Panzerkorps

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A Panzerkorps was a military formation type in the German Wehrmacht during World War II. The name was introduced in 1942, when the motorised (AK (mot.)) were renamed to Panzerkorps. Panzerkorps were created throughout the war, and existed in all service arms of the Wehrmacht except the Kriegsmarine. Those renamed from ordinary Armeekorps or AK (mot) retained their numbering.

[edit] Purpose

Panzerkorps underwent transformation as the war went on. Initially they were the main strike force of the Wehrmacht, and consisted of motorised infantry divisions (ID (mot)) and armoured Panzerdivisions. Later in the war it was possible to find Panzerkorps that consisted solely of infantry divisions.

During the initial period of the war the Panzerkorps predecessor AK (mot) were grouped in Panzergruppen, which were named during the campaigns in Poland, the west, and Greece (none participated in Norway and Denmark in 1940), and numbered 1-4 during the first half year of the war against the Soviet Union. A Panzergruppe normally consisted of two or three AK (mot). They were the operational movement element of the Heeresgruppen Nord, Mitte and Süd. The AK (mot) served as the tactical command element in the command structure, with the individual divisions serving as tactical combat elements.

[edit] List of Wehrmacht Panzerkorps

The following list is based on www.lexikonderwehrmacht.de

The following Korps formations were AK(mot) and later Panzerkorps or were set up as Panzerkorps (list is not complete). Wehrmacht Korps formations had roman numerals or names:

Heer:
III. Panzerkorps
IV. Panzerkorps
VII. Panzerkorps
XIV. Panzerkorps
XXIV. Panzerkorps
XXXVIII. Panzerkorps
XXXIX. Panzerkorps
XL. Panzerkorps
XLI. Panzerkorps
XLVI. Panzerkorps
XLVII. Panzerkorps
XLVIII. Panzerkorps
LVI. Panzerkorps
LVII. Panzerkorps
LVIII. Panzerkorps
LXXVI. Panzerkorps
Panzerkorps Feldherrnhalle
Panzerkorps Großdeutschland