VI Corps (Germany)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=VI. Armeekorps
dates=October 1934 - March 1945
country=Germany
allegiance=
branch=Heer
type=Army Corps
role=
size=
command_structure=
current_commander=
garrison=
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=06/40 Invasion of France
06/41 Byalistok, Smolensk
09/41 Vyazma
11/41 - 01/43 Rzhev salient
08/43 - 10/43 Defence of Smolensk, Vitebsk
11/43 - 05/44 Vitebsk
06/44 Defense against Operation Bagration
07/44 - 08/44 Lida, Byalistok
09/44 - 01/45 Defence of East Prussia
01/45 - 03/45 Heiligenbeil pocket
notable_commanders=Field-Marshal Wolfram von Richthofen
General Hans Jordan
anniversaries=

The VI Corps ( _de. VI. Armeekorps, or "VI.AK") was an infantry corps in the German Army. It fought in several notable actions during World War II.

The corps was originally formed around the 6th Division of the "Reichswehr" in October 1934 in Münster.

Wartime service

1940

Organisation (June 1940): 15th and 205th Infantry Divisions

Under the command of General Otto-Wilhelm Förster, the VI Corps took part in the Nazi Invasion of France, when it was part of the Twelfth Army of Army Group A. For the remainder of the year it was stationed on the coast as part of the occupation forces.

1941, 1942

Organisation (January 1942): 6th, 26th, 110th, 161st and 256th Infantry Divisions; 1st Panzer Division; heavy artillery, "Nebelwerfer", anti-tank and pioneer detachments

In Operation Barbarossa, the VI Corps became part of Army Group Centre, to which it remained attached until the very final period of the war. As part of the Ninth Army, it took part in the costly series of battles in the Rzhev salient throughout 1942.

War crimes

During the fighting in the Rzhev salient, the civilian population of the area suffered greatly from starvation, partly due to the requisition of stocks by the "Wehrmacht", and disease. Many civilians were also deported as forced labour; between May and July 1942 alone VI Corps itself deported over 4,000 civilians in this manner.

The town of Rzhev lost 93% of its population in just thirteen months.Figures from [http://home.hccnet.nl/e.kooistra/burgers.html] ]

1943

Organisation (November 1943):14th, 206th, 246th, and 256th Infantry Divisions; part of 211th Division; Vitebsk garrison; anti-tank detachments

In 1943 the VI Corps, along with the remainder of Army Group Centre, was pushed back from the Rzhev salient. In the winter of 1943-44, now assigned to Third Panzer Army, it took part in the defensive battles around Vitebsk.

1944

Organisation (June 1944): 14th, 95th, 197th, 256th and 299th Infantry Divisions; "Sturmgeschutz" Brigade 281

On 22 June 1944, after a period of little activity along the front of Army Group Centre, the VI Corps was involved in the defence against the major Soviet summer offensive, Operation Bagration. Despite being one of the strongest corps in its Army Group, with four infantry divisions and the 14th Infantry Division in reserve, it was overwhelmed by the attack of the 5th Guards and 39th Armies, and largely destroyed in the lines around Bogushevsk by 25 June. The few elements that retreated to the Berezina River were mostly trapped and annihilated in the subsequent encirclement east of Minsk, while the corps commander, General Georg Pfeiffer, was killed on 28 June. The commanders of the 256th and 197th Divisions, Wustenhagen and Hahne, were also killed, while Michaelis of the 95th Division was captured. Most of their 40-50,000 troops met a similar fate.

In mid-July the scratch formation "Sperrgruppe Weidling", which included remnants of some of the original units of VI Corps, was renamed as VI Corps. The Corps took part in the improvised defence against the Russian strategic operations for the remainder of the summer.

1945

Organisation (March 1945): 131st and 61st Infantry Divisions (at "Kampfgruppe" strength); 10th "Radfahrjäger" Brigade; 18th Panzergrenadier Division

The rebuilt VI Corps was allocated to Fourth Army where it faced the East Prussian Offensive from January 1945. It was encircled in the Heiligenbeil pocket on the Baltic coast, and destroyed there in March.

Commanders

*1939 General Otto-Wilhelm Förster
*31 December 1941 Field-Marshal Wolfram von Richthofen
*1 November 1942 General Hans Jordan
*20 May 1944 General Georg Pfeiffer
*11 August 1944 General Horst Großmann

Footnotes

References

* " [http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/Korps/VIKorps-R.htm] ". German language article at www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de. Retrieved February 11, 2008.