Commander of the Wehrmacht
Wehrmachtbefehlshaber
Standard of the Wehrmachtbefehlshaber
Wehrmacht
TypeSupreme Commander
StatusAbolished
AbbreviationW.Bfh.
Member ofWehrmacht
Reports toOberkommando der Wehrmacht
AppointerReichführer
Term lengthNo fixed length
Formation1940
Abolished7 May 1945

The Wehrmachtbefehlshaber[lower-alpha 1] (lit. 'Military Commander'[lower-alpha 2]) was the German chief military position, in countries occupied by the Wehrmacht which were headed by a civilian administration.[2] The main objective was military security in the area, and command the defense in case of attack or invasion.[3][4] The Wehrmachtbefehlshaber also had a judicial function, as he served as judge in German military courts. He had no control over Army units, but was responsible for defence, and housing for troops.[5] In the occupied territories of the Soviet Union, the Wehrmachtsbefehlshaber was also responsible for securing the occupied territories, protect transport links and recording the crops.[6]

Wehrmachtbefehlshaber in the occupied areas

Balkan

Following the Invasion of Yugoslavia, the commander of the 12th Army was designated "Commander-in-Chief of the German troops in the Balkans", which was later renamed Wehrmachtbefehlshaber Südost.

No. Portrait Wehrmachtsbefehlshaber SüdostTook officeLeft officeTime in officeRef.
1
Wilhelm List
List, WilhelmGeneralfeldmarschall
Wilhelm List
(1880–1971)		9 June 194115 October 1941128 days[7][8]
2
Walter Kuntze
Kuntze, WalterGeneral der Pioniere
Walter Kuntze
(1883–1960)		29 October 19412 July 1942246 days[8][9]
3
Alexander Löhr
Löhr, AlexanderGeneraloberst
Alexander Löhr
(1885–1947)		3 July 194231 December 1942181 days[10]

Belgium and Northern France

In Belgium and Northern France, control was originally given to a Military Administration. However, in July 1944, after the dismissal of Alexander von Falkenhausen and the creation of the Reichskommissariat of Belgium and Northern France, the post of Wehrmachtbefehlshaber Belgien-Nordfrankreich was established.[11][12]

No. Portrait Wehrmachtbefehlshaber Belgien-NordfrankreichTook officeLeft officeTime in officeRef.
1
Martin Grase
Grase, MartinGeneral der Infanterie
Martin Grase
(1891–1963)		15 July 194413 September 194460 days[13]
2
Richard Jungclaus
Jungclaus, RichardSS-Gruppenführer
Richard Jungclaus
(1905–1945)		13 September 1944September 1944<17 days[13][14]

Greater Paris

On 1 August 1944, Hitler appointed Dietrich von Choltitz, Commanding general and Wehrmachtbefehlshaber of greater Paris (German: Kommandierenden General und Wehrmachtbefehlshaber von Groß-Paris).[15]

No. Portrait Wehrmachtbefehlshaber von Groß-ParisTook officeLeft officeTime in officeRef.
1
Dietrich von Choltitz
Choltitz, DietrichGeneral der Infanterie
Dietrich von Choltitz
(1894–1966)		1 August 194425 August 194424 days[15]

Channel Islands

Following the German occupation of the Channel Islands, command was given to the Wehrmachtbefehlshaber Kanalinseln.

No. Portrait Wehrmachtbefehlshaber KanalinselnTook officeLeft officeTime in officeRef.
1
Rudolf Graf von Schmettow
von Schmettow, RudolfGeneralleutnant
Rudolf Graf von Schmettow
(1891–1970)		1 October 194420 February 1945148 days[16]
2
Friedrich Hüffmeier
Hüffmeier, FriedrichVizeadmiral
Friedrich Hüffmeier
(1898–1972)		26 February 19459 May 194572 days[16][17]

Denmark

Following the German occupation of Denmark, on 9 April 1940, the post of Befehlshaber der Deutsches Truppen des Heeres in Dänemark was created, with Leonhard Kaupisch initially holding the position. The Befehlshaber's task was to provide military security for Denmark and to prevent hostile landings.[18] Following the Telegram Crisis and the breakdown of cooperation between the Danish government and the German occupation force, Erich Lüdke was removed from the post, and its role was expanded to Wehrmachtbefehlshaber Dänemark.[19] The post lasted until the surrender of Germany.[18]

No. Portrait Wehrmachtbefehlshaber DänemarkTook officeLeft officeTime in officeRef.
1
Hermann von Hanneken
von Hanneken, HermannGeneral der Infanterie
Hermann von Hanneken
(1890–1981)		12 October 194227 January 19452 years, 107 days[19]
2
Georg Lindemann
Lindemann, GeorgGeneraloberst
Georg Lindemann
(1884–1963)		27 January 19456 May 194599 days[20]

The Netherlands

With the creation of the Reichskommissariat Niederlande, the post of Wehrmachtbefehlshaber in den Niederlanden was established, having control over the military in the area.[21] By order of 17 May 1942, the Wehrmachtbefehlshaber received the position and powers of an army commander-in-chief.[22]

No. Portrait Wehrmachtbefehlshaber in den NiederlandenTook officeLeft officeTime in officeRef.
1
Friedrich Christiansen
Christiansen, FriedrichGeneral der Flieger
Friedrich Christiansen
(1879–1972)		29 May 19407 April 19454 years, 313 days[21]

Norway

On 25 July 1940, Wilhelm Keitel added a supplement to the Führer Decree of 24 April 1940 on the exercise of governmental powers in Norway, which ordered that the commander of XXI Army Corps should immediately bear the name "Wehrmachtbefehlshaber Norwegen".

In order to prepare for the war against the USSR and the subsequent command on the Finnish theater of action, a "Command Center Finland" of the AOK Norway was set up. The Army High Command in Lapland emerged from this command post. On 14 January 1942, it took command of the AOK Norway's forces on the Finnish front. On 22 June 1942, AOK Lapland was renamed 20th Mountain Army.

When the German troops on the Scandinavian Peninsula had to withdraw, there was a reorganization of the command structure. The AOK Norway was dissolved on 18 December 1944; the powers of the Wehrmachtbefehlshaber passed to commander of the 20th Mountain Army.[23]

No. Portrait Wehrmachtbefehlshaber NorwegenTook officeLeft officeTime in officeRef.
1
Nikolaus von Falkenhorst
Falkenhorst, NikolausGeneraloberst
Nikolaus von Falkenhorst
(1885–1968)		25 July 194018 December 19444 years, 146 days[24][25]
2
Lothar Rendulic
Rendulic, LotharGeneraloberst
Lothar Rendulic
(1887–1971)		18 December 19448 January 194521 days[26]
3
Franz Böhme
Böhme, FranzGeneral der Gebirgstruppe
Franz Böhme
(1885–1947)		8 January 19457 May 1945119 days[27]

Ostland

In the Reichskommissariat Ostland the military command was controlled by the Wehrmachtsbefehlshaber Ostland. The Wehrmachtsbefehlshaber was responsible for security within the occupied territories (including partisan control), to protect traffic connections and to record the harvest. It was created on 25 July 1941 and was transferred to Kolberg on 10 August 1944 as part of the withdrawal, and was dissolved on September 30, 1944.[6]

No. Portrait Wehrmachtbefehlshaber OstlandTook officeLeft officeTime in officeRef.
1
Walter Braemer
Braemer, WalterGeneralleutnant
Walter Braemer
(1883–1955)		24 June 194118 April 19442 years, 299 days[28][29]
[30][31]
2
Werner Kempf
Kempf, WernerGeneral der Panzertruppe
Werner Kempf
(1886–1964)		1 May 194410 August 1944101 days[32]

Belarus

The Wehrmachtsbefehlshaber Weißruthenien staff was created on 18 April 1944 from the Commanding general of security forces and commanders in the Army Group Rear Area staff. From 15 October 1943, this staff was subordinate to the Wehrmachtsbefehlshaber Weißruthenien as "Commanding general of security forces and commanders in White Ruthenia". Parts of the staff were used in July 1944 for the formation of the Rothkirch General Command, which was reclassified as General Command LIII Army Corps on 13 November 1944.[6]

No. Portrait Wehrmachtbefehlshaber WeißruthenienTook officeLeft officeTime in officeRef.
1
Edwin Graf von Rothkirch und Trach
Rothkirch, EdwinGeneral der Kavallerie
Edwin Graf von Rothkirch und Trach
(1888–1980)		18 April 194427 October 1944192 days[33]

Ukraine

In Reichskommissariat Ukraine the military control was given to the Wehrmachtbefehlshaber Ukraine, which was created on 1 September 1941.[6][34]

No. Portrait Wehrmachtbefehlshaber UkraineTook officeLeft officeTime in officeRef.
1
Waldemar Henrici
Henrici, WaldemarGeneralleutnant
Waldemar Henrici
(1878–1950)		1 September 1941October 19421 year, 3 months[35]
2
Karl Kitzinger [de]
Henrici, WaldemarGeneral der Flieger
Karl Kitzinger
(1886–1962)		October 194221 July 19441 year, 9 months[35][2]

Sardinia and Corsica

Wehrmachtbefehlshaber Sardinien und Korsika WB Korsika was formed in September 1943 in direct succession to Wehrmachtbefehlshaber auf Sardinien und Korsika when the latter HQ was renamed officially for the last time. The combined staff for Sardinia and Corsica was created before in summer 1943 by merging the before existing staffs of Kommandant der deutschen Wehrmacht auf Korsika and Kommandant der deutschen Wehrmacht auf Sardinien. With the evacuation of Sardinia in September already and the evacuation of Corsica on 3 October 1943 (entirely finished on 5 October) finally, the staff ceased to exist.

No. Portrait Wehrmachtbefehlshaber Sardinien und KorsikaTook officeLeft officeTime in officeRef.
1
Fridolin von Senger und Etterlin
Generalleutnant
Fridolin von Senger und Etterlin
(1891–1963)		8 September 19435 October 194327 days[36]

Notes

  1. ↑ Also spelled Wehrmachtsbefehlshaber
  2. ↑ Originally translated as the Department of Defence Commander[1]

References

Bibliography

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