Army Group G
Encyclopedia
The German Army Group G fought on the Western Front of World War II
and was a component of OB West
.
When the Allied invasion of Southern France (Operation Dragoon
) took place, Army Group G had eleven divisions with which to hold France south of the Loire. After the successful Allied invasion of Southern France, on the 17/18 of August the German Armed Forces High Command (OKW) ordered Army Group G, with the exception of the fortress ports, to abandon southern France. The German LXIV Corps
, which had been in charge of troops in the south west since First Army
had been withdrawn a few weeks earlier to hold the line on the River Seine southeast of Paris, formed three march groups and withdrew eastward toward Dijon
. At the same time the German Nineteenth Army, retreated northward through the Rhône valley toward the Plateau de Langres where it was joined by the German Fifth Panzer Army
which was assigned to Army Group G so that a counter-attack could delivered against the United States Third Army. The retreat did not go according to plan, as the Nineteenth Army retreated many personnel of Army Group G were taken prisoner by the Sixth United States Army Group. By the time the retreat was over General Johannes Blaskowitz
had lost about half his force and was relieved on 21 September by General Hermann Balck
. By mid September the Fifth were in position on the left wing of the German line north of the Swiss border. From there the Fifth Panzer with elements of the First attacked the United States Third Army, while the much reduced German Nineteenth Army opposed the French First Army
and the U.S. Seventh Army under General Alexander M. Patch.
Army Group G fought in the Vosges Mountains during November 1944 and retreated through Lorraine and north Alsace during December. In late November 1944, Army Group G temporarily lost responsibility for the German troops in the Colmar Pocket
and on the Rhine River south of the Bienwald
to the short-lived Army Group Oberrhein
. At least one of its divisions, the 21st Panzer Division, fought on the southern flank of the Battle of the Bulge
In January 1945 it was a large component in Operation Nordwind
, the last big German counter attack on the Western Front. With the failure of Nordwind and the ejection of the Germans from the Colmar Pocket, Army Group Oberrhein was dissolved and Army Group G reassumed responsibility for the defense of southwestern Germany.
Unable to halt the offensive by Allied troops that cleared the Rhineland-Palatinate
and subsequently assaulted over the Rhine River, Army Group G's troops nevertheless managed a spirited defense at the cities of Heilbronn
, Crailsheim
, Nuremberg
and Munich
during April 1945.
Army Group G surrendered to U.S. forces at Haar
, in Bavaria
, in Germany on May 5, 1945.
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...
and was a component of OB West
OB West
The German Army Command in the West The German Army Command in the West The German Army Command in the West (Oberbefehlshaber West (German: initials OB West) was the overall command of the Westheer, the German Armed Forces on the Western Front during World War II. It was directly subordinate to...
.
When the Allied invasion of Southern France (Operation Dragoon
Operation Dragoon
Operation Dragoon was the Allied invasion of southern France on August 15, 1944, during World War II. The invasion was initiated via a parachute drop by the 1st Airborne Task Force, followed by an amphibious assault by elements of the U.S. Seventh Army, followed a day later by a force made up...
) took place, Army Group G had eleven divisions with which to hold France south of the Loire. After the successful Allied invasion of Southern France, on the 17/18 of August the German Armed Forces High Command (OKW) ordered Army Group G, with the exception of the fortress ports, to abandon southern France. The German LXIV Corps
LXIV Corps (Germany)
The LXIV Corps was a corps-level command of the German Army on the Western Front during World War II.Created on September 24, 1942, in Military Region VIII as the LXIV Reserve Corps with the mission of supervising reserve divisions assigned to OB West, the German high command in the west...
, which had been in charge of troops in the south west since First Army
German First Army
-First World War:The 1st Army during World War I, fought on the Western Front and took part in the Schlieffen Plan offensive against France and Belgium in August 1914. Commanded by General Alexander von Kluck, the 1st Army's job was to command the extreme right of the German forces in attacking...
had been withdrawn a few weeks earlier to hold the line on the River Seine southeast of Paris, formed three march groups and withdrew eastward toward Dijon
Dijon
Dijon is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or département and of the Burgundy region.Dijon is the historical capital of the region of Burgundy. Population : 151,576 within the city limits; 250,516 for the greater Dijon area....
. At the same time the German Nineteenth Army, retreated northward through the Rhône valley toward the Plateau de Langres where it was joined by the German Fifth Panzer Army
German Fifth Panzer Army
The 5th Panzer Army, also known as Panzer Group West and Panzer Group Eberbach was a panzer army which saw action in the Western front and North Africa...
which was assigned to Army Group G so that a counter-attack could delivered against the United States Third Army. The retreat did not go according to plan, as the Nineteenth Army retreated many personnel of Army Group G were taken prisoner by the Sixth United States Army Group. By the time the retreat was over General Johannes Blaskowitz
Johannes Blaskowitz
Johannes Albrecht Blaskowitz was a German general during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
had lost about half his force and was relieved on 21 September by General Hermann Balck
Hermann Balck
Hermann Balck was a career German army officer who served in both World War I and World War II, rising to the rank of General der Panzertruppe. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds...
. By mid September the Fifth were in position on the left wing of the German line north of the Swiss border. From there the Fifth Panzer with elements of the First attacked the United States Third Army, while the much reduced German Nineteenth Army opposed the French First Army
French First Army
The First Army was a field army of France that fought during World War I and World War II. It was also active during the Cold War.-First World War:...
and the U.S. Seventh Army under General Alexander M. Patch.
Army Group G fought in the Vosges Mountains during November 1944 and retreated through Lorraine and north Alsace during December. In late November 1944, Army Group G temporarily lost responsibility for the German troops in the Colmar Pocket
Colmar Pocket
The Colmar Pocket ; in Alsace, France, was the site of an operation during the Second World War, between 20 January and 9 February 1945, where the French First Army and the U.S...
and on the Rhine River south of the Bienwald
Bienwald
The Bienwald is a large forested area in the southern Pfalz region of Germany near the towns of Kandel and Wörth am Rhein. The western edge defines the eastern extent of the Wissembourg Gap, a corridor of open terrain between the Bienwald and the hills of the Pfälzer Wald. In the northwest, the...
to the short-lived Army Group Oberrhein
Army Group Oberrhein (Germany)
The Upper Rhine High Command , also incorrectly referred to as Army Group Upper Rhine , was a short-lived headquarters unit of the German Armed Forces created on the Western Front during World War II. The Upper Rhine High Command was formed on 26 November 1944 and was inactivated on 25 January 1945...
. At least one of its divisions, the 21st Panzer Division, fought on the southern flank of the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
In January 1945 it was a large component in Operation Nordwind
Operation Nordwind
Operation North Wind was the last major German offensive of World War II on the Western Front. It began on 1 January 1945 in Alsace and Lorraine in northeastern France, and it ended on 25 January.-Objectives:...
, the last big German counter attack on the Western Front. With the failure of Nordwind and the ejection of the Germans from the Colmar Pocket, Army Group Oberrhein was dissolved and Army Group G reassumed responsibility for the defense of southwestern Germany.
Unable to halt the offensive by Allied troops that cleared the Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate is one of the 16 states of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has an area of and about four million inhabitants. The capital is Mainz. English speakers also commonly refer to the state by its German name, Rheinland-Pfalz ....
and subsequently assaulted over the Rhine River, Army Group G's troops nevertheless managed a spirited defense at the cities of Heilbronn
Heilbronn
Heilbronn is a city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is completely surrounded by Heilbronn County and with approximately 123.000 residents, it is the sixth-largest city in the state....
, Crailsheim
Crailsheim
Crailsheim is a town in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, 32 km east of Schwäbisch Hall, 40 km southwest of Ansbach in the Schwäbisch Hall district, incorporated in 1338....
, Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
and Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
during April 1945.
Army Group G surrendered to U.S. forces at Haar
Haar, Bavaria
Haar is a municipality in the district of Munich, in Bavaria, Germany. It is 12 km east of Munich . As of 2005 it has a population of some 20'000.It is home to the Haar Disciples, a team in the first division of German's Baseball Bundesliga....
, in Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, in Germany on May 5, 1945.
Commanders
| 8 May | 1944 | Johannes Blaskowitz Johannes Blaskowitz Johannes Albrecht Blaskowitz was a German general during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords... |
| 21 September | 1944 | Hermann Balck Hermann Balck Hermann Balck was a career German army officer who served in both World War I and World War II, rising to the rank of General der Panzertruppe. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds... |
| 24 December | 1944 | Johannes Blaskowitz Johannes Blaskowitz Johannes Albrecht Blaskowitz was a German general during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords... |
| 29 January | 1945 | Paul Hausser Paul Hausser Paul "Papa" Hausser was an officer in the German Army, achieving the high rank of lieutenant-general in the inter-war Reichswehr. After retirement from the regular Army he became the "father" of the Waffen-SS and one of its most eminent leaders... |
| 2 April | 1945 | Friedrich Schulz Friedrich Schulz Karl 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... |
Order of battle
| Army Group Headquarters troops | |
|---|---|
| Army group signals regiment 609 | |
| Subordinated units | |
| 1944 | |
| May 1944 | First Army German First Army -First World War:The 1st Army during World War I, fought on the Western Front and took part in the Schlieffen Plan offensive against France and Belgium in August 1914. Commanded by General Alexander von Kluck, the 1st Army's job was to command the extreme right of the German forces in attacking... , Nineteenth Army |
| August 1944 | Nineteenth Army |
| September 1944 | Nineteenth Army, First Army, Fifth Panzer Army |
| 1945 | |
| January 1945 | First Army |
| February 1945 | First Army, Nineteenth Army |
| April 1945 | First Army, Nineteenth Army |