The Afrika Korps or German Africa Corps (, }; DAK) was the German expeditionary force in Africa during the
North African Campaign of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
. First sent as a holding force to shore up the Italian defense of its African colonies, the formation fought on in Africa, under various appellations, from March 1941 until its surrender in May 1943. The unit's best known commander was Field Marshal
Erwin Rommel.
History
Organization
The Afrika Korps formed on 11 January 1941 and one of Hitler's favourite generals,
Erwin Rommel, was designated as commander on 11 February. Originally
Hans von Funck was to have commanded it, but Hitler loathed von Funck, as he had been a personal staff officer of
Werner von Fritsch
Thomas Ludwig Werner Freiherr von Fritsch (4 August 1880 – 22 September 1939) was a member of the German High Command. He was Commander-in-Chief of the German Army from February 1934 until February 1938, when he was forced to resign after he ...
until von Fritsch was dismissed in 1938.
The German Armed Forces High Command (''
Oberkommando der Wehrmacht'', OKW) had decided to send a "blocking force" to
Italian Libya
Libya ( it, Libia; ar, ليبيا, Lībyā al-Īṭālīya) was a colony of the Fascist Italy located in North Africa, in what is now modern Libya, between 1934 and 1943. It was formed from the unification of the colonies of Italian Cyrenaica ...
to support the Italian army. The
Italian 10th Army
The 10th Army ( it, 10ª Armata) was a field army of the Royal Italian Army, which fought in World War I and in Italian North Africa during World War II.
World War I Formation
After the Battle of Caporetto (November 1917) the Royal Italian Army, ...
had been routed by the British Commonwealth
Western Desert Force
The Western Desert Force (WDF) was a British Army formation active in Egypt during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War.
On 17 June 1940, the headquarters of the British 6th Infantry Division was designated as the Western Des ...
in
Operation Compass
Operation Compass (also it, Battaglia della Marmarica) was the first large British military operation of the Western Desert Campaign (1940–1943) during the Second World War. British, Empire and Commonwealth forces attacked Italian forces of ...
(9 December 1940 – 9 February 1941) and captured at the
Battle of Beda Fomm
The rapid British advance during Operation Compass (9 December 1940 – 9 February 1941) forced the Italian 10th Army to evacuate Cyrenaica, the eastern province of Libya. In late January, the British learned that the Italians were retreating a ...
. The German blocking force, commanded by Rommel, at first consisted of a force based only on Panzer Regiment 5, which was put together from the second regiment of the
3rd Panzer Division. These elements were organized into the
5th Light Division
The 21st Panzer Division was a German armoured division best known for its role in the battles of the North African Campaign from 1941–1943 during World War II when it was one of the two armoured divisions making up the Deutsches Afrikakorps ...
when they arrived in Africa from 10 February – 12 March 1941. In late April and into May, the 5th Light Division was joined by elements of
15th Panzer Division
The 15th Panzer Division (german: 15. Panzer-Division) was an armoured division in the German Army, the Wehrmacht, during World War II, established in 1940.
The division, formed from the 33rd Infantry Division, fought exclusively in North Afr ...
, transferred from Italy. At this time, the ''Afrika Korps'' consisted of the two divisions, and was subordinated to the Italian
chain of command
A command hierarchy is a group of people who carry out orders based on others' authority within the group. It can be viewed as part of a power structure, in which it is usually seen as the most vulnerable and also the most powerful part.
Milit ...
in Africa.
On 15 August 1941, the German 5th Light Division was redesignated
21st Panzer Division
The 21st Panzer Division was a German armoured division best known for its role in the battles of the North African Campaign from 1941–1943 during World War II when it was one of the two armoured divisions making up the Deutsches Afrikakorp ...
, the higher formation of which was still the Afrika Korps. During the summer of 1941, the OKW increased the presence in Africa and created a new headquarters called
Panzer Group Africa. On 15 August, the Panzer Group was activated with Rommel in command, and command of the Afrika Korps was turned over to
Ludwig Crüwell
Ludwig Crüwell (20 March 1892 – 25 September 1958) was a German army general who served in the Afrika Korps of Nazi Germany during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. Crüwell surrendered to ...
. The Panzer Group comprised the Afrika Korps, with some additional German units now in North Africa, plus two corps of Italian units. The Panzer Group was, in turn, redesignated as
Panzer Army Africa
As the number of German troops committed to the North African Campaign of World War II grew from the initial commitment of a small corps, the Germans developed a more elaborate command structure and placed the enlarged ''Afrika Korps'', with I ...
on 30 January 1942.
After the German defeat in the
Second Battle of El Alamein
The Second Battle of El Alamein (23 October – 11 November 1942) was a battle of the Second World War that took place near the Egyptian railway halt of El Alamein. The First Battle of El Alamein and the Battle of Alam el Halfa had prevented th ...
and the
Allied landings in Morocco and Algeria (
Operation Torch), the OKW once more upgraded the presence in Africa by adding first the
XC Army Corps, under Nehring, in
Tunisia
)
, image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa
, image_map2 =
, capital = Tunis
, largest_city = capital
, ...
on 19 November 1942, then an additional
5th Panzer Army
5th Panzer Army (german: 5. Panzerarmee) was the name of two different German armoured formations during World War II. The first of these was formed in 1942, during the North African campaign and surrendered to the Allies at Tunis in 1943. The ...
on 8 December, under the command of Colonel-General
Hans-Jürgen von Arnim
Hans-Jürgen Bernard Theodor von Arnim (; 4 April 1889 – 1 September 1962) was a German general in the Nazi Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded several armies. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Early life ...
.
![DA-SN-85-00876](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/DA-SN-85-00876.JPEG)
On 23 February 1943, the original Panzer Army Africa, which had since been re-styled as the German-Italian Panzer Army, was now redesignated as the
Italian 1st Army and put under the command of Italian general
Giovanni Messe
Giovanni Messe (10 December 1883 – 18 December 1968) was an Italian field marshal and politician. In the Second World War, he was captured in Tunisia, but made chief of staff of the Italian Co-belligerent Army after the armistice of Septemb ...
. Rommel, meanwhile, was placed in command of a new
Army Group Africa
As the number of German troops committed to the North African Campaign of World War II grew from the initial commitment of a small corps, the Germans developed a more elaborate command structure and placed the enlarged ''Afrika Korps'', with ...
, created to control both the Italian 1st Army and the 5th Panzer Army. The remnants of the Afrika Korps and surviving units of the 1st Italian Army retreated into Tunisia. Command of the Army Group was turned over to Arnim in March. On 13 May, the Afrika Korps surrendered, along with all other remaining Axis forces in North Africa.
Most Afrika Korps POWs were transported to the United States and held in
Camp Shelby
Camp Shelby is a military post whose North Gate is located at the southern boundary of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, on United States Highway 49. It is the largest state-owned training site in the nation. During wartime, the camp's mission is to s ...
in
Mississippi
Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
,
Camp Hearne
Camp Hearne, located in Hearne, Texas was a prisoner-of-war camp during the Second World War. Commissioned in 1942, Camp Hearne was one of the few camps that housed prisoners from all three Axis powers during the conflict. After its decommissioning ...
in Texas and other POW camps until the end of the war.
Composition and terminology
When Rommel was promoted to the newly formed
Panzer Army Africa
As the number of German troops committed to the North African Campaign of World War II grew from the initial commitment of a small corps, the Germans developed a more elaborate command structure and placed the enlarged ''Afrika Korps'', with I ...
, his command included a number of Italian units, including four infantry divisions. Two Italian armoured divisions,
Ariete
The C1 Ariete ( en, battering ram) is the main battle tank of the Italian Army, developed by Consorzio Iveco Oto Melara (CIO), a consortium formed by IVECO and OTO Melara. The chassis and engine were produced by Iveco, while the turret and fire- ...
and
Trieste
Trieste ( , ; sl, Trst ; german: Triest ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital city, and largest city, of the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, one of two autonomous regions which are not subdivided into prov ...
, initially remained under Italian control as the
Italian XX Motorized Corps
The XX Army Corps was a corps of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. The XX Corps took part in the Western Desert Campaign from summer 1941 to 1943. Between 10 September 1941 and 10 March 1942 the unit was named Maneuver Army Corps ( it, ...
under the command of General
Gastone Gambara
Gastone Gambara (10 November 1890 – 27 February 1962) was an Italian General who participated in World War I and World War II. He excelled during the Italian intervention in favor of the nationalists in the Spanish Civil War. During World War I ...
.
The Afrika Korps was restructured and renamed in August 1941. "Afrikakorps" was the official name of the force for less than six months but the officers and men used it for the duration. The ''Afrikakorps'' was the major German component of ''Panzerarmee Afrika'', which was later renamed the ''Deutsch-Italienische Panzerarmee'' and finally renamed ''Heeresgruppe Afrika'' (Army Group Africa) during the 27 months of the Desert campaign.
Commanders
*
Erwin Rommel: 6 February 1941 - August 1941
*
Ludwig Crüwell
Ludwig Crüwell (20 March 1892 – 25 September 1958) was a German army general who served in the Afrika Korps of Nazi Germany during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. Crüwell surrendered to ...
: August 1941 - May 1942
*
Walther Nehring
Walther Nehring (15 August 1892 – 20 April 1983) was a German general in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the Afrika Korps.
Early life
Nehring was born on 15 August 1892 in Stretzin, West Prussia. Nehring was the descendant of a ...
: May 1942 - September 1942
*
Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma
Wilhelm Josef Ritter von Thoma (11 September 1891 – 30 April 1948) was a German army officer who served in World War I, in the Spanish Civil War, and as a general in World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
T ...
: September 1942 - November 1942
* Unknown: November 1942 - May 1943
Treatment of local inhabitants and the Italian colonial government
The Afrika Korps gained a reputation by the Allies and by many historians as being magnanimous with Allied prisoners of war, since then many historians have used the term "War without hate" to describe the
North African campaign as a whole. However, Jewish people suffered during the Fascist regime laws, and the local administration took part in
the Holocaust
The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; ...
deporting some thousands of Jews to Italy, under the supervision of ''
Generalfeldmarschall
''Generalfeldmarschall'' (from Old High German ''marahscalc'', "marshal, stable master, groom"; en, general field marshal, field marshal general, or field marshal; ; often abbreviated to ''Feldmarschall'') was a rank in the armies of several ...
''
Albert Kesselring
Albert Kesselring (30 November 1885 – 16 July 1960) was a German '' Generalfeldmarschall'' of the Luftwaffe during World War II who was subsequently convicted of war crimes. In a military career that spanned both world wars, Kesselring beca ...
Wehrmacht commander of the Axis in the
Mediterranean theater. While others suffered from
forced labour and ill treatment at the hands of the Italian administration, including an
SS and SD detachment.
Robert Satloff
Robert B. Satloff is an American writer and, since January 1993, the executive director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP). Satloff's expertise includes "U.S. policy, public diplomacy, Arab and Islamic politics, Arab-Israeli r ...
described in his book ''Among the Righteous: Lost Stories from the Holocaust's Long Reach into Arab Lands'' that as the German and Italian forces retreated across Libya towards Tunisia, the Jewish population became victims upon which they released their anger and frustration. According to Satloff, Afrika Korps soldiers plundered Jewish property all along the Libyan coast. This violence and persecution only came to an end with the arrival of General Montgomery in Tripoli on 23 January 1943.
Giordana Terracina Giordana is an Italian surname. Notable people with the surname include:
*Andrea Giordana (born 1946), Italian singer and actor
* Marina Giordana (born 1955), Italian actress
*Marco Tullio Giordana
Marco Tullio Giordana (born 1 October 1950) is ...
writes that: "On April 3, the Italians recaptured Benghazi and a few months later the Afrika Korps led by Rommel was sent to Libya and began the deportation of the Jews of Cyrenaica in the concentration camp of Giado and other smaller towns in Tripolitania. This measure was accompanied by shooting, also in Benghazi, of some Jews guilty of having welcomed the British troops, on their arrival, treating them as liberators."
["Hidden responsibilities. The deportation of Libyan Jews in the concentration camp of Civitella del Tronto and the confinement town of Camerino Giordana Terracina" ''Trauma and Memory'', 2016, Volume 4, no. 3, pp. 9–31. page 12]
Re-forming of units
Certain divisions were re-formed in Europe after the cessation of fighting in Tunisia:
* 15th Panzer Division (as
15th Panzergrenadier Division in Sicily, Italy and
Western Front)
* 21st Panzer Division (in France)
*
Hermann Göring Panzer Division (in Sicily and Italy)
* 90th Light Division (as
90th Panzergrenadier Division in Italy)
See also
*
Fliegerführer Afrika
''Fliegerführer Afrika'' was part of ''Luftflotte 2'' (Air Fleet 2), one of the primary divisions of the German ''Luftwaffe'' in the Second World War. It operated in the Mediterranean and Libya from 1941–1942. The commanders were Generalma ...
*
Ramcke Parachute Brigade
The Ramcke Parachute Brigade was a Luftwaffe paratroop (''Fallschirmjäger'') brigade which saw action in the Mediterranean Theatre during World War II.
Operational history
The brigade was formed in 1942 and sent to join the Afrika Korps in ...
*
Western Desert Campaign
*
László Almásy
László Ede Almásy de Zsadány et Törökszentmiklós ( hu, Almásy László Ede; ; 22 August/3 November 1895 – 22 March 1951) was a Hungarian aristocrat, motorist, desert explorer, aviator, Scout-leader and sportsman who served as the ...
*
Operation Salaam
Operation Salam was a 1942 World War II military operation organised by the '' Abwehr'' under the command of the Hungarian desert explorer László Almásy. The mission was conceived in order to assist Panzer Army Africa by delivering two German ...
References
Sources
*
*
*
*
Further reading
*
{{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017
Afrika
German units in Africa
Military units and formations established in 1941
Military units and formations disestablished in 1943