Army Group C

Army Group C (in German, Heeresgruppe C or HGr C) was an army group of the German Wehrmacht, that was formed twice during the Second World War.

Army Group C
Heeresgruppe C
Active1939–41, 1943–45
Disbanded2 May 1945
Country Nazi Germany
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Albert Kesselring

History

Army Group C was formed from Army Group 2 in Frankfurt on 26 August 1939. It initially commanded all troops on Germany's western front but after the Polish campaign it was reduced to commanding the southern half of the western front, overseeing the frontal breakthrough through the Maginot Line during June 1940. At the end of the battle of France it moved back to Germany then – under the cover name "Section Staff East Prussia" – moved to East Prussia on 20 April 1941. On 21 June 1941 it was renamed Army Group North.

It was re-formed on 26 November 1943, by being separated from the staff of Supreme Commander South (OB Süd Luftwaffe) and put in command of the southwestern front and the Italian Campaign. As such, the commander of Heeresgruppe C served also as the Oberbefehlshaber (OB) Südwest.

On 2 May 1945 Army Group C surrendered.

Commanders

1st time
No. CommanderTook officeLeft officeTime in office
1
Leeb, WilhelmGeneralfeldmarschall
Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb
(1876–1956)
26 August 193921 June 19411 year, 268 days
2nd time
No. CommanderTook officeLeft officeTime in office
1
Kesselring, AlbertGeneralfeldmarschall
Albert Kesselring
(1885–1960)
21 November 194326 October 1944
(in hospital after being severely wounded in an accident)
340 days
2
Vietinghoff, HeinrichGeneraloberst
Heinrich von Vietinghoff
(1887–1952)
26 October 194415 January 194581 days
(1)
Kesselring, AlbertGeneralfeldmarschall
Albert Kesselring
(1885–1960)
15 January 1945
(recovered from his wounds)
10 March 1945
(transferred to the Western Front)
54 days
(2)
Vietinghoff, HeinrichGeneraloberst
Heinrich von Vietinghoff
(1887–1952)
10 March 194530 April 194551 days
3
Schulz, FriedrichGeneral der Infanterie
Friedrich Schulz
(1897–1976)
30 April 19451 May 19451 day
5
Röttiger, HansGeneral der Panzertruppe
Hans Röttiger
(1896–1960)
1 May 19452 May 19451 day

Composition

Sources

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