17th Army (Germany)
Encyclopedia
The German
Seventeenth Army (German: 17. Armee) was a World War II
field army
.
(Heeresgruppen Sud) when Nazi Germany
launched Operation Barbarossa
(Unternehmen Barbarossa) and invaded the Soviet Union
. From 1 July, the Hungarian "Fast Moving Army Corps" (Gyorshadtest
) was subordinated to the 17th Army.
The 17th Army was engaged in some very heavy fighting with Soviet forces in southern Russia. Along with 1st Tank Army, the 17th Army encircled Soviet forces near Uman
in central Ukraine
during the Battle of Uman
. Approximately 100,000 Soviet troops were captured.
Afterwards, the 17th Army and other German formations encircled even more Soviet troops during the Battle of Kiev
. Approximately 450,000 were captured and, afterwards, Marshal of the Soviet Union
(Marshal Sovietskovo Soyuza) Semyon Budyonny
was dismissed from duty.
After Kiev, the German focus shifted towards Moscow
and the Battle of Moscow
. Most of Army Group South suspended offensive operations for the rest of 1941.
In 1942, Army Group South was to spearhead the German summer offensive in Russia known as Case Blue (Fall Blau). The 17th Army was to give flank protection to 1st Panzer Army as it struck towards the Don River
. From June to July, the German 17th Army, the Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia
, and the Romanian 3rd Army were organized as "Army Group Ruoff" (Heeresgruppen Ruoff).
In August 1942, what he considered slow progress, caused German dictator Adolf Hitler
to re-organize his forces. Hitler sub-divided Army Group South into two new army groups: Army Group A
(Heeresgruppe A) and Army Group B
(Heeresgruppe B). Army Group A included the 17th Army, the 1st Panzer Army, and the 4th Tank Army. Army Group B
included the 2nd Army, the 6th Army, the Italian 8th Army
, and the Hungarian 2nd Army
. By October 1942, the Romanian 3rd Army and the Romanian 4th Army
were added to further bolster Army Group B.
While Army Group B
struck towards Stalingrad, Army Group A
and the 17th Army attacked towards the Caucasus oilfields in what was to be known as the Battle of the Caucasus
. However, by December with Soviet forces en-circled the 6th Army at Stalingrad, Army Group B
withdrew from Southern Russia but 17th Army was ordered to hold the Kuban
Bridgehead. Hitler demanded a three-mile road and rail bridge across the Strait of Kerch
in spring 1943 to support a push through the Caucasus to Persia, although the Cable Railway (Aerial tramway
) which went into operation on July 14 with a daily capacity of one thousand tons was adequate for the defensive needs of the 17th Army in the Kuban Bridgehead. Because of frequent earth tremors, vast quantities of extra-strength girders would be required, and their transport would curtail shipments of military material to the Crimea.
By October 1943, the 17th Army was forced to retreat from the Kuban Bridgehead across the Kerch Strait to Crimea. During the following months, the Red Army pushed back the German Army (Wehrmacht Heer) in the southern Ukraine. In November 1943, they eventually cut off the land-based connection of 17th Army through the Perekop Isthmus.
Hitler forbade a sea evacuation of 17th Army because he thought the Soviets could use the Crimea
to launch air attacks against Romanian oil refineries. However, by the end of 1943 , the Soviet began landing troops in Kersh Strait and, by 10 April 1944, moving troops near the Sivash and together with an attack at the Perekop Isthmus forced 17th Army to fall back to Sevastopol
. The German Supreme Command of the Armed Forces (Oberkommando der Wehrmacht
, or OKW) intended to hold Sevastopol as a fortress, much as the Red Army had done during the first battle for the Crimea from 1941 to 1942. The rapid movement of the Red Army together with inadequate preparation of the defenses of Sevastopol made this impossible and, on 9 May 1944, Sevastopol fell in less than one month after the start of the battle.
Most of the German 17th Army along with some Romanian divisions were marched into captivity. 17th Army losses were around 65,100.
The Army was subsequently recreated and continued to fight on the Eastern Front, including in the Battle of Bautzen
.
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
Seventeenth Army (German: 17. Armee) was a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
field army
Field army
A Field Army, or Area Army, usually referred to simply as an Army, is a term used by many national military forces for a military formation superior to a corps and beneath an army group....
.
Commanding officers
- General der Infanterie Carl-Heinrich von StülpnagelCarl-Heinrich von StülpnagelCarl-Heinrich von Stülpnagel, was a German general and a member of the July 20 Plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler.-Early life:...
(20 December 1940–4 October 1941) - Generaloberst Hermann HothHermann HothHermann "Papa" Hoth was an officer in the German military from 1903 to 1945. He attained the rank of Generaloberst during World War II. He fought in France, but is most noted for his later exploits as a panzer commander on the Eastern Front...
(5 October 1941–19 April 1942) - Generaloberst Hans von SalmuthHans von SalmuthHans Eberhard Kurt von Salmuth was a German general during World War II. A lifelong professional soldier, he served his country as a junior officer in World War I, a staff officer in the inter-war period and early World War II, and an army level commander...
(20 April 1942–31 May 1942) - Generaloberst Richard RuoffRichard RuoffRichard Ruoff was an officer in the German Army before and during World War II.Colonel-General Richard Ruoff commanded the 4th Tank Army from 8 January 1942 to 31 May 1942...
(1 June 1942–24 June 1943) - Generaloberst Erwin JaeneckeErwin JaeneckeErwin Jaenecke , was a German Colonel General. He served during World War II against Poland, France and the Soviet Union....
(25 June 1943-1 March 1944) - Generalfeldmarschall Ferdinand SchörnerFerdinand SchörnerFerdinand Schörner was a General and later Field Marshal in the German Army during World War II.-Early life:Schörner was born in Munich, Bavaria...
(2 March 1944–31 March 1944) - Generaloberst Erwin JaeneckeErwin JaeneckeErwin Jaenecke , was a German Colonel General. He served during World War II against Poland, France and the Soviet Union....
(1 April 1944–28 April 1944) - General der Infanterie Karl Allmendinger (1 May 1944–25 July 1944)
- General der Infanterie Friedrich SchulzFriedrich SchulzKarl Friedrich "Fritz" Wilhelm Schulz was a German general of infantry, serving during World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
(26 July 1944–30 March 1945) - General der Infanterie Wilhelm HasseWilhelm Hasse (general)Wilhelm Otto Oswald Hasse was a highly decorated General der Infanterie in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the 17. Armee. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
(1 April 1945–7 May 1945)
Operational history
On 22 June 1941, the 17th Army was part of Army Group SouthArmy Group South
Army Group South was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II.- Poland campaign :Germany used two army groups to invade Poland in 1939: Army Group North and Army Group South...
(Heeresgruppen Sud) when Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
launched Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
(Unternehmen Barbarossa) and invaded the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. From 1 July, the Hungarian "Fast Moving Army Corps" (Gyorshadtest
Gyorshadtest
The Gyorshadtest was the most modern and best-equipped mechanized unit of the Royal Hungarian Army at the beginning of World War II. However, the "Rapid Corps" name was something of a misnomer as it was only "mechanized" compared to other Hungarian units...
) was subordinated to the 17th Army.
The 17th Army was engaged in some very heavy fighting with Soviet forces in southern Russia. Along with 1st Tank Army, the 17th Army encircled Soviet forces near Uman
Uman
Uman is a city located in the Cherkasy Oblast in central Ukraine, to the east of Vinnytsia. The city rests on the banks of the Umanka River at around , and serves as the self-governing administrative center of the Umanskyi Raion ....
in central Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
during the Battle of Uman
Battle of Uman
The Battle of Uman was the German and allied encirclement of the 6th and 12th The Battle of Uman (15 July–8 August 1941) was the German and allied encirclement of the 6th (General Lieutenant I.N. Muzyrchenko) and 12th The Battle of Uman (15 July–8 August 1941) was the German and allied...
. Approximately 100,000 Soviet troops were captured.
Afterwards, the 17th Army and other German formations encircled even more Soviet troops during the Battle of Kiev
Battle of Kiev (1941)
The Battle of Kiev was the German name for the operation that resulted in a very large encirclement of Soviet troops in the vicinity of Kiev during World War II. It is considered the largest encirclement of troops in history. The operation ran from 23 August – 26 September 1941 as part of Operation...
. Approximately 450,000 were captured and, afterwards, Marshal of the Soviet Union
Marshal of the Soviet Union
Marshal of the Soviet Union was the de facto highest military rank of the Soviet Union. ....
(Marshal Sovietskovo Soyuza) Semyon Budyonny
Semyon Budyonny
Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny , sometimes transliterated as Budennyj, Budyonnyy, Budennii, Budenny, Budyoni, Budyenny, or Budenny, was a Soviet cavalryman, military commander, politician and a close ally of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin.-Early life:...
was dismissed from duty.
After Kiev, the German focus shifted towards Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
and the Battle of Moscow
Battle of Moscow
The Battle of Moscow is the name given by Soviet historians to two periods of strategically significant fighting on a sector of the Eastern Front during World War II. It took place between October 1941 and January 1942. The Soviet defensive effort frustrated Hitler's attack on Moscow, capital of...
. Most of Army Group South suspended offensive operations for the rest of 1941.
In 1942, Army Group South was to spearhead the German summer offensive in Russia known as Case Blue (Fall Blau). The 17th Army was to give flank protection to 1st Panzer Army as it struck towards the Don River
Don River (Russia)
The Don River is one of the major rivers of Russia. It rises in the town of Novomoskovsk 60 kilometres southeast from Tula, southeast of Moscow, and flows for a distance of about 1,950 kilometres to the Sea of Azov....
. From June to July, the German 17th Army, the Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia
Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia
During World War II, the Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia was a corps-sized expeditionary unit of the Regio Esercito that fought on the Eastern Front...
, and the Romanian 3rd Army were organized as "Army Group Ruoff" (Heeresgruppen Ruoff).
In August 1942, what he considered slow progress, caused German dictator Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
to re-organize his forces. Hitler sub-divided Army Group South into two new army groups: Army Group A
Army Group A
Army Group A was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II.-Western Front, 1940:During the German invasion of the Low Countries and France Army Group A was under the command of General Gerd von Rundstedt, and was responsible for the break-out through the Ardennes...
(Heeresgruppe A) and Army Group B
Army Group B
Army Group B was the name of three different German Army Groups that saw action during World War II.-Battle for France:The first was involved in the Western Campaign in 1940 in Belgium and the Netherlands which was to be aimed to conquer the Maas bridges after the German airborne actions in Rotterdam...
(Heeresgruppe B). Army Group A included the 17th Army, the 1st Panzer Army, and the 4th Tank Army. Army Group B
Army Group B
Army Group B was the name of three different German Army Groups that saw action during World War II.-Battle for France:The first was involved in the Western Campaign in 1940 in Belgium and the Netherlands which was to be aimed to conquer the Maas bridges after the German airborne actions in Rotterdam...
included the 2nd Army, the 6th Army, the Italian 8th Army
Italian Army in Russia
The Italian Army in Russia was an army-sized unit of the Italian Royal Army which fought on the Eastern Front during World War II...
, and the Hungarian 2nd Army
Hungarian Second Army
The Hungarian Second Army was one of three field armies raised by the Kingdom of Hungary which saw action during World War II. All three armies were formed on March 1, 1940...
. By October 1942, the Romanian 3rd Army and the Romanian 4th Army
Fourth Army (Romania)
The Fourth Army was a field army of the Romanian Land Forces active from the 19th century to the 1990s.-History:The Fourth Army fought in the Romanian Campaign of World War I, under the command of General Prezan...
were added to further bolster Army Group B.
While Army Group B
Army Group B
Army Group B was the name of three different German Army Groups that saw action during World War II.-Battle for France:The first was involved in the Western Campaign in 1940 in Belgium and the Netherlands which was to be aimed to conquer the Maas bridges after the German airborne actions in Rotterdam...
struck towards Stalingrad, Army Group A
Army Group A
Army Group A was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II.-Western Front, 1940:During the German invasion of the Low Countries and France Army Group A was under the command of General Gerd von Rundstedt, and was responsible for the break-out through the Ardennes...
and the 17th Army attacked towards the Caucasus oilfields in what was to be known as the Battle of the Caucasus
Battle of the Caucasus
The Battle of Caucasus is a name given to a series of German and Soviet operations in the Caucasus area during the Soviet-German War.-1941 operations:...
. However, by December with Soviet forces en-circled the 6th Army at Stalingrad, Army Group B
Army Group B
Army Group B was the name of three different German Army Groups that saw action during World War II.-Battle for France:The first was involved in the Western Campaign in 1940 in Belgium and the Netherlands which was to be aimed to conquer the Maas bridges after the German airborne actions in Rotterdam...
withdrew from Southern Russia but 17th Army was ordered to hold the Kuban
Kuban River
The Kuban River is a river in Russia, in the North Caucasus region. It flows mostly through Krasnodar Krai but also in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, Stavropol Krai and the Republic of Adygea....
Bridgehead. Hitler demanded a three-mile road and rail bridge across the Strait of Kerch
Strait of Kerch
The Kerch Strait connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, separating the Kerch Peninsula in the west from the Taman Peninsula in the east. The strait is to wide and up to deep....
in spring 1943 to support a push through the Caucasus to Persia, although the Cable Railway (Aerial tramway
Aerial tramway
An aerial tramway , cable car , ropeway or aerial tram is a type of aerial lift which uses one or two stationary ropes for support while a third moving rope provides propulsion...
) which went into operation on July 14 with a daily capacity of one thousand tons was adequate for the defensive needs of the 17th Army in the Kuban Bridgehead. Because of frequent earth tremors, vast quantities of extra-strength girders would be required, and their transport would curtail shipments of military material to the Crimea.
By October 1943, the 17th Army was forced to retreat from the Kuban Bridgehead across the Kerch Strait to Crimea. During the following months, the Red Army pushed back the German Army (Wehrmacht Heer) in the southern Ukraine. In November 1943, they eventually cut off the land-based connection of 17th Army through the Perekop Isthmus.
Hitler forbade a sea evacuation of 17th Army because he thought the Soviets could use the Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
to launch air attacks against Romanian oil refineries. However, by the end of 1943 , the Soviet began landing troops in Kersh Strait and, by 10 April 1944, moving troops near the Sivash and together with an attack at the Perekop Isthmus forced 17th Army to fall back to Sevastopol
Sevastopol
Sevastopol is a city on rights of administrative division of Ukraine, located on the Black Sea coast of the Crimea peninsula. It has a population of 342,451 . Sevastopol is the second largest port in Ukraine, after the Port of Odessa....
. The German Supreme Command of the Armed Forces (Oberkommando der Wehrmacht
Oberkommando der Wehrmacht
The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht was part of the command structure of the armed forces of Nazi Germany during World War II.- Genesis :...
, or OKW) intended to hold Sevastopol as a fortress, much as the Red Army had done during the first battle for the Crimea from 1941 to 1942. The rapid movement of the Red Army together with inadequate preparation of the defenses of Sevastopol made this impossible and, on 9 May 1944, Sevastopol fell in less than one month after the start of the battle.
Most of the German 17th Army along with some Romanian divisions were marched into captivity. 17th Army losses were around 65,100.
The Army was subsequently recreated and continued to fight on the Eastern Front, including in the Battle of Bautzen
Battle of Bautzen (1945)
The Battle of Bautzen was one of the last battles of the Eastern Front in World War II. It was fought on the extreme southern flank of the Spremberg–Torgau Offensive, seeing days of pitched street fighting between forces of the 2nd Polish Army and elements of the Soviet's 52nd Army and 5th Guards...
.
Battles, campaigns, and operations
- Operation BarbarossaOperation BarbarossaOperation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
- Crimean Campaign (1941–1942)
- Battle of UmanBattle of UmanThe Battle of Uman was the German and allied encirclement of the 6th and 12th The Battle of Uman (15 July–8 August 1941) was the German and allied encirclement of the 6th (General Lieutenant I.N. Muzyrchenko) and 12th The Battle of Uman (15 July–8 August 1941) was the German and allied...
- Battle of KievBattle of Kiev (1941)The Battle of Kiev was the German name for the operation that resulted in a very large encirclement of Soviet troops in the vicinity of Kiev during World War II. It is considered the largest encirclement of troops in history. The operation ran from 23 August – 26 September 1941 as part of Operation...
- Case Blue
- Battle of StalingradBattle of StalingradThe Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in southwestern Russia. The battle took place between 23 August 1942 and 2 February 1943...
- Battle of the CaucasusBattle of the CaucasusThe Battle of Caucasus is a name given to a series of German and Soviet operations in the Caucasus area during the Soviet-German War.-1941 operations:...
Foreign units attached to the 17th Army
- Hungarian Fast Moving Army CorpsGyorshadtestThe Gyorshadtest was the most modern and best-equipped mechanized unit of the Royal Hungarian Army at the beginning of World War II. However, the "Rapid Corps" name was something of a misnomer as it was only "mechanized" compared to other Hungarian units...
(Gyorshadtest) - 1 July 1941 to 24 November 1941 - Italian Expeditionary Corps in RussiaItalian Expeditionary Corps in RussiaDuring World War II, the Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia was a corps-sized expeditionary unit of the Regio Esercito that fought on the Eastern Front...
(Corpo di Spedizione Italiano in Russia, or CSIR) - 3 June 1942 to July 1942