German OoB in East Prussia January 1945

[Vladimir S.]

Please help with German OoB before Russian offensive 13 January 1945 in East Prussia.

I mean 3rd Panzer Army, 2nd and 4th Armyes, troops of Army Group Center in East Prussia.

Or at least number and strength German Divisions in East Prussia.

Thanks in advance.

[daveh]

OOB for 10-1-45 for Army Group Centre:

3rd Panzer Army:

XXVIII Corps: 607, 95,58 ID
IX Corps: 286, 551VG, 548, 561, 56
XXVI Corps: 69, 1,349VG, 549 VG

4th Army:

HG Pz Corps: 61, 2 HG PzG (to Army Group A 14.1.45), 21
in rear 1 HG Pz (to Army Group A 14.1.45),
XLI Pz Corps: 28 J, 50,367, 170
VI Corps:558 VG, 131, Police B "Hannibal", 541 VG
LV Corps: 203, 562VG, 547VG

2nd Army:

XX Corps: 102,14, 292
XXVIII: 129,299,7
XXVII: 5J, 35, 252, 542VG
rear 7 Pz

Army Group Reserve

5 Pz behind 3rd Panzer Army
24Pz arriving
brandenburg PzG Deployed 5.1.45 to Army Group A 13.1.45
23 deployed 15.1.45
18 PzGB
83 deployed 10.1.45
GD PzG deployed 10.1.45

Special staff for Memel fortress came under OKH

All Infantry Divisions except
VG = Volks Grenadier, J = Jager, Pz = panzer, PzG = Panzer Grenadier

[Vladimir S.]

Thanks, Daveh!

And could you help me with common strength of these units? Soviet sources said about 580 thousand?

[daveh]

The limited information i have on strengths for army Group Centre suggest c 580, 000 men with c 700 AFV (tanks and SP guns)













































































































































































































































































































































































































































J Erickson The Road to Berlin ISBN 0 586 06407 9

p.602 gives Army Group Centre a strength of 580,000 men and 700 tanks ans SP guns supported y 515 aircraft, on a front of c 375 miles (600 km.).

[Kelvin]

Hi, Daveh , Some sources said that 31.Volksgrenadier Division, 32. and 227. infanterie divisions and 15.SS Waffen Grenadier Division Latvia also took part in East Prussian campaign in Jan 1945 but I want to know whether they stationed here already ? Or those units were rushed to East Prussia from Latvia only after the offensive started on Jan 13 1945 ?

[genstab]

We have one evident typo in the O/B posted for 10.1.45. XXVIII. AK is shown in both 3. Panzerarmee and 2. Armee. According to the Kgl. for 31.12.44, bolstered by the one for 21.1.45, both from "Die Geheimen Tagesberichte", 2. Armee should have XXIII. AK with the divisions shown instead of XXVIII. AK, which is confirmed in 3. Panzerarmee.

In using these two Kgls to crosscheck the O/B you posted, all divisions and Corps under the three Armees seem to be correct for 10.1.45 except for the above mentioned probable typo.

Best regards,
Bill in Cleveland (the big one)

[Max Payload]

It was my understanding that 3. Panzerarmee had just ten frontline divisions, that 607 was merely a divisional headquarters for special purposes (Divisions-Stab z.b.V) and that 286 was a security division.

[donwhite]

31 VG, 32 & 227 ID's shipped in after 13th Jan '45. 15ss ID was already present in West Prussia reforming when the offensive started. There is an very informative download on the 15th SS ID on the Sturmpanzer website detailing its involvement during the latter half of the East Prussian operation.

Cheers

[Kelvin]

Hi, Maxload, 286.Sicherungs Division was reorganized as 286. Infanterie division in Dec 1944.

[Kelvin]

Hi, Don, how are you ? thank for your reply.

That mean these three divisions were reinforcement from Army Group North to Prussia.

[Max Payload]

Hi, Maxload, 286.Sicherungs Division was reorganized as 286. Infanterie division in Dec 1944.

Thanks for this information. I note that earlier in this thread 2 HG PzG Div is identified as having been transferred south from 4. Armee of Army Group Centre to Army Group A on 14 January, yet on 26 January this division is identied as part of 3. Panzerarmee on the northern flank of Army Group Centre. Is it possible that this division could have been moved from the Masurian lakes area to south of the Vistula and then back north to the Koenigsberg area in a mere 12 days when the Vistula sector was in total chaos?

[donwhite]

Hello Kelvin, I'm well. Max, HG Pz Div (Number 1) was transferred to Army Group 'A' along with Brandenburg PzG Div under 'GD' Pz Korps HQ. HG PzG Div (number 2) stayed in East Prussia under its parent HQ (HG Pz Korps).

Cheers

[Max Payload]

HG Pz Div (Number 1) was transferred to Army Group 'A' along with Brandenburg PzG Div under 'GD' Pz Korps HQ. HG PzG Div (number 2) stayed in East Prussia under its parent HQ (HG Pz Korps).

Thanks for this info. I suspected as much. My understanding was that only two divisions (under GD Corps headquarters) were transferred to Army Group A, not the three identified earlier in the thread.