OB West
{{Short description|WW2 German military command on the Western Front}}
Oberbefehlshaber West (German: initials OB West) (German: "Commander-in-Chief [in the] West") was the overall commander of the Westheer, the German armed forces on the Western Front during World War II. It was directly subordinate to the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (the German armed forces High Command). The area under the command of the OB West varied as the war progressed. At its furthest extent, it reached the French Atlantic coast. By the end of World War II in Europe, it was reduced to commanding troops in Bavaria.
Commanders
{{Officeholder table start
| showorder = y
| showimage = y
| officeholder_title = Name
| showtermlenght = y
| showparty = n
| showdefencebranch = n
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{{Officeholder table
| order = 1
| image = Bundesarchiv Bild 183-S37772, Gerd v. Rundstedt.jpg
| military_rank = Generalfeldmarschall
| officeholder = Gerd von Rundstedt
| officeholder_sort = Rundstedt, Gerd
| born_year = 1875
| died_year = 1953
| term_start = 10 October 1940
| term_end = 1 April 1941
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1940|10|10|1941|04|01}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 2
| image = Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1978-043-13, Erwin v. Witzleben.jpg
| military_rank = Generalfeldmarschall
| officeholder = Erwin von Witzleben
| officeholder_sort = Witzleben, Erwin
| born_year = 1881
| died_year = 1944
| term_start = 1 May 1941
| term_end = 15 March 1942
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1941|04|01|1942|03|15}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = (1)
| image = Bundesarchiv Bild 183-S37772, Gerd v. Rundstedt.jpg
| military_rank = Generalfeldmarschall
| officeholder = Gerd von Rundstedt
| officeholder_sort = Rundstedt, Gerd
| officeholder_note = {{efn|Officially reported as retiring due to age and ill-health.}}
| born_year = 1875
| died_year = 1953
| term_start = 15 March 1942
| term_end = 2 July 1944
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1942|03|15|1944|07|02}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 3
| image = Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1973-139-14, Günther v. Kluge.jpg
| military_rank = Generalfeldmarschall
| officeholder = Günther von Kluge
| officeholder_sort = Kluge, Günther
| officeholder_note = {{efn|Committed suicide on 19 August 1944 after being recalled to Berlin.}}
| born_year = 1882
| died_year = 1944
| term_start = 2 July 1944
| term_end = 17 August 1944
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1944|07|02|1944|08|17}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = –
| image = Walther Model on the front.jpg
| military_rank = Generalfeldmarschall
| officeholder = Walter Model
| officeholder_sort = Model, Walter
| officeholder_note = {{efn|Temporary replacement, continued as commander of Army Group B.}}
| born_year = 1891
| died_year = 1945
| term_start = 17 August 1944
| term_end = 3 September 1944
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1944|08|17|1944|09|03}}
| acting = y
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = (1)
| image = Bundesarchiv Bild 183-S37772, Gerd v. Rundstedt.jpg
| military_rank = Generalfeldmarschall
| officeholder = Gerd von Rundstedt
| officeholder_sort = Rundstedt, Gerd
| officeholder_note = {{efn|Replaced after Allies crossed the Rhine.}}
| born_year = 1875
| died_year = 1953
| term_start = 3 September 1944
| term_end = 11 March 1945
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1944|09|03|1945|03|11}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 4
| image = Bundesarchiv Bild 183-R93434, Albert Kesselring.jpg
| military_rank = Generalfeldmarschall
| officeholder = Albert Kesselring
| officeholder_sort = Kesselring, Albert
| born_year = 1885
| died_year = 1960
| term_start = 11 March 1945
| term_end = 22 April 1945
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1945|03|11|1945|04|22}}
}}
{{Officeholder table end}}
Order of battle from June 1944 to January 1945
| class="wikitable"
|+OB West{{Citation needed|date=April 2021}} | |||||||
| ----
| colspan="3" align="center" | Army Group B | Panzer Group West
| colspan="2" align="center" | Army Group G | colspan="2" align="center" | Army Group H | Army Group D | |||||
| ----
(Dec 1944-Jan 1945) | 1st Parachute Army | 25th Army
|Structure of the OB West | |||||
| ---- | LXXXVIII Corps | I SS Panzer Corps | I SS Panzer Corps | XII Corps | LXII Corps | II Parachute Corps | XXX Corps
| |
| ---- | LXXXVIII Corps | II SS Panzer Corps | XLVII Panzer Corps | XXIV Corps | LXXXV Corps | LXXXVI Corps | | |
| ----
(Dec 1944) | LXVII Corps | II SS Panzer Corps | XXIV Corps | LXXXV Corps | LXXXVI Corps |
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
- [http://niehorster.org/011_germany/44-oob/44-06-01_neptune/__OB_WEST.htm Oberbefehlshaber West, German Army, 06.06.1944]{{More citations needed|date=April 2021}}