16.Armee-Oberkommando

Unit Emblems

16.Armee-Oberkommando Emblem  

Campaigns

  • West Wall 1939
  • Western Campaign 1940
  • Eastern Front 1941-1945

History

The 16. Armee was established on 22 October 1939. From 22 October 1939 through 9 May 1940 they provided security on the Western frontier. From 10 May 1940 through 25 June 1940 they fought in the Western campaign. From 26 June 1940 through 17 April 1941 they served as occupation forces in France, Belgium and Holland. From 18 April 1941 through 21 June 1941 they relocated to East Prussia and then served in the east until the end of the war. The 16. Armee was in existence for 2,058 days.

Organization

Koruck 584
Armee-Nachrichten-Regiment 501
Armee-Nachschubführer 560
Höherer Arko 309

Commanders

Ernst Busch 10.22.1939
Christian Hansen 10.11.1943
Paul Laux 6.1.1944
Carl Hilpert 9.3.1944
Ernst-Anton von Krosigk 3.9.1945
Friedrich Volckamer von Kirchensittenbach 3.16.1945

Calendar of Battles and Engagements

16. Army (AOK 16)—-Western Campaign Calendar of Battles andEngagements
1.Securityon the Western Border.10.22.19395.9.1940201
2.AdvanceAcross Luxemburg and Southern Belgium toward the Maginot Line.5.10.19405.14.19405
3.Breakdownof the Maginot Line and Expansion of the Bridgehead Sedan Between theArdennes Canal and Chiers.5.15.19405.28.194015
4.Fightingon the Maginot Line.5.10.19406.25.194046
a.Breakthroughin the Direction of Verdun.6.9.19406.13.19405
b.Encirclementof Verdun.6.14.19406.15.19402
c.DestructionBattle at Toul.6.16.19406.25.194010
d.Raid inthe Direction of Metz-Diedenhofen.6.17.19406.25.19409
5.Occupationof France Between Argonnen and Mosel.6.26.19407.2.19407
6.Occupationin Belgium and in the Netherlands. [Coastal Security]7.3.19404.17.1941289
7.March toEast Prussia and the Eastern Front.4.18.19416.21.194165
16. Army (AOK 16)—–Eastern Campaign Calendar of Battles andEngagements
1.FrontierFighting in Lithuania.6.22.19416.29.19418
a]Breakthroughat the Frontier Positions.6.22.19416.25.19414
b]AdvanceAcross the Niemen River and Capture of Kovno.6.22.19416.26.19415
2.Advanceacross the Düna River.6.27.19417.12.194116
a]Fightingin Eastern Lithuania and Latvia.6.27.19417.7.194111
b]Conquestof Riga and Fighting Between the Duna River and Velikiye Luki.6.29.19417.12.194114
3.AdvanceAcross the Old Russian State Border and Operations South of Lake Ilmen.7.8.19419.23.194178
a]Breakthroughof the Frontier Fortifications and Pursuit up to the Lake Ilmen.7.8.19418.9.194133
b]BattleAround Staraya Russa.8.10.19418.24.194113
c]Battle tothe Lovat and Polist Rivers.8.25.19419.23.194130
4.OperationsAgainst Leningrad.7.13.19419.25.194175
a]Battlenear Novgorod.8.10.19418.24.194115
b]Breakthroughof the Luga River positions.8.18.19418.28.194111
c]Advanceto the Neva River and to Lake Ladoga.8.25.19419.25.194132
5.DefensiveFighting before Leningrad.9.26.19416.30.1942278
6.DefenseBetween Lake Ilmen and Lake Ladoga.9.26.194110.15.194120
7.Fightingin the Valdai Area.9.26.19411.7.1942104
8.Advanceon Tikhvin and Volkhovstroi as well as Fighting for Tikhvin.10.16.194112.7.194153
9.Defensivefighting at the Volkhov River and between Volkhovstroi and Lake Ladoga.12.8.194112.27.194118
a]FightingRetreat to the Volkhov River.12.8.194112.27.194120
b]Defensivefighting near Volkhovstroi, Withdrawal into Positions South of Lake Ladoga.12.8.194112.27.194120
c]Defensivefighting at Volkhov.12.25.194112.27.19413
10.Defensivefighting south of Lake Ilmen.1.8.19426.30.1942174
a]DefenseAgainst Russian Breakthrough in the Area Ostaschkov- Kholm-Staraya Russa.1.8.19422.8.194232
b]Defenseof the Demyansk Area.2.8.19426.30.1942143
c]DefensiveFighting on the Staraya Russa Front.2.9.19426.30.1942142
d]Defenseand Relief of Kholm.1.21.19425.5.1942105
e]Defensearound Kholm.5.6.19426.30.194257
f]HoldingOpen Communications with Troops in the Demyansk Kessel.3.21.19426.9.194281
11.PositionFighting in the Zone of Heeresgruppe Nord.7.1.19421.13.1944562
a]DefensiveFighting for the Land Bridge Northwest of Demyansk.7.17.194211.6.1942113
b]Defenseof the Robya-Lovat Angle.9.27.194210.9.194213
c]DefensiveFighting in the Area of Demyansk and for the Land Bridge Northwest ofDemyansk.11.7.19422.16.1943102
d]DefensiveBattles Around Staraya Russa.2.23.19433.19.194325
e]DefensiveFighting Around Staraya Russa.8.18.19438.22.19435
f]DefensiveBattle Near Nevel.10.6.19431.5.194492
12.DefensiveBattles in Northern Russia and Before the Baltic Countries.1.14.19444.23.1944101
a]DefensiveFighting North of Nevel.1.14.19442.15.194433
b]Retreatfrom the Lovat River on the Line Pustoshka- Ostrov.2.18.19442.28.194411
c]DefensiveBattle Near Pustoshka.2.28.19443.17.194419
d]FirstDefensive Battle for Ostrov and Pleskau.3.4.19443.12.19449
e]SecondDefensive Battle for Pleskau.3.31.19444.17.194418
f]DefensiveBattle North of Opotschka.3.26.19444.11.194416
13.PositionFighting in the Zone of Heeresgruppe Nord.4.24.19447.12.194480
14.Defensiveand Retreating Battles during the Russian Summer Offensive in the BalticCountries thereby: Fighting for Modona and to the Duna River.7.13.194410.4.194484
15.Fightingfor Riga and Mitau.10.5.194410.26.194422
16.SixBattles for Courland.10.27.19443.30.1945155
17.PositionFighting in Courland.4.1.19455.10.194540

German Bibliography

  • Die deutschen Infanterie-Divisonen, Band 1-3, by Werner Haupt
  • Die deutsche Feldpostübersicht 1939-1945, Band 1-3, by Nobert Kannapin
  • Die Pflege der Tradition der alten Armee in Reichsheer und im der Wehrmacht, by Schirmer/Wiener
  • Die Truppenkennzeichen… der deutchen Wehrmacht u. Waffen-SS, Band 1-4, by Schmitz/Thies
  • Der Zweite Weltkrieg im Kartenbild, Band 1-3, by Klaus-Jurgen Thies
  • Deutsche Verbände und Truppen 1918-1939, by George Tessin
  • Verbände und Truppen der deutchen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS…, Band 1-14, by Georg Tessin
  • Formationsgeschichte und Stellenbesetzung 1815-1939, Teil 1, der deutschen Heer, Band 1-3, by Günter Wegner
  • Die Deutsche Wehrmacht u. Waffen-SS, Ihre Kommando. u. Grossverbände… im Zweiten Weltkrieg, author unknown
  • Das Reichsheer und Seine Tradition, author unknown
  • Deutsche Rote Kreuz Suchdienst, Divisionsschicksale, author unknown