German capitulation on the Eastern Front

[Max Payload]

That's an enormous amount of work; thanks for posting it.
Given your research, do you still consider that the OKW estimate of 1.51 million (11 May document) is an underestimate?

[Art]

OKW report didn't fully count Luftwaffe personnel. Also Croatian and Hungarian forces were evidently not included in the estimate, whereas their prisoners were counted in the Soviet tally. Discrepancies might also arise from inclusion of Volkssturm, Hiwis an civil agencies. As far as I can see, the most obvious discrepancy is the Army Group Courland. As I've said, I cannot give a good explanation for it now.

[Art]

As a related topic the number of prisoners taken from 1 to 8 May 1945. The sources, unless indicated previously, are war diaries or daily situation reports from respective fronts:
Leningrad Front - 330
3 Belorussian Front - 732
2 Belorussian Front - 55 526
1 Belorussian Front - at least 137 000
1 Ukrainian Front - aprox. 96 500
4 Ukrainian Front - 14 911
2 Ukrainian Front - 1727
3 Ukrainian Front - 3865
All fronts - about 310 000. Data given in these documents should be considered as preliminary and approximate but in any case the total is less than a half of the number from Krivosheev's book (634 960). I believe that such a huge difference can only be explained by some sort of mistake or probably by the fact that original documents used by Krivosheev and coauthors included a count of a large number of prisoners accepted after the capitulation started.

[Art]

A list of general and equivalent rank officers from the Army Group Courland taken prisoners after capitulation, from an appendix to the Leningrad Front’s war diary:

1. Generaloberst Carl Hilpert, C-in-C Army Group Courland
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Hilpert
2. Generalleuntant Friedrich Foertsch, Chief of Staff AG Courland
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Foertsch
3. Generalmajor Otto Rauser, Quartermaster General AG Courland
http://en.valka.cz/topic/view/158548/Rauser-Otto
4. Generalstabsveterinär Erich Köhler, Chief Veterinary Officer AG Courland
http://samlib.ru/m/minaew_d_n/generals_z_1.shtml
5. Generalleuntant Gerhard Medem, Chief Engineer Officer AG Courland:
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=167514
6. Generalmajor Hans Negendank, Chief Signal Officer AG Courland:
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=211225
7. Generalmajor Bronislaw Pawel, General for special assignment AG Courland
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Per ... nislaw.htm
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=65063


8. General der Gebirgstruppe Friedrich-Jobst Volckamer von Kirchensittenbach, Commander of the 16 Army
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich ... sittenbach
9. Generalmajor Curt-Ulrich von Gersdorff, Chief of Staff 16 Army
http://www.oocities.org/~orion47/WEHRMA ... _CURT.html
10. Generalmajor Hans-Joachim Bauermeister, Artillery Commander 16 Army (Harko 315):
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Per ... sterHJ.htm
11. General-Veterinär Hans Bethcke, Chief Veterinary Officer 16 Army
http://samlib.ru/m/minaew_d_n/generals_z_1.shtml
12. Generalleutnant Hermann Fischer, Commander of rear area 16 Army
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Per ... ermann.htm


13. General of the Infantry Ehrenfied-Oskar Boege, Commander of the 18 Army
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ehrenfried-Oskar_Boege
14. Generalmajor Ernst Merk, Chief of Staff 18 Army:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_Merk
15. Generalleutnant Gotthard Fischer, Artillery Commander 18 Army (Harko 303):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotthard_Fischer
16. Generalleutnant Oskar van Ginckel, Commander of rear area 16 Army (Korück 583):
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... rmee-R.htm


17. Generalleutnant Christian Usinger, Commander I Army Corps
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Usinger
18. Generalleutnant Alfred Gause, Commander II Army Corps
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Gause
19. General der Artillerie Siegfried Thomaschki, Commander X Army Corps
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siegfried_Thomaschki
20. Generalleutnant Gottfried Weber, Commander XVI Army Corps
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gottfried_Weber_(general)
21. General der Artillerie Kurt Herzog, Commander XXXVIII Army Corps
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Herzog


22. Generalmajor Otto Barth, Commander 21 Luftwaffe Field Division
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Barth
23. Generalmajor Harald Schultz, Commander 24 Infantry Division
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harald_Schultz
24. Generalleutnant Albert Henze, Commander 30 Infantry Division
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Henze
25. Generalleutnant Franz-Eccard von Bentivegin, commander 81 Infantry Division
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Ecc ... Bentivegni
26. Generalleutnant Mauritz Freiherr von Strachwitz, Commander 87 Infantry Division
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauritz_F ... Strachwitz
27. Generalmajor Bruno Schatz, Commander 122 Infantry Division:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruno_Schatz
28. Generalmajor Kurt Haehling, Commander 126 Infantry Division:
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Per ... ngKurt.htm
29. Generalmajor Rudolf Demme, Commander 132 Infantry Division
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Demme
30. Generalmajor Karl Giese, Commander 205 Infantry Division:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl-Hans_Giese
31. Johannes-Oskar Brauer, Commander 207 Special-Purpose Division Staff (Divisionstab z.b.V. 207)
http://www.oocities.org/~orion47/WEHRMA ... ANNES.html
32. Generalmajor Ingvo von Collani, Commander 218 Infantry Division:
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=8513
33. Generalleutnant Walther Risse, Commander 225 Infantry Division:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walther_Risse
34. Generalleutnant Alfred Hemmann, Commander 263 Infantry Division:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Hemmann
35. Generalmajor Anton Eberth, Commander 300 Special-Purpose Division Staff (Divisionstab z.b.V 300):
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Per ... hAnton.htm
36. Generalleutnant Konrad Menkel, Commander 329 Infantry Division:
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=89286
37. Generalmajor Werner Neumann, Commander 563 Volks-Grenadier Division
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werner_Neumann_(officer)

38. Generalmajor Johannes Kaliebe, Chief of Engineer Command 3 (Höherer Pioneer Kommandeur 3)
http://www.geocities.ws/orion47.geo/WEH ... ANNES.html
39. Generalmajor Hans Ludwig Müller, Chief of Field Commandant’s Office 192 (Grobina area command):
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=210746
40. Generalmajor Friedrich Werther, Commander of Coastal Defense Riga
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Per ... edrich.htm
41. Generalleutnant Albrecht Digeon von Monteton, Commandant of Libau (Liepaja):
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Per ... brecht.htm
42. Generalmajor Josef Rupprecht, Chief of Field Commandant’s Office 607:
http://samlib.ru/m/minaew_d_n/generals_z_1.shtml
43. Generalmajor Hans Küpper, Chief of Field Commandant’s Office 818:
http://www.geocities.ws/orion47.geo/WEH ... _HANS.html


Luftwaffe:
44. General der Flieger Kurt Pflugbeil, Commander of Air Command Courland
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Pflugbeil
45. Generalleutnant Xaver Franz Heinrich Sattler, Chief of signals Air Command Courland:
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Per ... rXaver.htm

Kriegsmarine:
46. Konteradmiral Wolff Ehrenreich von Arnswaldt, Commandant of Naval Defense Latvia:
http://www.arnswald.de/biographie-1.html

SS
47. Gruppenführer Bruno Streckenbach, Commander 19 SS Waffen Grenadier Division
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruno_Streckenbach

Unclear:
48. Generalleutnant Band (or Bandgkaust), Commander fortified region Courland (?). I can't find any info, even correct name and position.

Not in the list, but was taken prisoner in Courland:
Generalleutnant Werner Ranck, Commander 218 Infantry Division:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werner_Ranck
I don't understand who was really a commander of 218 ID in May 1945, Collani or Ranck.

[Art]

Generals of the Army East Prussia that surrendered after capitulation:

3 Belorussian Front (from Sovinformburo communiques):
1. General der Infanterie Friedrich Hochbaum, Commander XVIII Mountain Corps
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Hochbaum
2. Generalleutnant Fritz-Georg von Rappard, Commander 7 Infantry Division:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritz-Georg_von_Rappard
3. Generalleutnant Sigfried Verhein, Commander 28 Jäger Division
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siegfried_Verhein

2 Belorussian Front (from report on operations of the 2 BF 20.02.1946):
1. General der Panzertruppen Dietrich von Saucken, Commander of Army East Prussia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietrich_von_Saucken
2. Generalmajor Robert Macher, Chief of Staff Army East Prussia
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=197019
3. Generalstabsarzt Kurt Oehlmann, Chief medical officer Army East Prussia:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Oehlmann
4. Generalmajor Rudolf Noack, Commander of Army school, Army East Prussia:
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=211728

5. General der Infanterie Karl-Wilhelm Specht, Commander of Hela Corps:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl-Wilhelm_Specht

6. Generalmajor Franz Schlieper, Commander 12 Luftwaffe Field Division
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Schlieper
7. Generalleutnant Hans Schirmer, Commander 23 Infantry Division
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=142111
8. Generalleutnant Hans Boeckh-Behrens, Commander 32 Infantry Division
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Boeckh-Behrens
9. Generalleutnant Johann Georg Richert, Commander 35 Infantry Division
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann-Georg_Richert
10. Generalmajor Fritz Gaedicke, Commander 203 Infantry Division:
http://www.geocities.ws/orion47.geo/WEH ... FRITZ.html
11. Generalleutnant Werner von Bercken, Commander 558 Volksgrenadier Division
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werner_von_Bercken
12. Generalmajor Hermann-Ernst Grothe, Commander 1 Projectile Brigade
http://www.oocities.org/~orion47/WEHRMA ... RMANN.html

Also 1 admiral not in the list:
Konteradmiral Siegfried Sorge, Commander of Naval Defense East Prussia and Commander of Gotenhafen/Hela Fortress.
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siegfried_Sorge_(Admiral)

Total 15 generals and 1 admiral.

At the Island of Bornholm:
General der Artillerie Rolf Wuthmann, former Commander IX Army Corps, Commander Bornholm garrison
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolf_Wuthmann

[G. Trifkovic]

Hi everyone,

does anyone have reliable info on the strength of the 2nd Panzer Army in the last month of the war?

Thanks,

G.

[Jan-Hendrik]

Commander 1 Projectile Brigade

Volks-Werfer-Brigade 1

Jan-Hendrik

[Art]

Yes, I posted English equivalents of unit names and positions where possible. Probably, it is better called 1st Rocket Brigade.

[Art]

does anyone have reliable info on the strength of the 2nd Panzer Army in the last month of the war?

From what I remember Gerhard Maier ("Drama between Budapest and Vienna") quoted some numbers for March 1945. Don't have this book right now.

[G. Trifkovic]

does anyone have reliable info on the strength of the 2nd Panzer Army in the last month of the war?

From what I remember Gerhard Maier ("Drama between Budapest and Vienna") quoted some numbers for March 1945. Don't have this book right now.

Thanks for the tip, Art!

G.

[Appleknocker27]

Gents, great thread. Do any of you have information on the number of Volkssturm deployed in the East, KIA/MIA/POW?

[askropp]

What about Generalmajor Ottomar Hansen, who was also captured in Kurland? And why were there two veterinary officers but no medical officers of General's rank in Kurland? Who was the Heeresgruppenarzt?

[Art]

No mention of Hansen in LF war diary or daily reports as far as I see. Don't know why it's so. He was definitely one of generals taken prisoners.

[G. Trifkovic]

HI,

a short update on the Yugoslav sector of the Eastern Front from my article titled "The Forgotten Surrender: the End of the Second World War in Yugoslavia" which appeared in International Journal of Military History and Historiography, Vol.37/No.2 (2017), pp. 147-172, (here 164-165):

Finally, some space should be devoted to the question of how many German servicemen were taken captive by the Partisans during their final offensive. According to an estimate dated 26 April 1945, HGE had a supply strength of 396 000. In addition to the members of the German army, navy, air force, and SS and police units (insofar they were directly subordinated to the army), this figure relates to all persons who received their rations from the Wehrmacht, including civilians, paramilitary organizations (such as Organization Todt or Reichsarbeitdienst), and POWs. It also refers to all collaborationist formations under German command, most notably eight (out of a total of 16) NDH divisions. 49 The number of German army personnel was substantially lower: on 1 May, OBSO (including the now-defunct HGF), had 91 628 men in rear-area services and independent combat and security units, as well as 7538 unarmed auxiliaries (Hilfswilligen, Hiwis). 50 The strength of HGE’s 13 German divisions at that time can only be guessed. Löhr wrote on 2 May 51 that he still had three fully operational (vollwertige) divisions (most likely the 7th SS MD, 22nd ID, and 41st ID), implying they still had about 8 – 10 000 men each. The two Cossack divisions and the 188th MD were also somewhere in this range, whereas others were probably well below this mark: the remaining four all-German formations (the 11th LWFD, 104th JD, 181st and 237th ID), all of which had seen heavy fighting, had ca. 6 – 8000; the three legionnaire divisions (the 369th, 373rd, and 392nd ID) were down to 2000 – 3500 men of their German personnel, after the Croatian rank-and-file had either deserted, or were released from service. The number of soldiers serving in field formations at this time can be therefore reasonably estimated at about 90 – 100 000. 52 How many of them fell or went MIA in the last week of the war is almost impossible to say. Most of the casualties incurred in this period went to the account of 97th AC, which was heavily engaged at Rijeka and Trieste; the losses on HGE’s main front were probably not as heavy (with the possible exception of the 181st ID). According to official Yugoslav statistics, the YA had captured 221 287 non-Yugoslav members of HGE during the “final operations for the liberation of the country” (20 March – 15 May 1945) 53 ; majority of them were taken in the last week of April and first two weeks of May. Sources on both sides agree that only a fragment of HGE’s fighting units from the main front – perhaps 45 000 men – managed to surrender to the British in Austria.54

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
49 TsAMO/500/12450/226/34 (OKW, Supply strengths, undated), 74-75 (OKW, Formation OBSO as from 9.5.1945).
50 United States National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 242, Microfilm series T-78, Roll 411, Frame 6379720, OKH, HGE and HGF/OBSO (1.5.1945). Several thousand more Hiwis were probably still to be found with the divisions; the 7th SS MD had 361 on 1 March 1945, as evident from the strength return available in NARA/T78/530/77.
51 TsAMO/500/12450/246/46, OBSO to Dönitz (2.5.1945).
52 In addition to the already cited sources pertaining to the strength of individual formations at the time of their capture, see also the following: Trifković, Trieste, pp. 12, 14; Trifković, Victories, p. 30; VAS/73/1/4/14, Werner Horreck/41st ID (12.7.1947); VAS/72/1/4/7, Hans Bauernstädter/11th LWFD; TNA/WO170/4465, War diary of the 38th Irish Brigade (14.5.1945).
53 Colić, Pregled, p. 401.
54 Specifically: the 15th SS CC and the RSK, also most of the 369th ID, the motorized parts of the 11th LWDF, two battalions and one company of the 7th SS MD, three companies and a part of rear-echelon units of the 22nd ID, and the entire 18th SS Police Regiment; furthermore, one full and parts of two other police regiments, and an equivalent of seven battalions of various troops, all with KG Von Seeler. On 17 May, Allied Field HQ Italy reported having some 109 000 German prisoners in southern Austria, but how many of these belonged to the 2nd Panzer Army which had retreated from the Eastern Front is not specified: TNA/WO229/71/18, Harold Alexander to Dwight Eisenhower (17.5.1945). See also: Kumm, Vorwärts, p. 378; NARA/T354/146/3786923, War diary of the 7th SS Pioneer Battalion (8 – 10.5.1945); Von Metzsch, Geschichte, p. 87; Hermann Franz, Gebirgsjäger der Polizei : Polizei-Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 18 und Polizei-Gebirgs-Artillerieabteilung 1942 bis 1945 (Bad Nauheim: Podzun, 1963), pp. 224-225 (I wish to thank Mr. Darko Cafuta for providing me with excerpts
from this book).

[Art]

Strength of the Army Group Courland as of 1 April 1945:
http://www.maparchive.ru/images/phocaga ... l_0116.jpg

229.501 German personnel, 417 Lithuanians, 18.177 Latvians, 33 Estonians, 2.615 Turks and misc.foreign personnel, 23.789 Hiwis. Total more than 270,000 men not counting Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine elements.