LXXXV Army Corps (Wehrmacht)

The LXXXV Army Corps (German: LXXXV. Armeekorps) was an army corps of the German Wehrmacht during World War II. The corps existed between 1944 and 1945 and had been preceded by a formation known as Group Knieß (German: Gruppe Knieß), with its command designated General Command Knieß (German: General-Kommando Knieß) between 1943 and 1944.

History

Group Knieß, also known as General Command Knieß, was formed in October 1943 in southern France.[1] The formations was named after its initial commander, Baptist Knieß.[2] Under the supervision of the 19th Army, Group Knieß remained on defensive duty in France until the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944.[1]

On 10 July 1944, Corps Kniess was upgraded to become the LXXXV Army Corps. The LXXXV Army Corps remained under the supervision of the 19th Army until December 1944, when the corps was transferred to the 7th Army in the Ardennes. After a stay in the Saar Palatinate region between February and March 1945 under the 1st Army, the LXXXV was transferred back to the 7th Army in Hesse and Thuringia in April.[1] At the end of the war, the LXXXV Army Corps was commanded by Smilo Freiherr von Lüttwitz, who had held that post since 26 March 1945.[2]

Structure
Organizational structure of Group Knieß and the LXXXV (85th) Army Corps[1]
Name Year Date Commander[2] Subordinate units[3][4][5] Army Army Group Operational area
Gruppe Knieß 1943 4 October Baptist Knieß FH, 715th Infantry 19th Army Army Group D Southern France
8 November 242nd Infantry, 715th Infantry
3 December 148th Infantry, 242nd Infantry
1944 1 January 148th Infantry, 242nd Infantry, 244th Infantry
12 February
11 March
8 April 244th Infantry, 338th Infantry
17 May Army Group G
12 June
LXXXV Army Corps 17 July[Note 1] Belfort
31 August 198th Infantry, 338th Infantry
16 September 11th Panzer
13 October 159th Infantry, 189th Infantry, Panzerbrigade 106
5 November 159th Infantry, 189th Infantry, 338th Infantry
26 November Friedrich-August Schack None 7th Army Army Group B Ardennes
31 December Baptist Knieß 79th Infantry, 352nd Infantry Division
1945 19 February 347th Infantry, 719th Infantry 1st Army Army Group G Saarpfalz
1 March 347th Infantry, 559th Infantry, 719th Infantry
12 April Smilo Freiherr von Lüttwitz 11th Panzer, Kampfgruppe Schroeder 7th Army Hesse / Thuringia

Noteworthy individuals
  • Baptist Knieß, corps commander of Corps Knieß and the LXXXV Army Corps (October 1943 – 10 July 1944, 10 July 1944 – 15 November 1944, 16 December 1944 – 26 March 1945).[2]
  • Friedrich-August Schack, corps commander of the LXXXV Army Corps (15 November 1944 – 16 December 1944).[2]
  • Smilo Freiherr von Lüttwitz, corps commander of the LXXXV Army Corps (26 March 1945 – 8 May 1945).[2]

Notes
  1. Although LXXXV Army Corps was formed on 10 July 1944, the papers of 7th Army still (likely erroneously) contain Group Knieß for their entry on 17 July 1944.

References
  1. Tessin, Georg (1977). "Generalkommando LXXXV. Ameekorps (röm. 85. AK)". Die Landstreitkräfte 71-130. Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939-1945 (in German). Vol. 6. Osnabrück: Biblio Verlag. p. 80. ISBN 3764810971.
  2. MacLean, French L. (2014). Unknown Generals - German Corps Commanders In World War II. Pickle Partners Publishing. pp. 119–120. ISBN 9781782895220.
  3. Tessin, Georg (1977). "19. Armee (AOK 19)". Die Landstreitkräfte 15-30. Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939-1945 (in German). Vol. 4. Osnabrück: Biblio Verlag. pp. 50–55. ISBN 3764810971.
  4. Tessin, Georg (1977). "7. Armee (AOK 7)". Die Landstreitkräfte 6-14. Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939-1945 (in German). Vol. 3. Osnabrück: Biblio Verlag. pp. 49–53. ISBN 3764810971.
  5. Tessin, Georg (1977). "1. Armee (AOK 1)". Die Landstreitkräfte 1-5. Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939-1945 (in German). Vol. 2. Osnabrück: Biblio Verlag. pp. 3–4. ISBN 3764810971.
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