19th Army (Wehrmacht)

The 19th Army (German: 19. Armee) was a World War II field army of the German Army.

History
Formed in August 1943 in occupied southern France from Armeegruppe Felber (the LXXXIII. Armeekorps), the 19th Army defended southern France, the Vosges Mountains, Alsace, Baden and southern Württemberg during the Allied invasion of southern France and other large Allied military operations that had as their goal the liberation of southern France and the invasion of southern Germany. During Operation Dragoon, the 19th Army was trapped in an enormous encirclement, suffering 7,000 killed or missing, 20,000 wounded, 130,000-140,000 captured and was largely destroyed as a fighting force. However, its headquarters survived intact, retreated northwards and participated in the defense of the Rhine River. After the debacle in Southern France, the 19th Army was recreated with poorly trained conscripts and tasked with defending the west bank of the Rhine, and the city of Strasbourg. The 19th Army again encircled and largely destroyed during the battle for the Colmar Pocket in January and February 1945. Once again its headquarters survived capture and was rebuilt largely from Volkssturm and hastily trained replacement troops in early 1945. With many of its best men and junior leaders dead or captured, the 19th Army's effectiveness was seriously impaired and it proved unable to parry the thrusts of its constant foe, the French First Army. Split by deep French armored thrusts into Baden, the Black Forest, and Württemberg, the 19th Army was destroyed in the area of Stuttgart and Münsingen in late April 1945, with remnants of the army surrendering as late as 8 May 1945. Formal surrender was accepted by Maj. General Edward H. Brooks, Commander of the U.S. Army's VI Corps.

Commanders

 * Aug 1943 - Jun 1944 General der Infanterie Georg von Sodenstern
 * Jun 1944 - Dec 1944 General der Infanterie Friedrich Wiese
 * Dec 1944 - Feb 1945 General der Infanterie Siegfried Rasp
 * Feb 1945 - Feb 1945 General der Infanterie Hermann Foertsch
 * Feb 1945 - Mar 1945 General der Infanterie Hans von Obstfelder
 * Mar 1945 - Apr 1945 General der Panzertruppe Erich Brandenberger