- XXVII Corps (Germany)
Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=XXVII. Armeekorps
dates=August 1939 - May 1945
country=Germany
allegiance=
branch=Heer
type=Army Corps
role=
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garrison=
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
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battles=05/40 Netherlands, Belgium
06/40 Eastern France
10/41 Vyazma
12/41 - 01/43 Rzhev salient
08/43 - 10/43 Defence of Smolensk
11/43 - 05/44 Orsha
06/44 Defense of Orsha, Operation Bagration
08/44 - 10/44 Defence of East Prussia
01/45 Defence on Narew
02/45 - 03/45 Danzig
04/45 Oder
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=The XXVII Corps ( _de. XXVII. Armeekorps, or "XXVII.AK") was an infantry
corps in the German Army. It fought in several notable actions duringWorld War II .The corps was originally raised in August 1939 in "
Wehrkreis " VII.Wartime service
1939
Organisation (September 1939): 16th, 69th, 211th and 216th Infantry Divisions
During September 1939 the XXVII Corps was used to screen the Dutch-German border.
1940
Organisation (June 1940): 211th, 213th, 218th and 239th Infantry Divisions
The Corps participated in Nazi Germany's Invasion of France as part of
Army Group C . In May, it crossed the southernNetherlands andBelgium towardsRoubaix , where it helped in surrounding the French 1st Army. Later in the campaign, it attacked from the east bank of theRhine towardsColmar . It then remained on occupation duties in eastern France until the following year.1941
Organisation (November 1941): 86th, 129th and 162nd Infantry Divisions; "Gruppe" Landgraf (parts of 6th and 7th Panzer Divisions)
The XXVII Corps did not take part in the initial stages of
Operation Barbarossa , but was transferred to the Ninth Army,Army Group Centre , forOperation Typhoon , the attack onMoscow . On the Army's north flank, it advanced towardsKalinin , but by December had been forced to retreat into the Rzhev salient.1942
Organisation (early November 1942): 6th, 72nd, 87th, 95th, 129th, 251st and 256th Infantry Divisions; heavy artillery and
assault gun detachmentsThe Corps suffered heavy losses during 1942 in the series of defensive battles around Rzhev. Its organisation changed several times during this period, but included up to eight infantry divisions at various points. Along with the remainder of Army Group Centre, it was ordered to evacuate the Rzhev salient the following year in
Operation Büffel .1943
Organisation (July 1943): 52nd, 197th, 246th and 256th Infantry Divisions
In the autumn of 1943 the Corps, now assigned to Fourth Army, took part in the defence against the Soviet offensive
Operation Suvorov aroundSmolensk . By the next year, it had been pushed back to positions east ofOrsha .1944
Organisation (June 1944): 25th Panzergrenadier Division,
78th Sturm Division , 260th Infantry DivisionDuring 1944, the Corps was positioned in the sector of the strategically important
Minsk -Moscow road near Orsha, having been specially reinforced for the purpose. In late June the Soviets commenced their summer offensive,Operation Bagration ; the XXVII Corps was attacked by forces of the3rd Belorussian Front and took heavy casualties. Bypassed by a breakthrough of Soviet forces to the north, the Corps found itself encircled in the forests east ofMinsk , and despite a breakout attempt on5 July spearheaded by the 25th Panzergrenadier Division, was almost entirely destroyed. The corps commander, General Paul Völckers, was captured, as were the commanders of the 78th and 260th Divisions, Traut and Klammt.The Corps, and its staff, was hurriedly reconstructed in July / August from replacement units and deployed on the
East Prussian border.1945
The rebuilt XXVII Corps was transferred to Second Army, facing the Soviet
East Prussian Offensive . During the course of the offensive it was encircled on theBaltic coast atDanzig , and again destroyed / disbanded. The staff was evacuated and transferred to the reconstructedThird Panzer Army ; the remnants of the Corps eventually surrendered to troops of the US Army on4 May , north ofLudwigslust .Commanders
*August 1939 General
Karl Ritter von Prager
*November 1939 GeneralAlfred Wäger
*23 December 1941 Lieutenant-GeneralEccard Freiherr von Gablenz
*13 January 1942 GeneralJoachim Witthöft
*1 July 1942 Colonel-GeneralWalter Weiß
*10 February 1943 Lieutenant-GeneralKarl Burdach
*8 June 1943 GeneralPaul Völckers
*27 July 1944 GeneralHellmuth Prieß
*October 1944 GeneralMaximilian Felzmann
*April 1945 GeneralWalter Hörnlein References
* " [http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/Korps/XXVIIKorps-R.htm] ". German language article at www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de. Retrieved February 11, 2008.
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