5th Army (Wehrmacht)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
5th Army
German: 5. Armee
Soldiers of the 5th Army at Siegfried-Line in Oberrehein, 1939
Active1939
Country Germany
Branch German Army (Heer)
TypeField army
EngagementsWorld War II

The 5th Army (German: 5. Armee) was a field army of the Wehrmacht during World War II.

History[edit]

The 5th Army was established on 25 August 1939 in Wehrkreis VI with General Curt Liebmann in command. Responsible for the defense of the Siegfried Line in the vicinity of Trier as part of Army Group C from 3 September, the army was assigned the Eifel Border Troops (86th, Trier Border, 26th, and 227th Divisions) and the VI Army Corps (16th, 69th, 211th, and 216th Infantry Divisions). It also included the 58th, 87th, 78th, and 268th Infantry Divisions in army reserve. During this period, known as the Phoney War, no action took place on its sector of the Siegfried Line. On 13 October it was transferred to the east as Border Section Centre High Command (Oberkommando Grenzabschnitt Mitte). The latter served as a security force in occupied Poland. On 4 November 1939 it was renamed the 18th Army.[1]

Commanders[edit]

No. Portrait Commander Took office Left office Time in office
1
Curt Liebmann [de]
Liebmann, CurtGeneral der Infanterie
Curt Liebmann [de]
(1881–1960)
25 August 19394 November 193971 days

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ Tessin 1965, p. 281.

Bibliography[edit]

  • Tessin, Georg (1965). "Die Landstreitkräfte 1—5". Die Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939—1945 (in German). Frankfurt/Main: E.S. Mittler.