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File: Afrika_korps_emblema.jpg Symbol of the Afrika Korps |
The Deutsches Afrika Korps (also simply called Afrika Korps or DAK) was an expeditionary force of the Wehrmacht that attacked at Northern Africa during World War II, The Afrika Korps became famous alongside its first commander, Erwin Rommel. Lacking resources and manpower, the Afrika Korps were defeated in May 1943.
Description[]
The central philosophy of Rommel was the attack first, quickly, surprising and disorienting the enemy. Because the characteristics of desert warfare, the advance of large distances, pushing the enemy back to their lines, it was possible, using surprise and concentrated firepower. Their Achilles heel was logistics supplies, extremely difficult, as the Italians, responsible for supplying the troops, had to cross the Mediterranean in ships to supply the troops Afrikakorps. To further complicate the logistics operation, the landing supplies and fuel in Benghazi or Tripoli had to travel long distances in trucks to the front, even though they had conquered Tobruk and Mersa Matruh, more advanced positions. Some air refueling was done by the Luftwaffe, but in general inexpressive because it also did not live their best moments. Also, the African front was not the priority of the German High Command, so the Wehrmacht did not make great efforts to meet the needs of this front.
Some units have become notable in combat, including the 15th Panzer Division, 21st Panzer Division, a division initially created as an infantry division and slowly upgraded to a fully motorized division. The following has been redefined as the 90th Light Africa Division. Others, such as 164th Light Africa Division, the 999th Light Africa Division, and also the 334th Infantry Division, and Brigade Luftwaffenjäger-1 or Fallschirmjäger-Ramcke (Ramcke Parachute Brigade, named after its commander Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke). There were also eight Italian divisions (of the ten Italian divisions in North Africa), under the command of Rommel in Panzer Army Africa, including two armored divisions, two motorized divisions, three infantry divisions, and the Folgore Parachute Division.
Starting from Tripoli, the Afrika korps ran the coast of North Africa, defeating the British, through Cyrenaica, Gazala, Tobruk, heading to Egypt, where he intended to take possession of fuel sources that would help Afrika korps to keep their tanks running. By this time the British were restructuring their forces in Egypt, aimed against an attack. This restructuring was mainly due to the lease plan signed with the United States, managed tactfully by Churchill, where Field Marshall Montgomery begins to receive many M4 Sherman and all kinds of
Soldiers of the Afrika Korps maning a MG-34
military equipment and supplies. At the half of 1942, the turning point occurred in the Second Battle of El Alamein, where the fuels of Afrika korps nearly end, and the English starts their offensive. Then begins the journey back to the Afrika korps, unless it had been allowed to rearrange the Führer behind the lines (the famous order of Hitler - Victory or death) until the surrender of what is left of Rommel's army in Medjez el Bab in May 1943. Rommel was already evacuated from the African theater in February 1943, admitted to a hospital in Germany.
On April 7, 1943, at the end of the fighting, the fate and history records a fact that would try to change the fate of the Second World War. An English fighter-bomber, dives and reaches the car of Lt. Col. Stauffenberg (Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg), who commanded a retreat. The same falls seriously wounded and rescued immediately by a hospital car that accompanied the withdrawal. The men of the 90th Panzergrenadier Division (Armored Artillery Regiment 90), accompanied him without knowing that the man later to join the German resistance and joined history.
Surrender[]
On the afternoon of May 12, 1943 General von Arnim, Commander in Chief of the Afrika Korps gave the enemy the capitulation of Army Group and the Afrika Korps. General Hans Cramer sent his last message:
To Wermatch high command. Ammunition fired until the end, weapons and equipment destroyed. Afrika Korps, under the orders fought until the end. The Afrika Korps will be reborn. Signed Cramer.
On 12 May at 18:00 the 90th Light Africa Division capitulated. On 13 May at 11:00 the 164th Light Afrika Division laid down its arms. At the end of 130,000 German soldiers were arrested, 18,594 were buried back in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia, more than 3,400 missing. The number of Germans who had ended his days, and during flights over the Mediterranean or on the seabed is still unknown. The Italian authorities indicate a figure of 13,748 dead, 8,821 of these are in addition to missing He surrendered to the Allies on May 12, 1943, on the outskirts of Tunis, in Tunisia today, 773 days after the start of an offensive that put the Allied forces in North Africa on their knees, the legendary Afrika Corps capitulated.
Commanders[]
- Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (February 14, 1941 - 15 August 1941)
- Generalleutnant Ferdinand Schaal (August 15, 1941 - 1 September 1941)
- General der Panzertruppen Philipp Müller-Gebhard (September 1, 1941 - 15 September 1941)
- General der Panzertruppen Ludwig Crüwell (September 15, 1941 - 9 March 1942)
- General der Panzertruppen Walther Nehring (March 9, 1942 - 19 March 1942)
- General der Panzertruppen Ludwig Crüwell (March 19, 1942 - 29 May 1942)
- General der Panzertruppen Walther Nehring (May 29, 1942 - 31 August 1942)
- Generalleutnant Fritz Bayerlein (August 31, 1942 - 1 September 1942)
- General Gustav von der Panzertruppen Gustav von Värst (September 1, 1942 - 2 September 1942)
- General der Panzertruppen Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma (September 2, 1942 - 13 November 1942)
- General der Panzertruppen Gustav Fehn (November 13, 1942 - 15 January 1943)
- General der Panzertruppen Hans Cramer (February 28, 1943 - 16 May 1943)
Afrika Korps Marching Songs[]
1st song: Panzer rollen in Afrika vor / Heiß über Afrikas Boden
- Heiß über Afrikas Boden die Sonne glüht.
- Unsere Panzermotoren singen ihr Lied!
- Deutsche Panzer im Sonnenbrand,
- Stehen zum Kampf gegen England
- Es rasseln die Ketten, es dröhnt der Motor,
- Panzer rollen in Afrika vor!
Translation
- The sun shines hot over African ground.
Panzer II of the Afrika Korps
- Our panzer engines are singing their song!
- German panzers in the blazing sun,
- As they stand ready for battle against England.
- The tracks rattle, the engine roars,
- Panzers rolling forwards in Africa.
2nd Song: "Unser Rommel" ("Our Rommel") 1.
- Wir sind das deutsche Afrikakorps
- Des Führers verwegene Truppe
- Wir stürmen wie die Teufel hervor
- Versalzen dem Tommy die Suppe
- Wir fürchten nicht Hitze und Wüstensand
- Wir trotzen dem Durst und dem Sonnenbrand
- Marschieren beim Takt unserer Trommel
- Vorwärts, vorwärts
- |:Vorwärts mit unserem Rommel!:|
Translation of verse 1
- We are the German Africa Korps
- The Führer's daring troops
- We attack like the Devil
- Make things hot for the Tommys
- We fear neither heat nor desert sand
- We brave the thirst and the blazing sun
- Marching to the beat of our drum
- Forwards, forwards
- |:Forwards with our Rommel!:|
2.
- Die Briten fürchten uns wie die Pest
- Sie sitzen auf glühenden Kohlen
- Wir rächen Deutsch-Ost und rächen Südwest
- Das einst sie uns feige gestohlen
- Sind Churchill und Roosevelt auch Wut entbrannt
- Wir werfen die Feinde in jedem Land
- Es schlägt Generalmarsch die Trommel
- Vorwärts, vorwärts
- |:Vorwärts mit unserem Rommel!:|
Translation of verse 2
- The British fear us like the plague
- They're like cats on a hot tin roof
- We're taking revenge for German East (Africa) and for South-West (Africa)
- Which were cowardly stolen from us
- Churchill and Roosevelt are getting mad
- We beat the enemy in every country
- The drum beats 'get ready'Generalmarsch[›]
- Forwards, forwards
- |:Forwards with our Rommel!:|
3.
- Mit uns im Kampf und im Siege vereint
- Marschieren Italiens Scharen
- Bis einst die Sonne des Friedens uns scheint
- Und wieder gen Deutschland wir fahren.
- Doch wenn mich die feindliche Kugel fand
- So lasset mich ruhen im Wüstensand
- Und rühret noch einmal die Trommel
- Vorwärts, vorwärts
- |:Vorwärts mit unserem Rommel!:|
Translation of verse 3
- With us united in battle and in victory
- Italy's cohorts are marching
- Until one day the sun of peace will shine on us
- And we will return to Germany.
- But if the enemy's bullet gets me
- Then let me rest in the desert sand
- Let the drum beat once more.
- Forwards, forwards
- |:Forwards with our Rommel!:|
See also[]
- Army Group Africa
- Panzer Army Africa
- Fliegerführer Afrika
- Western Desert Campaign
- North African Campaign
- First Battle of El Alamein (1–27 July 1942)
- Second Battle of El Alamein (23 October – 4 November 1942)
- László Almásy
- Operation Salaam
- Hans von Luck
- Hans-Jürgen von Arnim
- Panzer Division
- Deutsches Heer
- Eastbourne Redoubt, home of General Hans-Jürgen von Arnim's Steyr 1500A Africa Korps Staff Car
The original article can be found at Afrika Korps and the edit history here.