5th Panzer Army
The 5th Panzer Army / Tank Army High Command 5 ( PzAOK 5 ) was a major unit of the Army of the Wehrmacht during the Second World War. She was supreme command each alternating Army Corps as well as many special forces.
History
The 5th Panzer Army was the first time on 8 December 1942 in Tunisia by transformation of Lxxxx. Army Corps established. They never reached more than corps strength. It was under the beginning of the Commander- South, Field Marshal Albert Kesselring, from February 1943, the newly formed Army Group Africa under Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. After participating in the Tunisia campaign, the army surrendered on 13 May 1943 Bizerta the Allies. It was dissolved officially on 30 June 1943.
To protect the coastline of the Atlantic Wall was born on January 24, 1944 in Northern France, the Panzer Group West from the staff of General of Panzer Troops West, General of Panzer Troops Leo Geyr of Schweppenburg, situated. It was subordinate to the Commander in Chief West, Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt General. After the Allied landings in Normandy on 6 June 1944 (→ Operation Neptune ) fought the Panzer Group West under the command of Army Group B in the battle for Caen. On June 10, the headquarters of Panzer Group in La Caine has been turned off by a targeted British air raid, at least 18 staff officers were killed. Until the reorganization of Staff of the Commanding General of the I SS Panzer Corps Josef Dietrich took the lead of the front section. On August 5, 1944, the name was changed in 5th Panzer Army, followed by retreat from the battles of the Falaise pocket. In September, the temporary subordination followed under the Army Group G and struggles against the U.S. 3rd Army in the Lorraine. After a further restructuring, the 5th Panzer Army was in November back to Army Group B. In the middle of December 1944 started the Bulge fought them in the central portion of the front and was to advance as far as Antwerp. They besieged from 20 to about December 27, Bastogne (see Siege of Bastogne ). Around the year it was clear that this plan - even in the face of serious supply problems - was unrealizable. In February 1945, Field Marshal von Rundstedt undertook extensive rearrangements, because Hitler had forbidden him to retreat and he had to face in February 1945, the Allied Operation Grenade.
In April 1945, the Army has been included together with the other parts of Army Group B in the Ruhr pocket and surrendered on April 17, 1945.
Supreme Commander
- Lieutenant General Heinz Ziegler - DECEMBER 8, 1942 to February 20, 1943 (acting )
- Colonel-General Hans -Jürgen von Arnim - FEBRUARY 20 bis March 9, 1943
- General of Panzer troops Gustav von Vaerst - 9 March to 9 May 1943
- General of Panzer troops Leo Geyr of Schweppenburg - January 24 bis July 5, 1944
- General of Panzer troops Heinrich Eberbach - 5 July to 5 August 1944
- General of Panzer troops Heinrich Eberbach - 5th - 23rd August 1944
- SS Oberstgruppenführer Josef Dietrich - 23 August to 12 September 1944
- General Hasso von Manteuffel, the panzer troops - September 12, 1944 to March 9, 1945
- Colonel-General Josef Harpe - 9 March to 17 April 1945
Structure
Army troops
- Panzer Army Intelligence Regiment 5
- Higher Artillery Commander 309
- Commander rear army area PzAOK 5
- Panzer Army Intelligence Regiment 5