Operation Lehrgang

The codename, Lehrgang, roughly translates to course or tutorial.{{Cite web |title=Lehrgang - English translation – Linguee |url=https://www.linguee.com/german-english/translation/lehrgang.html |access-date=2023-05-15 |website=Linguee.com |language=en}} Robert M. Citino offers the translations course of study and curriculum.{{Cite book |last=Citino |first=Robert M. |title=The Wehrmacht Retreats: Fighting a Lost War, 1943 |publisher=University Press of Kansas |year=2012 |isbn=9780700618262}}{{Rp|page=195}}

File:Sicilymap2.jpg, 12 July – 17 August 1943]]

Lehrgang was the codename given by German forces for the evacuation of Axis forces from Sicily, undertaken between 11 August and 17 August, 1943.{{Cite book |last=Schreiber |first=Gerhard |title=Die Ostfront 1943/44: Der Krieg im Osten und an den Nebenfronten |publisher=Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt |year=2007 |isbn=9783421062352 |editor-last=Frieser |editor-first=Karl-Heinz |series=Das Deutsche Reich und der Zweite Weltkrieg |volume=8 |location=Munich |pages=1100–1162 |language=de |chapter=Das Ende des nordafrikanischen Feldzugs und der Krieg in Italien 1943 bis 1945}}{{Rp|page=1114}} After the beginning of the Allied invasion of Sicily ("Operation Husky"), it was quickly determined by OKW and the commander-in-chief of Army Group C (which contained all German forces in Italy), Albert Kesselring, that a repetition of the mass surrender of German forces at the end of the Tunisian campaign in May 1943 had to be avoided, and that an organized withdrawal from Sicily was preferable over a defense to the last man. The first official indication of Lehrgang's preparation was a meeting by senior operations officers in Frascati (Central Italy) chaired by Siegfried Westphal, Kesselring's chief of staff, who gave the operational details about Lehrgang.{{Cite book |last=D'Este |first=Carlo |title=Bitter Victory: The Battle for Sicily, 1943 |publisher=HarperCollins |year=1988 |isbn=9780061940811}}{{Rp|page=|location=FN21|quote=Literally translated, ‘Lehrgang’ means ‘a course of instruction’. The first official indication an evacuation was being considered occurred on 27 July and was undoubtedly prompted by the fall of Mussolini. The senior operations officers were summoned to Frascati, outside Rome, where a secret meeting was chaired by Kesselring’s Chief of Staff, Genera! Siegfried Westphal, who explained the details of ‘Lehrgang’.}} The evacuation plan was approved by Kesselring on 2 August and its execution authorized by him to the German commander of Axis forces in Sicily, Hans-Valentin Hube, on 8 August.{{Cite book |last=Zaloga |first=Steven J. |title=Sicily 1943: The Debut of Allied Joint Operation |publisher=Osprey Publishing |year=2013 |isbn=9781780961279}}{{Rp|page=11}}

The operation was finished when the Pz. Div. "Hermann Göring" completed evacuation on August 16/17, after 29th Panzergrenadier Division had already done so on August 15/16 and 15th Panzergrenadier Division on August 11/12.{{Rp|page=11}}

The evacuation between 11 and 17 August included 39,569 Wehrmacht troops with their weapons, 9,065 vehicles, 27 tanks, 94 heavy guns, 1,100 tons of ammunition, 970 tons of fuel. Between 3 and 17 August, a total of 62,000 Italian soldiers also reached the Italian mainland from Sicily.{{Rp|page=1114}} The operation was overseen by Gustav Freiherr von Liebenstein, the Seetransportführer (See Transport Leader) for the Strait of Messina.

In spite of Allied air attacks, losses were very low due to sufficient Axis anti-aircraft coverage.{{Cite book |last=Rohwer |first=Jürgen |title=Chronology of the War at Sea, 1939–1945, Volume Two: 1943–1945 |last2=Hümmelchen |first2=Gerhard |publisher=Arco Publishing |year=1974 |isbn=9780668034012}}{{Rp|page=345}}

{{reflist}}

{{coord missing|Italy}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lehrgang, Operation}}

Category:Military operations of World War II involving Germany

Category:Battles and operations of World War II involving Italy