Kurland pocket

[Ezboard]

Wendel
Unregistered User
(2/10/00 12:07:22 am)
Reply Kurland pocket
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm looking for info on the Kurland pocket.
How many men were trapped?
Which units were trapped?
Were any major attempts made to break out of the pocket or by other units to release them?
etc

/W

Doug Batson
Unregistered User
(2/18/00 2:49:35 am)
Reply Kurland Pocket
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Marcus,

This is what I have on the Kurland pocket….

In early January 1945, Hitler refused to let the General Staff evacuate Army Group North, which had been corralled in the Courland peninsula, and still had well over 300,000 troops, to strengthen German defences against the impending Soviet Vistula-Oder offensive. He contended there would be no gain because a greater number of Soviet troops would be freed. However, disasters on the approaches to Berlin late in the month compelled him to take out divisions. Stalin gave an ironic validity to Hitler’s contention. Determined to destroy Army Group Courland (as it was renamed in January 1945) before the war’s fast approaching end arrived, he ordered massive two-week-long attacks in January, February, and March, but none succeeded in more than denting the German line. In April, Hitler told the new army group commander, General Karl Hilpert, who had just relieved Rendulic, that he would have to hold out “until the turn that has occurred in every was has taken place.” By then, Stalin was wholly engrossed in what he took to be a race with his western allies for possession of Berlin. Between 1 May, the day after Hitler’s suicide, and the afternoon of 8 May, when a surrender to Marshal Govorov took effect, German naval vessals evacuated 18,000 men. Hilpert, 41 other generals, and 189,000 officers and men became Soviet prisoners of war.

Orders of battle:

Nov 26, 1944
18th Army:
Tomaschki: 225, 132, 83, 563 - II: 31, 4. Pz., 32, 14. Pz. – X: 263, 11, 121 - III. SS: 11. SS, 4. SS Br. – I: 30, 87, 126 - z. Vfg.: 52, 300
16th Army:
XXXXIII: 218, 23, 201, 207 - XVI- 81, 227, 281 - VI. SS: Henze (21. Lw.), 19. SS, 93 - L: 24, 122, 12. Lw., 389 - XXXVIII: 12. Pz., 290, 215, 205, 329
Army Group reserve:
FAD Nord

Dec 31, 1944
18th Army:
I: 225, 32, 11, 218, 563 - II: 31, 14. Pz., 126, 263 - III SS: 121, 11. SS, 4. SS Br. - X: 30, 87, 132 - z. Vfg.: 52
16th Army:
XXXXIII: 201, 207 - XVI: 81, 281, Henze (21. Lw.) - VI. SS: 227, 12. Pz., 4. Pz., 12. Lw., 19. 55, 93 - L: 24, 290, 389, 122 - XXXVIII: 215, 205, 329
Army Group reserve:
FAD Nord

Feb 19, 1945
18th Army:
II: 11, 225, 563, 263 - I: 290, 121, 126, 12. Lw., 218 - X: 30, 87, 132 - z. Vfg.: 52, 14. Pz.
16th Army:
XXXXIII: Sudwest, Windau, Nordwest, Henze (21. Lw.), 207, Kuste - XVI: 300, 81 - VI. SS: 19. SS - L: 24,122 - XXXVIII: 205, 329 - z. Vfg.: 12. Pz., 215
Army Group reserve:
FAD Kurland, 201

March 1, 1945
18th Army:
II: 290, 563, 263 - L: 11, 225, 205 - I: 132, 218 - X: 12. Lw., 30, 87, 126 - z. Vfg.: 52, 12. Pz., 14. Pz., 121
16th Army:
XXXXIII: Sudwest, Windau, Nordwest, Nord, 207, Ost, Kuste - XVI: 300, 81 - VI. SS.- 19. SS, 24 - XXXVIII: 122, 329
Army Group reserves:
FAD Kurland, 201

April 12, 1945
18th Army:
L: 11, 290 -II: 563, 126, 263, 87 - I: 225, 132 - X: 30, 121, Gise - z. Vfg.: 52, 14. Pz.
16th Army:
Nordkurland (Koruck 583): Sudwest, Windau, Nordwest, Nord, Ost (207), Kuste - XVI: 300, 81, 205, 213, Barth (21, Lw.) - VI. SS: 12. Pz., 24, 19. SS - XXXVIII: 122, 329
Army Group reserve:
FAD Kurland, 201, 15 SS

Divisions that were transferred out between Jan and April:

12 Lw to AOK Ostpreussen
83 to 2nd Armee
389 to 2nd Armee
32 to 2nd Armee
11 SS “Nordland” to 11th Armee

I know this was long-winded, but I hope it helped…

Doug Batson


Marcus Wendel
Unregistered User
(2/18/00 12:39:10 pm)
Reply Re: Kurland Pocket
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for the great info!

/Marcus