorps in German Documents, xlii. Armeekorps in most post-war English-language works. [approx. five]
The 42nd Corps, which was part of the Kempf AG, did not take an active part in Operation Citadel, with the exception of demonstrative actions on the first day of the offensive on July 5, 1943 . On the same day, corps artillery concentrated on its northern flank supported the advance of the 11th corps. [6] The task of the corps during the operation "Citadel" was the defense of the Seversky Donets from opposing formations of the Voronezh and South-Western fronts.
Many sources claim that on June 22, Anton Dostler became the commander of the corps. This error is caused by the inconsistency in writing the numbers of German parts mentioned above. Mattenclot was and remained the commander of the corps, however, before the start of the operation, he received short-term leave. During his absence until July 3, the duties of the commander were performed by Dostler, in parallel with his direct duties as the commander of the 7th Army Corps. [7]
39th Infantry Division ( 39. Infanterie-Division )
Major General Maximilian Hünten
Replacing a mine who had blown up and died 15.05 . 1943 Lt. Gen. Ludwig Löweneck, Maximilian Hunten was never approved by order, remaining in office all the time. about. division commander. Because of this, some sources mistakenly indicate the already dead Leuvenek as the division commander during Operation Citadel.
161st Infantry Division ( 161. Infanterie-Division )
Lieutenant General Karl-Albrecht von Groddeck ( Karl-Albrecht von Groddeck )
On August 28, 1943, he was seriously wounded, and later died in a hospital in Berlin.
282nd Infantry Division ( 282. Infanterie-Division )
Major General Wilhelm Kohler
August 15, withdrawn to the command reserve.
Since August 15, acting Division commander Colonel Herman Frenking , later confirmed as division commander.
Parts of corps submission
560th heavy anti-tank battalion ( schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung 560 )
- 45 anti-tank self-propelled guns Hornisse (14 in each of the three companies and 3 at the headquarters of the battalion)
663rd Heavy Army Anti-Tank Battalion ( schwere Heeres-Panzerjäger-Abteilung 663 )
- 88mm Pak 43 batteries
- The name of the part until July 19 is schwere Heeres-Panzerjäger-Abteilung C
Other connections
- 107th Corps Artillery Group ( Artillerie-Kommandeur 107 , abbr. Arko 107 )
- 2nd battery of the 800th heavy artillery battalion ( II / schwere Artillerie-Abteilung 800 )
- 77th Air Defense Regiment ( Flak-Regiment 77 )
- 13th Correctional Battalion ( Beobachter-Abteilung 13 )
- 620th Mountain Sapper Regiment ( Gebirgs-Pionier-Regiment 620 )
- 26th Building Regiment ( Bau-Regiment 26 )
- 219th Building Battalion ( Bau-Bataillon 219 )
- 18th Penal Battalion ( Feld-Strafgefangenen-Abteilung 18 )
- The 112th and 153rd prisoner -of- war construction battalions ( Bau-Bataillon (K) 112, 153 ) [approx. 6]
- Sonderstab "Dauber" (? Escort and / or guard units for prisoners of war and fines mentioned above?)
- repair and other rear services of the case
Parts of Army Submission
- The 1st heavy regiment of MLRS ( schweres Werfer-Regiment 1 ) with batteries 28/32 cm Nebelwerfer , was used as a battery in the shelves of MLRS corps
- 310th Army Artillery Group ( Höherer Artillerie-Kommandeur 310 , abbreviated HArko 310 )
- 781st Special Purpose Artillery Regiment ( Artillerie-Regiment zbV 781 )
Photo Gallery
- Summer 1943
Walter Challe de Beaulieu , 168th Front (left) gives a talk. In the center is Herman Bright , 3rd TC, on the right is the group commander Werner Kempf . [approx. 7]
Lieutenant Colonel Adalbert Schulz , commander of the 25th TP 7th TD.
Major General Walter von Hünersdorf (right), 6th vol.
The funeral of Walter von Hunersdorf at the military cemetery in Kharkov, July 18, 1943. The baton in the salute is held by the commander of the GA South Erich von Manstein . Beside him, the commander of the 4th TA German Goth and the commander of the 11th Corps Erhard Raus . The woman with the flowers in the center is the wife of von Hünersdorf Oda ( Oda ), who worked as a nurse in a Kharkov hospital.
Notes
- ↑ Since the summer of 1998, Germany has officially introduced new spelling rules . Among other changes - writing complex nouns together, and not through a hyphen. The documents of the Second World War, of course, use the old hyphen spelling.
- ↑ 1 2 3 By a decree of the Weimar Republic from 1919, all titles of nobility in Germany were canceled in written and oral appeals. To get around this rule, many noble families changed their surnames, making the title an integral part of the surname. For example, Baron Hans von Funk became Hans Baron von Funk, and Count Clemens von Kagenek became Clemens Count von Kagenek. Such a trick by the German authorities was not encouraged, but was never prohibited.
- ↑ zbV - zur besonderen Verwendung (literally "for special use")
- ↑ Perhaps the 168th PD contributed to its “disappearance”, as many drafters considered 198 typos instead of 168.
- ↑ According to the rules for writing Roman numerals, when repeating one character more than three times, one should switch from summation to subtraction from the larger one. Thus, for 42, XLII is correct (50 - 10 + 2), not XXXXII. At the same time, staff workers often did not know how to write Roman numbers correctly (or sacrificed correctness for the sake of simplicity, now it’s hard to say for sure). As a result, for parts numbered 38 (XXXVIII), there is a discrepancy in spelling. In particular, the 42nd corps in German documents is usually written as XXXXII. In the post-war Western studies, the correct spelling is consistently applied (for example, XLII for the 42nd corps). In sum, this creates significant confusion, which should always be kept in mind.
- ↑ letter (K) - Kriegsgefangener, a prisoner of war
- ↑ Participants are identified from other available photographs, the original German text is more concise: “ Sowjetunion.- Unternehmen“ Zitadelle “, Generäle bei Besprechung am Tisch sitzend. "(" Soviet Union. - Operation "Citadel", Generals are talking, sitting at the table. ")
References to sources
- ↑ Schneider 2004 - p. 125
- ↑ The Combat History ... - S. 5
- ↑ 168. INFANTERIE DIVISION UNIT HISTORY
- ↑ Lodieu 2007
- ↑ Battistelli 2008 - S. 58
- ↑ Newton 2002 - S. 47
- ↑ Newton 2002 - S. 285
Print Editions
- Battistelli P. Panzer Divisions: The Eastern Front 1941-43. - Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 2008. - (Battle Orders). - ISBN 1846033381 .
- Lodieu D. Le III e Panzer Korps à Koursk. - France: Histoir & Collections, 2008 .-- ISBN 2915239835 .
- Newton S. Kursk: the German view: eyewitness reports of Operation Citadel by the German commanders. - USA: Da Capo Press, 2002 .-- ISBN 0306811502 .
- Nipe G. Decision in the Ukraine, Summer 1943, II. SS and III. Panzerkorps. - Canada: JJ Fedorowicz Publishing, 1996 .-- ISBN 0921991355 .
- Schneider W. Tigers in Combat. - USA: Stackpole Books, 1996. - T. 1. - ISBN 0811731715 .
- The Combat History of schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503 / Ed. F. Steinhardt, A. Rubbel, R. Freiherr von Rosen. - Canada: JJ Fedorowicz Publishing, 2000 .-- ISBN 092199155X .
Other sources
- Altenburger, A. Lexikon der Wehrmacht (German) . Date of treatment March 20, 2010. Archived April 17, 2012.
- Ankerstjerne, C. German unit markings during Unternehmen Zitadelle (Kursk ) . Panzerworld - Germany's weapons and Panzer of World War II . Date of treatment March 20, 2010. Archived April 17, 2012.
- Awender, C. World War II day by day (German) . Date of treatment March 20, 2010. Archived April 17, 2012.
- Miller, MD Axis Biographical Research . Date of treatment March 20, 2010. Archived April 17, 2012.
- Parada, G. Achtung Panzer! (eng.) . Weider History Group. Date of treatment March 20, 2010.
- Pipes, J. Feldgrau.com - research on the German armed forces 1918-1945 . Date of treatment March 20, 2010. Archived April 17, 2012.
- Reinbold, D. Das Reich - 2nd SS Panzer Division (inaccessible link) . Date of treatment March 20, 2010. Archived March 4, 2011.
- Wendel, M. Axis History Factbook . Date of treatment March 20, 2010. Archived April 17, 2012.