Transportkorps Speer
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Transportkorps Speer was created in 1944 from Legion Speer and the units of the
National Socialist Motor Corps The National Socialist Motor Corps (german: Nationalsozialistisches Kraftfahrkorps, NSKK) was a paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) that officially existed from May 1931 to 1945. The group was a successor organisation to the old ...
that was serving the
Organisation Todt Organisation Todt (OT; ) was a civil and military engineering organisation in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945, named for its founder, Fritz Todt, an engineer and senior Nazi. The organisation was responsible for a huge range of engineering projec ...
. Shortly after its creation it became subordinated to the
Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previous ...
. Yet, its major mission remained in support of OT, which at this time was mainly engaged in rebuilding and repair of bomb damaged industrial facilities and housing complexes. Transportkorps Speer was organized in motor transportation battalions and regiments, supported by depot, repair, engineering, signal, and medical units.


Creation

The Nationalsozialistisches Kraftfahrkorps (NSKK) supplied the motor vehicle transportation for the
Organisation Todt Organisation Todt (OT; ) was a civil and military engineering organisation in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945, named for its founder, Fritz Todt, an engineer and senior Nazi. The organisation was responsible for a huge range of engineering projec ...
, the
civil Civil may refer to: *Civic virtue, or civility *Civil action, or lawsuit * Civil affairs *Civil and political rights *Civil disobedience *Civil engineering *Civil (journalism), a platform for independent journalism *Civilian, someone not a membe ...
and
military engineer Military engineering is loosely defined as the art, science, and practice of designing and building military works and maintaining lines of military transport and military communications. Military engineers are also responsible for logistics b ...
ing organization in
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
, until 1944. The ''NSKK-Transportbrigade Todt'' was in charge of motor transportation for the construction of the
Siegfried Line The Siegfried Line, known in German as the ''Westwall'', was a German defensive line built during the 1930s (started 1936) opposite the French Maginot Line. It stretched more than ; from Kleve on the border with the Netherlands, along the west ...
. ''NSKK-Transportbrigade Speer'' was in charge of the motor transportation for the air base constructions of the OT. Foreign drivers were recruited into the Legion Speer, since they - as aliens - could not be members of the NSKK, which was a sub-organization of the Nazi Party. In 1942, ''Transportbrigade Todt'', ''Transportbrigade Speer'', and ''Legion Speer'', was subsumed into an umbrella organization, ''Transportgruppe Todt'', which in 1944 was made into an organization independent of the NSKK, the Transportkorps Speer. On 12 September 1944, Transportkorps Speer was transferred to Wehrmacht control.


Mission

In the fall of 1944, most of the OT was withdrawn from occupied Europe to Germany proper, the ''Reich'' area. It new task was rebuilding and repair of bomb damaged industrial facilities and housing complex. Mobility was of utmost importance, and the primary OT-units were assigned motor vehicles from Transportkorps Speer. The lack of vehicles prevented the secondary OT-units from being motorized. The Ministry of Armament, the
Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
, and the German Army also had Transportkorps Speer units attached. The OT was, however, its largest employer. Of Transportkorps Speer's 50,000 motor vehicles, 40,000 were assigned to the OT.


Organisation

Transportkorps Speer was a separate agency closely working with the OT; mutual
salute A salute is usually a formal hand gesture or other action used to display respect in military situations. Salutes are primarily associated with the military and law enforcement, but many civilian organizations, such as Girl Guides, Boy Sco ...
s were to be exchanged between members of both organizations. The OT was serviced by a number of ''Kraftwagentransportabteilungen'' (motor vehicle transportation battalions). ''Transportregiment'' (Transport Regiment) 2 and 3 served the Luftwaffe. Transport Regiment 5-12, the German Army. In addition, there were ''Ersatzabteilungen'' (Depot Battalions), ''Kraftfahrinstandesetzungsregimenter'' (Vehicle Repair Regiments), ''Pionierabteilung'' (Engineering Battalion), ''Nachrichtenstaffel'' (independent signal company), ''Sanitätskraftfahrstaffel'' (independent medical company), and an ''Sicherungssabteilung'' (Escort Battalion). The higher organization of the Transportkorps Speer was originally made up of eight ''Abschnitte'' (sectors). In August 1944, four division-level ''Inspektionen'' (inspections) replaced the eight sectors, while in February 1945, the four inspections were replaced by six ''Intendante'' (supply commands). As late as in April 1945, the remnants of Transportkorps Speer was reorganized as three brigades; one for Norway, Denmark, and northern Germany; one for central Germany and the
Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia The Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia; cs, Protektorát Čechy a Morava; its territory was called by the Nazis ("the rest of Czechia"). was a partially annexed territory of Nazi Germany established on 16 March 1939 following the German oc ...
; and one for
Ostmark Ostmark is a German term meaning either Eastern march when applied to territories or Eastern Mark when applied to currencies. Ostmark may refer to: *the medieval March of Austria and its predecessors ''Bavarian Eastern March'' and ''March of Pann ...
, northern Italy, and northern
Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...
.


Disbandment

Transportkorps Speer ceased to function as an operational organization before Germany capitulated. At the end of the war, all of its vehicles that were not taken over by the
Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previous ...
, were standing still due to the lack of fuel.


Ranks

Troop colours: * : General Service * : Administration * : Supply * : Medical * : Engineer * : Judicial * : Special service


References


Citations


Cited literature

* * *


External links

* {{Ranks, uniforms and insignia of Nazi Germany Organizations established in 1944 Military history of Germany Wehrmacht