German order of battle for the invasion of Poland

This article details the order of battle of German military units during the invasion of Poland in 1939.[1][2][3][4][5]

Forces as of 31 August and German plan of attack.

The German army's forces for the invasion of Poland (codename Fall Weiss, English - "Case White") were divided into Army Group North (consisting of the German 3rd and 4th armies) and Army Group South (consisting of the German 8th, 10th, and 14th armies, and the Slovak Army Group Bernolak).

Army Group C was on the western border of Germany defending against a potential French attack. This order of battle is for 04:47 on September 1, after which things started to get shuffled.[a]

Oberkommando des Heeres

Oberkommando des Heeres was the High Command of the Heer. It controlled everything related to the Heer: Personnel, Training, Recruitment, Armaments, Transportation, Supplies, Medical Services, etc. An ongoing problem was that each service branch was its own "kingdom" resulting in massive inefficiency.

Oberbefehlshaber des Heeres Generaloberst Walter von Brauchitsch

  • Chef des Generalstab des Heeres General der Artillerie Franz Halder
Chief of the General Staff of the Army was the head of all of the departments of the Heer except for the armaments section and the replacement army.
Chief of Armaments and Commander of the Replacement Army controlled all army procurement and production, and all of the troops within Germany who were replacements for front line units.

Heeresgruppe Nord

Fedor von Bock

Generaloberst Fedor von Bock[b]

Heeresgruppe Nord's initial objectives were to capture the "Polish corridor" (4. Armee) and drive southwards towards Warsaw from East Prussia (3. Armee)[c]

Army Group Reserve Troops

Directly subordinated to Heeresgruppe Nord

10. Panzer-Division[d] (Generalleutnant Ferdinand Schaal)
Panzer-Regiment 8
Infanterie-Regiment (mot.)[e] 86, II./[f]
Artillerie-Regiment (mot.) 29
I./ Aufklärungs[g]-Regiment 8
73. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Dr.phil.h.c. Friedrich von Rabenau)
Infanterie-Regiment 170, 186, 213
Artillerie-Regiment 173
206. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Hugo Höfl)
Infanterie-Regiment 301, 312, 413
Artillerie-Regiment 206
208. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Moritz Andreas)
Infanterie-Regiment 309, 337, 338
Artillerie-Regiment 208

3. Armee

Georg von Küchler

3. Armee was based in East Prussia
General der Artillerie Georg von Küchler

3. Armee Reserves
217. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Richard Baltzer)
Infanterie-Regiment 311, 346, 389
Artillerie-Regiment 217
1. Kavallerie-Division (Oberst Kurt Feldt)
Reiter-Regiment[h] 1, 2
Radfahr[i]-Abteilung 1
reitende Artillerie[j]-Abteilung 1
I. Armeekorps
Generalleutnant Walter Petzel m.F.b.[k]
11. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Max Bock)
Infanterie-Regiment 2, 23, 44
Artillerie-Regiment 11
61. Infanterie-Division (Char.[l] Generalleutnant z.V.[m] Siegfried Haenicke)
Infanterie-Regiment 151, 162, 176
Artillerie-Regiment 161
Panzerverband Ostpreußen[n] (AKA Panzer-Division Kempf) (Generalmajor Werner Kempf)
Panzer-Regiment 7
SS-Standard (mot.) "Deutschland"[o]
SS-Artillerie-Standart/SS-TV[p]
Grenzschutzabschnittskommando[q] 15 (Generalmajor Wolf Schede)
4 Grenzwacht[r]-Regiments
XXI. Armeekorps
Generalleutnant Nikolaus von Falkenhorst
I./ Panzer-Regiment 10 (Oberstleutnant Friedrich-Wilhelm Sieberg)
21. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Kuno-Hans von Both)
Infanterie-Regiment 3, 24, 45
Artillerie-Regiment 21
228. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Hans Suttner)
Infanterie-Regiment 325, 356, 400
Artillerie-Regiment 228
Führungsstab z.b.V.[s] 1 (also known as Kommandostab[t] Wodrig, Korps Wodrig)
Generalleutnant Albert Wodrig
1. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Joachim von Kortzfleisch)
Infanterie-Regiment 1, 22, 43
Artillerie-Regiment 1
12. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Ludwig von der Leyen)
Infanterie-Regiment 27, 48, 89
Artillerie-Regiment 12
Gruppe Brand
Generalmajor Albrecht Brand
Kommandantur der Befestigungen bei Königsberg Albrecht Brand[u]
Infanterie-Regiment "Gumbinnen"
Landwehr[v]-Infanterie-Regiment 152
2 Grenzwacht-Regiments
Brigade Goldap (Oberst Hans-Erich Nolte)
IV./ Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment 161
II./ Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment 162
II./ Landwehr-Artillerie-Regiment 161
Brigade Lötzen (Generalmajor Otto-Ernst Ottenbacher)
Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment 161, 162
Landwehr-Artillerie-Regiment 161
1 Grenzwacht-Regiment

4. Armee

Günther von Kluge

4. Armee was based in Western Pomerania
General der Artillerie Günther von Kluge

4. Armee Reserves
23. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Walter Graf von Brockdorff-Ahlefeldt)
Infanterie-Regiment 9, 67, 68
Artillerie-Regiment 23
218. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Woldemar Freiherr Grote)
Infanterie-Regiment 323, 386, 397
Artillerie-Regiment 218
Grenzschutzabschnittskommando 1 (General der Flieger z.V. Leonhard Kaupisch)
2 Grenzwacht-Regiments
207. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Karl von Tiedemann)
Infanterie-Regiment 322, 368, 374
Artillerie-Regiment 207
Grenzschutzabschnittskommando 2 (Char. Generalleutnant Friedrich (Fritz) Büchs)
4 Grenzwacht-Regiments
Grenzschutzabschnittskommando 12 (Generalmajor z.V. Hermann Metz)
Grenz-Infanterie[w]-Regiment "Crossen", "Meseritz", "Schwerin"
3 Grenzwacht-Regiments
II. Armeekorps
General der Infanterie Adolf Strauß
3. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Walter Lichel)
Infanterie-Regiment 8, 29, 50
Artillerie-Regiment 3
32. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Franz Böhme)
Infanterie-Regiment 4, 94, 96
Artillerie-Regiment 32
III. Armeekorps
General der Artillerie Curt Haase
50. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Konrad Sorsche)
Grenz-Infanterie-Regiment 121, 122, 123[x]
schw.[y] Artillerie-Abteilung (mot.) 101
Brigade Netze (Generalmajor Eccard Freiherr von Gablenz)
2 Grenzwacht-Regiments
XIX. Armeekorps
General der Panzertruppe Heinz Guderian
3. Panzer-Division (Generalleutnant Leo Freiherr Geyr von Schweppenburg)
3. Panzer-Brigade (Panzer-Regiment 5, 6), Panzer-Lehr[z]-Abteilung
3. Schützen-Brigade (Schützen-Regiment 3)
Artillerie-Regiment 75 (mot.)
2. Infanterie-Division (mot.) (Generalleutnant Paul Bader)
Infanterie-Regiment 5 (mot.), 25 (mot.), 92 (mot.)
Artillerie-Regiment 2 (mot.)
20. Infanterie-Division (mot.) (Generalleutnant Mauritz von Wiktorin)
Infanterie-Regiment 69 (mot.), 76 (mot.), 80 (mot.)
Artillerie-Regiment 56 (mot.)

Heeresgruppe Süd

Gerd von Rundstedt

Generaloberst Gerd von Rundstedt[aa]

Heeresgruppe Süd's initial objective was to drive from Silesia towards Warsaw (by 8. Armee and 10. Armee), and to destroy the Polish forces around Kraków (by 14. Armee)[c]

Army Group Reserve Troops

Directly subordinated to Heeresgruppe Süd

56. Infanterie-Division[d] (Generalmajor Karl Kriebel)
Infanterie-Regiment 92, 171, 234
Artillerie-Regiment 156
57. Infanterie-Division[d] (Generalmajor Oskar Blümm)
Infanterie-Regiment 179, 199, 217
Artillerie-Regiment 157
252. Infanterie-Division (Char. Generallutnant z.V. Diether von Boehm-Bezing)
Infanterie-Regiment 452, 461, 472
Artillerie-Regiment 252
257. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Max von Viebahn)
Infanterie-Regiment 457, 466, 477
Artillerie-Regiment 257
258. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Walter Wollmann)
Infanterie-Regiment 458, 478, 479
Artillerie-Regiment 258
VII. Armeekorps (General der Infanterie Eugen Ritter von Schobert)
27. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Friedrich Bergmann)
Infanterie-Regiment 40, 63, 91
Artillerie-Regiment 27
68. Infanterie-Division (Oberst Georg Braun m.F.b.)
Infanterie-Regiment 169, 188, 196
Artillerie-Regiment 168
XXII. Armeekorps (General der Kavallerie z.V. Ewald von Kleist)
62nd Infantry Division (General Walter Keiner)
Infanterie-Regiment 164, 183, 190
213th Infantry Division (General Rene de l'Homme de Courbiere)
Infanterie-Regiment 318, 354, 406
221st Infantry Division (General Johann Pflugbeil)
Infanterie-Regiment 350, 360, 375
Enroute
1. Gebirgs-Division[d][ab] (Generalmajor Ludwig Kübler)
Gebirgs-Jäger[ac]-Regiment 98, 99, 100
Gebirgs-Artillerie-Regiment 79
2. Gebirgs-Division[d] (Generalleutnant Valentin Feurstein)
Gebirgs-Jäger-Regiment 136, 137
Gebirgs-Artillerie-Regiment 111

8. Armee

Johannes Blaskowitz

8. Armee was based in northern Silesia
General der Infanterie Johannes Blaskowitz

8. Armee Reserves
30. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Kurt von Briesen)
Infanterie-Regiment 6, 26, 46
Artillerie-Regiment 30
Grenzschutzabschnittskommando 13 (Generalleutnant z.V. Max von Schenckendorff)
2 Grenzwacht-Regiments
Grenzschutzabschnittskommando 14 (Char. General der Kavallerie z.V. Kurt Ludwig Freiherr von Gienanth)
Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment 183
2 Grenzwacht-Regiments
X. Armeekorps
General der Artillerie z.V. Wilhelm Ulex
24. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Friedrich Olbricht)
Infanterie-Regiment 31, 32, 102
Artillerie-Regiment 24
XIII. Armeekorps
General der Kavallerie Maximilian Reichsfreiherr von und zu Weichs an der Glon
10. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Conrad von Cochenhausen)
Infanterie-Regiment 20, 41, 85
Artillerie-Regiment 10
17. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Herbert Loch)
Infanterie-Regiment 21, 55, 95
Artillerie-Regiment 17
SS-Infanterie-Regiment (mot.) „Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler" (SS-Oberstgruppenführer Josef "Sepp" Dietrich).

10. Armee

Walter von Reichenau

10. Armee was based in southern Silesia
General der Artillerie Walter von Reichenau

10. Armee Reserves
1. leichte Division (Generalmajor Friedrich-Wilhelm von Loeper)
Panzer-Regiment 11, Panzer-Abteilung 65, 6
Schützen-Brigade (Schützen-Regiment 4)
Artillerie-Regiment 76 (mot.)
IV. Armeekorps
General der Infanterie Viktor von Schwedler
4. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Erik-Oskar Hansen)
Infanterie-Regiment 10, 52, 103
Artillerie-Regiment 4
46. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Paul von Hase)
Infanterie-Regiment 42, 72, 97
Artillerie-Regiment 115
XI. Armeekorps
General der Artillerie Emil Leeb
18. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Friedrich-Carl Cranz)
Infanterie-Regiment 30, 51, 54
Artillerie-Regiment 18
19. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Günther Schwantes)
Infanterie-Regiment 59, 73, 74
Artillerie-Regiment 19
XIV. Armeekorps (mot.)
General der Infanterie Gustav von Wietersheim
13. Infanterie-Division (mot.) (Generalleutnant Moritz von Faber du Faur m.F.b.)
Infanterie-Regiment 33 (mot.), 66 (mot.), 93 (mot.)
Artillerie-Regiment 13 (mot.)
29th Motorized Division (Generalleutnant Joachim Lemelsen)
Infanterie-Regiment 15 (mot.), 71 (mot.)
Artillerie-Regiment 29 (mot.)
XV. Armeekorps (mot.)
General der Infanterie Hermann Hoth
2. leichte Division (Generalleutnant Georg Stumme)
Panzer-Abteilung 66
Kavallerie-Schützen-Regiment 6, 7
Artillerie-Regiment 78 (mot.)
3. leichte Division (Generalmajor Adolf-Friedrich Kuntzen)
Panzer-Abteilung 67
Kavallerie-Schützen-Regiment 8, 9
Artillerie-Regiment 80 (mot.)
XVI. Armeekorps (mot.)
General der Kavallerie Erich Höpner
1. Panzer-Division (Generalleutnant Rudolf Schmidt)
1. Panzer-Brigade (Panzer-Regiment 1, 2)
1. Schützen-Brigade (Schützen-Regiment 1)
Artillerie-Regiment 73 (mot.)
4. Panzer-Division (Generalmajor Georg-Hans Reinhardt)
5. Panzer-Brigade (Panzer-Regiment 35, 36)
Schützen-Regiment 12
Artillerie-Regiment 103 (mot.)
14. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Peter Weyer)
Infanterie-Regiment 11, 53, 116
Artillerie-Regiment 14
31. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Rudolf Kämpfe)
Infanterie-Regiment 12, 17, 82
Artillerie-Regiment 31

14. Armee

Wilhelm List

14. Armee was based in Moravia and Slovakia
Generaloberst Wilhelm List

14. Armee Reserves
239. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Ferdinand Neuling)
Infanterie-Regiment 327, 372, 444
Artillerie-Regiment 239
Grenzschutzabschnittskommando 3 (Generalleutnant z.V. Georg Brandt)
3 Grenzwacht-Regiments
Grenzschutzabschnittskommando 30 (Generalmajor Erwin Engelbrecht)
III./ Infanterie-Regiment 135
III./ Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 100
I./ Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 137
VIII. Armeekorps
General der Infanterie Ernst Busch
5. Panzer-Division (Generalleutnant Heinrich von Vietinghoff genannt Scheel)
8. Panzer-Brigade (Panzer-Regiment 15, 31)
Schützen-Regiment 13 (mot.), 14 (mot.)
Artillerie-Regiment 116 (mot.)
8. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Rudolf Koch-Erpach)
Infanterie-Regiment 28, 38, 84
Artillerie-Regiment 8
28. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Hans von Obstfelder
Consisted of the 7th, 49th, and 83rd Infantry Regiments
239th Infantry Division (Commanded by General Ferdinand Neuling)
Infanterie-Regiment 7, 49, 83
Artillerie-Regiment 28
SS-Standart (mot.) "Germania" (SS-Standartenführer Karl-Maria Demelhuber)
XVII. Armeekorps
General der Infanterie Werner Kienitz
7. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Eugen Ott)
Infanterie-Regiment 19, 61, 62
Artillerie-Regiment 7
44. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Albrecht Schubert)
Infanterie-Regiment 131, 132, 134
Artillerie-Regiment 96
45. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Friedrich Materna)
Infanterie-Regiment 130, 133, 135
Artillerie-Regiment 98
XVIII. Armeekorps
General der Infanterie Eugen Beyer
2. Panzer-Division (Generalleutnant Rudolf Veiel)
2. Panzer-Brigade (Panzer-Regiment 3, 4)
2. Schützen-Brigade (Schützen-Regiment 2)
Artillerie-Regiment 74 (mot.)
4. leichte Division (Generalmajor Dr.iur. Alfred Ritter von Hubicki)
Panzer-Abteilung 33
Kavallerie-Schützen-Regiment 10, 11
Artillerie-Regiment 102 (mot.)
3. Gebirgs-Division (Generalmajor Eduard Dietl)
Gebirgs-Jäger-Regiment 138, 139
Gebirgs-Artillery-Regiment 112

Slovak Army Bernolak

Polní armáda "Bernolák" (Field Army Bernolak)
Generál 1. třídy Ferdinand Čatloš
1. Divise "Jánošík" (Generál 2. třídy Antonin Pulanich)
Pěší pluk 1, 4, 6
Dělostřelecký pluk 1.
2. Divise "Škultéty"[ad] (Podplukovník Ján Imro, (09.05.1939 Generál 2. třídy Alexandr Čunderlik))
Pěší pluk 3
Dělostřelecký pluk 2
3. Divise "Rázus" (Plukovník Augustín Malár)
Pěší pluk 2, 21
Dělostřelecký pluk 3, 4
Pěší pluk 5
Undergoing Organization and Training
Infanterie-Regiment Großdeutschland[ae] (Oberstleutnant Hunold von Stockhausen).

Heeresgruppe C

Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb

Char. Generaloberst z.V. Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb[af]

Heeresgruppe C's only duty was to protect the western border of Germany from any French attacks until stronger units could be sent back from the east. It was accomplished by deception. The units were generally under strength, most of the infantry unit were missing their heavy weapons platoons, and some entire battalions. There was almost no mobility, except for horses and bicycles. Some of the units were headquarters only to give the impression of a larger presence.

Army Group Reserve Troops

Directly subordinated to Heeresgruppe C

76. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Maximilian de Angelis)

German High Command Reserve

251. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Hans Kratzert)
253. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant z.V. Friedrich "Fritz" Kühne)
254. Infanterie-Division (Char. Generalleutnant z.V. Friedrich "Fritz" Koch)
255. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Wilhelm Wetzel)
256. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Josef Folttmann)
260. Infanterie-Division (Char. Generalleutnant z.V. Hans Schmidt)
262. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Edgar Theisen)
263. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Franz Karl)
267. Infanterie-Division (Char. General der Panzertruppe z.V. Ernst Feßmann)
268. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Erich Straube)
269. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Ernst Eberhard Hell)

5. Armee

Curt Liebmann

5. Armee was based along the Luxembourg and Belgium border
General der Infanterie z.V. Curt Liebmann

5. Armee Reserves
58. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Iwan Heunert)
87. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Bogislav von Studnitz)
V. Armeekorps
General der Infanterie Richard Ruoff
22. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Hans Graf von Sponeck)
225. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Ernst Schaumburg)
VI. Armeekorps
General der Pioniere Otto-Wilhelm Förster
1 Grenz-Infanterie-Regiment
XXVII. Armeekorps
Char. General der Infanterie z.V. Karl Ritter von Prager
16. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Gotthard Heinrici)
69. Infanterie-Division (Oberst Hermann Tittel)
211. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Kurt Renner)
216. Infanterie-Division (Char. Generalleutnant Hermann Boettcher)
XXX. Armeekorps
Generalleutnant Otto Hartmann
Generalkommando der Grenztruppen Eifel (General der Infanterie Erich Raschick) (later XXIII. Armeekorps)
26. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Sigismund von Förster)
86. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Joachim Witthöft)
227. Infanterie-Division (Oberst Friedrich Zickwolff m.F.b.)
Grenz-Division Trier (Generalmajor Franz Mattenklott) (later 72. Infanterie-Division {19. September})
Grenzschutzabschnittskommando 9 (Oberst Hans von Sommerfeld)

1. Armee

Erwin von Witzleben

1. Armee was based along the French border
General der Infanterie Erwin von Witzleben

1. Armee Reserves
75. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Ing. Ernst Hammer)
29. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Hans Stengel)
214. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Theodor Groppe)
209. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Hans Stengel)
223. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Paul-Willi Körner)
231. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Hans Schönhärl)
246. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Erich Denecke)
IX. Armeekorps
General der Infanterie z.V. Hermann Geyer
25. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Christian Hansen)
33. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Hermann Ritter von Speck)
71. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Wolfgang Ziegler)
XII. Armeekorps
General der Infanterie Walter Schroth
15. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Walter Behschnitt)
34. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Hans Behlendorff)
52. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Karl-Adolf Hollidt)
79. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Karl Strecker)
Grenzkommandantur Sankt Wendel (Generalmajor Karl Weisenberger)
Generalkommando der Grenztruppen Saarpfalz (General der Pioniere Walter Kuntze) (later XXIV. Armeekorps)
6. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Arnold Freiherr von Biegeleben)
9. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Georg von Apell)
36. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Georg Lindemann)

7. Armee

Friedrich Dollmann

7. Armee was based along the French border
General der Artillerie Friedrich Dollmann

7. Armee Reserves
78. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Friedrich Brand)
212. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Walter Friedrichs geboren Ochsenmayer)
215. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Baptist Knieß)
Generalkommando der Grenztruppen Oberrhein (later XXV. Armeekorps)
General der Infanterie Alfred Wäger
5. Infanterie-Division (Generalleutnant Wilhelm Fahrmbacher)
35. Infanterie-Division (Generalmajor Hans Wolfgang Reinhard)
14. Landwehr-Division (Generalmajor Ernst Richter) (later 205. Infanterie-Division)
SS-Standart (mot.) "Der Führer" (SS-Oberführer Georg Keppler)

Supporting forces

Luftwaffe

Luftwaffe[6][5] - Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe Generalfeldmarschall Hermann Göring

Kriegsmarine

On August 30 the Polish Navy, realizing what was about to happen, sent three destroyers (Błyskawica, Grom, and Burza) to the UK. The group was spotted the 30th in the southern Baltic Sea by U 31[as] and again, in the Skagerrak, by U 19 on 31 August. Since the war had not started they were unmolested. With the destroyers gone some of the ships deployed to the Baltic were recalled and some sent to the North Sea. The fleet was in the process of shifting its deployment when the war broke out. Later, the submarines Orzeł and Wilk also made it to the UK, while the Sęp, Ryś and Żbik, sought internment in Sweden.

Kriegsmarine[7][8][5] - Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine Generaladmiral Erich Raeder

Under Direct Control of Seekriegsleitung (Skl)

Marinegruppenkommando West

Oberbefehlshaber Marinegruppenkommando[be] West - Admiral Alfred Saalwächter

Marinegruppenkommando Ost

Oberbefehlshaber Marinegruppenkommando Ost - Generaladmiral Conrad Albrecht

See also

Notes

References