''Armeeoberkommando'' ("Army Higher Command"; AOK) was a command level in the German and Austro-Hungarian armies, especially during the

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

and

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 ...

. It was equivalent to a British, French, American, Italian, Japanese, or Imperial Russian "Army". AOK-Ostasien-1901

World War I

Germany

The army of the German Empire had so-called ''Armee-Inspektionen'' ("Army Inspectorates") as the command authorities above army corps. These were numbered from I to VIII. During World War I, they were renamed to ''Armeeoberkommandos''.

Austria-Hungary

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...

an ''Armeeoberkommando'' (AOK) - there was only one - was established in summer 1914 at the outbreak of the war. It was the command center for all land and naval forces of the Dual Monarchy. It was led by the following ''Armeeoberkommandanten'' ("army commanders-in-chief"): Archduke Frederick; from 2 December 1916, Emperor

Charles I Charles I may refer to: Kings and emperors * Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings * Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily * Charles I of ...

himself; on 3 November 1918, Arthur Arz; 4-11 November 1918, Hermann Kövess. Its chiefs of general staff were: to 1 March 1917, Field Marshal Conrad; from 2 November 1918, Arthur Arz. The AOK was stationed in Teschen in

Austrian Silesia Austrian Silesia, (historically also ''Oesterreichisch-Schlesien, Oesterreichisch Schlesien, österreichisch Schlesien''); cs, Rakouské Slezsko; pl, Śląsk Austriacki officially the Duchy of Upper and Lower Silesia, (historically ''Herzogth ...

until 1916, and then in Baden bei Wien.

World War II

During World War II, an AOK (usually commanded by a ''

Generaloberst A ("colonel general") was the second-highest general officer rank in the German ''Reichswehr'' and ''Wehrmacht'', the Austro-Hungarian Common Army, the East Germany, East German National People's Army and in their respective police services. ...

'' ("colonel general" or above) controlled several army corps and had its own army troops, e.g. heavy artillery, engineers, and other specialist troops that were subordinated to it depending on availability and task. The AOK was the command level between

army group An army group is a military organization consisting of several field armies, which is self-sufficient for indefinite periods. It is usually responsible for a particular geographic area. An army group is the largest field organization handled by ...

and corps. Demands and allocation of logistic supplies usually went straight to the ''Oberquartiermeister'' ("senior quartermaster") of the AOK; the army group command was only involved in situations of crisis. The area of responsibility of an AOK was split into the operational area, which was further subdivided at corps and divisional level, and the army rear area, which was run by the ''Kommandanten rückwärtiges Gebiet'' ("Commander Rear Area"; ''

Korück The Korück (short for Kommandant rückwärtiges Armeegebiet), were the staff of various units of varying sizes assigned to the Wehrmacht's Armeeoberkommando. In military jargon, “Korück” did not only stand for the corresponding agency but usua ...

''). In the course of the war, in certain places as a stopgap alongside the AOKs, there were ''ad hoc'' formations called ''armeeabteilungen'' ("army troops") and ''kampfgruppen'' ("battle groups"). Such a formation would be named for its commander, and often did not have the usual levels of command support.

Organization of an AOK

The normal organization of an ''Armeeoberkommando'' during World War II was as follows: * Commander-in-Chief - ''Oberbefehlshaber'' ** Chief of Staff - ''Chef des Generalstabes'' - e.g. a

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

*Command Division - ''Führungsabteilung)'' **First General Staff Officer (Ia) (Operations) - ''Erster Generalstabsoffizier (Ia) (Operationen)'' **Third General Staff Officer (Ic) (Enemy situation) - ''Dritter Generalstabsoffizier (Ic) (Feindlage)'' **Fourth General Staff Officer (Id) (Training) - ''Vierter Generalstabsoffizier (Id) (Ausbildung)'' **National Socialist Leadership Officer (NSFO; from 1944) - ''Nationalsozialistischer Führungsoffizier'' *Senior Quartermaster's Division (Supplies) - ''Oberquartiermeisterabteilung (Nachschub)'' **Senior Quartermaster (O. Qu) - ''Oberquartiermeister (O. Qu)'' **Second General Staff Officer (Qu 1) - ''Zweiter Generalstabsoffizier (Qu 1)'' **Fifth General Staff Officer (Qu 2) - ''Fünfte Generalstabsoffizier (Qu 2)'' **Army Motor Transport Officer (A.O. Kraft) - ''Armee-Kraftfahroffizier'' **Army Intendant (IVa) - ''Armeeintendant'' **Army Surgeon (IVb) - ''Armeearzt'' **Army Veterinarian (IVc) - ''Armeeveterinär'' *Adjutancy (management) - ''Adjutantur'' **First Adjutant IIa (Officers' personnel matters) - ''1. Adjutant IIa (Personalangelegenheiten der Offiziere)'' **Second Adjutant IIb (NCOs' and soldiers' personnel matters) - ''2. Adjutant IIb (Personalangelegenheiten der Unteroffiziere und Mannschaften)'' **Army Judge Advocate (III) - ''Oberstkriegsgerichtsrat'' **Army Chaplain (IVd) - ''Armeepfarrer'' **Headquarters Commandant - Hauptquartier Kommandant *Branch Officers - ''Waffenoffizier'' **Army Chief of Engineers - ''Armeepionierführer'' (''A.Pi.Fü'') **Army Chief of Signal - ''Armeenachrichtenführer'' (''A.Nachr.Fü.'') **Gas Defense Staff Officer - ''Stabsoffizier für Gasabwehr'' **Anti-Tank Staff Officer - ''Stabsoffizier für Panzerbekämpfung'' (''Stopak'')

Armeeoberkommandos

Panzer Armeeoberkommandos

References

{{reflist Military history of Germany Military history of Austria-Hungary