The Black Vault (Report). II. Washington: U.S. Marine Corps: Historical Division, European Command.Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources.Find sources: Afrika Korps news newspapers books scholar JSTOR ( September 2008 ) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message ).
First sent as a holding force to shore up the Italian defense of their African colonies, the formation fought on in Africa, under various appellations, from March 1941 until its surrender in May 1943. The units best known commander was Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. The Italian army group had been routed by the British Commonwealth Western Desert Force in Operation Compass (9 December 1940 9 February 1941). These elements were organized into the 5th Light Division when they arrived in Africa from 10 February 12 March 1941. At this time, the Afrika Korps consisted of the two divisions, and was subordinated to the Italian chain of command in Africa. During the summer of 1941, the OKW increased the presence in Africa and created a new headquarters called Panzer Group Africa. On 15 August, the Panzer Group was activated with Rommel in command, and command of the Afrika Korps was turned over to Ludwig Crwell. Afrika Korps Insignia Plus Two CorpsThe Panzer Group comprised the Afrika Korps, with some additional German units now in North Africa, plus two corps of Italian units. The Panzer Group was, in turn, redesignated as Panzer Army Africa on 30 January 1942. Rommel, meanwhile, was placed in command of a new Army Group Africa, created to control both the Italian 1st Army and the 5th Panzer Army. The remnants of the Afrika Korps and surviving units of the 1st Italian Army retreated into Tunisia. On 13 May, the Afrika Korps surrendered, along with all other remaining Axis forces in North Africa. Two Italian armoured divisions, Ariete and Trieste, initially remained under Italian control as the Italian XX Motorized Corps under the command of General Gastone Gambara. Afrikakorps was the official name of the force for less than six months but the officers and men used it for the duration. The Afrika Korps was the major German component of Panzerarmee Afrika, which was later renamed the Deutsch-Italienische Panzerarmee and finally renamed Heeresgruppe Afrika (Army Group Africa) during the 27 months of the Desert campaign. According to Satloff Afrika Korps soldiers plundered Jewish property all along the Libyan coast. This violence and persecution only came to an end with the arrival of General Montgomery in Tripoli on January 23 1943. German historian Clemens Vollnhals writes that use of Jews by Afrika Korps as forced labour is barely known, but it did happen alongside persecution of Jewish population (although on smaller scale than in Europe) and some of the labourers have died 9. The Hauptmann on the right is wearing a captured British uniform blouse. Liddell Hart, B. H. The Rommel Papers. New York: Da Capo Press. German Experiences in Desert Warfare During World War II (PDF). The Black Vault (Report). II. Washington: U.S. Marine Corps: Historical Division, European Command.
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