Heeresgruppen 1-6 (January 1939)

[Cartaphilus]

Dear friends, according to the sources I consulted, in early 1939 the German Army consisted of 18 Army Corps grouped in 6 Army Groups:

- 1 (Berlin)
- 2 (Frankfurt)
- 3 (Dresden)
- 4 (Leipzig)
- 5 (Hanover)
- 6 (Vienna)


I wonder if these Army Groups had a commander in chief in peacetime, or only in September 1939 the Army Groups, entering combat, had a commander assigned.


Thank you very much for your help.

[GregSingh]

Yes, they had.
Lexikon der Wehrmacht is your friend for this one!

From Autumn 1938 until mobilization:

Heeresgruppen-Kommando 1 Berlin
Oberbefehlshaber: Generaloberst Fedor von Bock

Heeresgruppen-Kommando 2 Kassel
Oberbefehlshaber: General der Infanterie Erwin von Witzleben

Heeresgruppen-Kommando 3 Dresden
Oberbefehlshaber: General der Infanterie Johannes Blaskowitz

Heeresgruppen-Kommando 4 Leipzig
Oberbefehlshaber: General der Artillerie Walter von Reichenau

Heeresgruppen-Kommando 5 Wien
Oberbefehlshaber: General der Infanterie Wilhelm List

Heeresgruppen-Kommando 6 Hannover
Oberbefehlshaber: General der Artillerie Günther von Kluge


On mobilization:

HGK1 became Heeresgruppe Nord
HGK2 became Heeresgruppe C
HGK3 became 8.Armee
HGK4 became 10.Armee
HGK5 became 14.Armee
HGK6 became 4.Armee

[Cartaphilus]

Thanks for this info, Greg. Greeting from Spain.