16th Army (Wehrmacht)

16. Armee 16th Army
Active	22 October 1939 – 8 May 1945
Country	Nazi Germany
Type	Army
Engagements	World War II

The 16th Army (German: 16. Armee) was a World War II field army of the Wehrmacht.

History

It took part in the Battle of France. It was then deployed with Army Group North during Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. It fought its way into northern Russia where in January 1942 part of it was encircled by the Soviets near Demyansk. Hitler forbade a withdrawal and the Army was re-supplied by air until a land corridor was opened in April 1942. It was subsequently involved in the siege of Leningrad. The Soviets relieved Leningrad in January 1944.

On February 19, 1944, the Soviet 2nd Baltic Front launched a fresh set of attacks against the German 16th Army around Kholm. The Soviet 22nd Army made good progress in the initial assault. These attacks greatly diminished the 16th Army. It, along with the 18th Army was cut off in the Courland Peninsula when the Soviets launched their summer and autumn offensives of 1944. It stayed trapped there until the end of the war. After the war, 250,000 German troops trapped in the Courland Pocket were marched into captivity, many were never heard from again.

Commanders

• Generalfeldmarschall Ernst Busch 22 October 1939 - 11 October 1943
• General der Artillerie Christian Hansen 11 October 1943 - 1 July 1944
• General der Infanterie Paul Laux 2 July 1944 - 30 August 1944
• Generaloberst Carl Hilpert 3 September 1944 - 10 March 1945
• General der Infanterie Ernst-Anton von Krosigk 10 March 1945 - 16 March 1945
• General der Gebirgstruppen Friedrich-Jobst Volckamer von Kirchensittenbach 17 March 1945 - 10 May 1945