Structure of the Afrika Korps

Commanders of the Afrika Korps:

Field Marshal Erwin Rommel

(August 15, 1941 - September 9, 1941

March 19, 1942 - September 22, 1942

October 25, 1942 - February 23, 1943)

Lieutenant General Ludwig Cruwell (March 9, 1942 - March 19, 1942)

General Georg Stumme (September 22, 1942 - October 24, 1942)

Lieutenant General Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma (October 24, 1942 - October 25, 1942)

Oberst Fritz Bayerlein (October 25, 1942 - November 19, 1942)

Panzer General Gustav Fehn (November 19, 1942 - January 16, 1943)

Major General Kurt von Liebenstein (January 16-17, 1943)

Lieutenant General Heinz Ziegler (January 17 - March 5, 1943)

Panzer General Hans Kramer (March 5, 1943 - May 13, 1943)

The main parts of the corps (February 1941):

Initially, the German expeditionary forces in North Africa were referred to as Rommel's intelligence headquarters. After Rommel's intelligence headquarters was incorporated into the larger force that arrived, on February 19, 1941, Hitler gave the expeditionary force its now legendary name, the German Afrika Korps. In the early stages of its existence, the Afrika Korps consisted of the following units:

corps headquarters

5th Light Division

15th Panzer Division

Auxiliary units and divisions:

576th Motorized Corps Cartographic Group

300th "Oasis" special purpose water supply battalion

605th Motorized Tank Destroyer Battalion

motorized battery of the 18th anti-aircraft artillery regiment

motorized battery of the 33rd anti-aircraft artillery regiment

606th Motorized anti-aircraft squad

motorized field mail service

After 6 months, the expeditionary corps received the status of the Panzer Group "Afrika". In addition to the original units and divisions, the 90th Light Division and 6 Italian divisions entered the tank group.

At the end of January 1942, Panzer Group "Afrika" was renamed Panzer Army "Afrika", and in February 1943, a few weeks before the surrender, for purely political reasons, Panzer Army "Afrika" became known as the 1st Italian Army.

August 1942 is considered the pinnacle of success for the Axis troops in North Africa, so we will present the full composition of the Afrika Korps as it was during this period.

The main combat units of the Afrika Korps (August 1942):

army headquarters

15th Panzer Division

21st Panzer Division

90th Light Division

164th Infantry Division

parachute brigade "Ramke"

Auxiliary units and divisions:

15th Motorized Headquarters of the special purpose brigade

motorized bomber squadron

575th Motorized Army Cartographic Group

headquarters of the Air Force Commander in Libya

288th Motorized Special Purpose Detachment

2nd Reconnaissance Headquarters (ground forces)

605th Motorized Tank Destroyer Unit

606th Motorized Tank Destroyer Unit

104th Headquarters of the commanders-in-chief of artillery

721st Motorized Artillery Instrumental Reconnaissance Group

722nd Motorized Artillery Instrumental Reconnaissance Group

723rd Motorized Artillery Instrumental Reconnaissance Group

724th Motorized Artillery Instrumental Reconnaissance Group

725th Motorized Artillery Instrumental Reconnaissance Group

726th Motorized Artillery Instrumental Reconnaissance Group

727th Motorized Artillery Instrumental Reconnaissance Group

728th Motorized Artillery Instrumental Reconnaissance Group

729th Motorized Artillery Instrumental Reconnaissance Group

730th Motorized Artillery Instrumental Reconnaissance Group

11th Motorized Observation and Fire Correction Unit

606th Motorized Anti-Aircraft Unit of the Air Force

612th Motorized Anti-Aircraft Unit of the Air Force

617th Air Force Motorized Anti-Aircraft Unit

135th Air Force Motorized Anti-Aircraft Unit

73rd Motorized Construction Service of the Ground Forces

85th Construction Battalion

278th Militia Battalion

10th Signal Regiment

courier squadron

5th Radio Station of the Ground Forces

6th Radio Station of the Ground Forces

13th Radio Station of the Ground Forces

radio station of the ground forces in the city of Tripoli

special purpose radio communication detachment "Afrika"

937th Communications Platoon

585th Supply and Logistics Regiment

619th Motorized Battalion of staff supply and support

681st Motorized Group for the disposal of explosive devices for special purposes

792nd Motorized Battalion of staff supply and special purpose support

798th Motorized Battalion of staff supply and special purpose support

148th Motorized Supply and Support Battalions

149th Motorized Supply and Support Battalions

529th Motorized Supply and Support Battalions

532nd Motorized Supply and Support Battalions

533rd Motorized Supply and Support Battalions

902nd Motorized Supply and Support Battalions

909th Motorized Supply and Support Battalions

548th Motorized Auto Repair Battalion

542nd Motorized Ammunition Supply Platoon

543rd Motorized Ammunition Supply Platoon

544th Motorized Ammunition Supply Platoon

545th Motorized Ammunition Supply Platoon

546th Motorized Ammunition Supply Platoon

547th Motorized Ammunition Supply Platoon

12th Motorized Fuel Supply Platoon

5th Motorized Land Forces Fuel Supply Platoon

979th Motorized Fuel Supply Group

980th Motorized Fuel Supply Group

981st Motorized Fuel Supply Group

560th and 566th Motorized Vehicle Fleet of the Ground Forces

1st Motorized Artillery Supply Service

2nd Motorized Artillery Supply Service

3rd Motorized Artillery Supply Service

554th Motorized Bakery Company

445th Motorized Slaughterhouse Company

317th Motorized Catering Unit

445th Motorized Catering Unit

motorized catering unit "Afrika"

2nd Motorized Sanitary Company "592"

1st Motorized Wounded Evacuation Company "705"

motorized military hospital in the city of Tripoli

5th Motorized Military Hospital "542"

667th Motorized Military Hospital

motorized hospital for lightly wounded soldiers

531st Motorized Sanitary Park

motorized secret field police

main patrol service

motorized field gendarmerie platoon

guard battalion "Afrika"

the main commandant's office in the city of Misrata

the main commandant's office in the city of Barsa

main commandant's office in the city of Tripoli

the main commandant's office in the city of Benghazi

the main commandant's office in the city of Derna

commander of the camp in the city of Tripoli

POW transit camp "782"

13th Training Regiment "Brandenburg 800"

659th Special Purpose Motorized Field Mail Service

762nd Motorized Special Purpose Field Mail Service

motorized field mail service of the Special Forces Air Force

motorized field mail service for special purposes (instead of the army post office)

After the Afrika Korps turned into a panzer army, the corps itself ceased to be an independent unit and became part of this formation.