A Wehrkreis is a German military district
dating back to 1919 when the Reichswehr functioned as the Armed Forces
Command of the Weimar Republic.
The Wehrkreis had responsibility for recruiting, drafting and training
German soldiers for a Division. It also had responsibility for the
mobilization of divisions, training them and providing them with
trained replacements.
When Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933 he got rid of the Republic
and Reichswehr and instead formed the Wehrmacht. Hitler had
the foresight to keep the Wehrkreis system that had already established
contingency plans for a large expansion of the army. Initially the
Wehrkreis worked directly under the Oberkommando des Heeres (Army High
Command) but in 1938 the Home (or replacement) Army was created to
oversee and coordinate Wehrkreis operations although little actually
changed until late 1942.
During the expansion program the number of Wehrkreis increased from
seven in 1932 to nineteen in 1943. Although they lost some of their
training responsibilities from late 1942 until 1944 the divisions still
primarily looked to the Wehrkreis for training and replacements as the
war progressed. They were also responsible for refitting depleted
divisions.
The German Army was mobilized in waves of divisions and this continued
throughout the war. This was carried out by the Wehrkreis under
supervision of the Replacement Army. This system continued until the
end of the war. From 1934-45 there were at least thirty-eight ‘waves.
Before the general mobilization of June 1939 each Wehrkreis had two
components to its headquarters. This was comprised of a tactical
component, which became a corps headquarters that got sent to the front
on mobilization, and a deputy component, which remained in the
territory to coordinate training and replacement activities.
The deputy component was made up of older soldiers who weren't up to
the rigors of a campaign but who were well trained and fully able to
fulfill their duties. Most positions in military districts were held by
older officers, many of whom were WW1 veterans and were competent
military administrators. |
