97th Army Corps

97th Army Corps

LXXXXVII. Armee-Korps z.b.V. (XCVII. Armeekorps z.b.V.)

History

Formed in Autumn 1944 from staff of Occupation Zone Adriatic Littoral. Corps task was guarding Adriatic coastline from Tagliamento river in Italy to SuÅ¡ak and Rijeka from possible Allied landing, guarding communication in Istria and Slovenian Littoral from Partisans attacks and anti-partisan operations.

Until April 25 1945, corps was part of Albert Kesselring's Army Group C in Italy when because of breakthrough achieved by Yugoslav 4th Army advancing towards Rijeka it was transferred over to Army Group E, this would also prevent 97th Corps from being forced to surrender together with other German forces in Italy on 2 May 1945. New task become halting Yugoslav advance towards Trieste and Ljubljana threatening rear of both Army Groups C and E.

First defensive line Ingrid was created in area Rijeka - SnjeÅ¾nik were 237th Infantry Division was tasked to receive remains of 15th Mountain Corps, followed by 188th Mountain division which launched counterattack (codenamed ?) into flank of 4th Army from direction GrobniÄko polje - bay of Bakar while SVC, Chetnik and Slovene Home Defense formations would struck in the enemy rear Lokve - Delnice. Not expecting Partisans landings on islands and in Istrian peninsula, corps rear was left lightly defended allowing for successful landings of 9th Dalmatian division.

Both counterattacks against 4th Army failed and corps soon found it self partially encircled by April 28 and general KÃ¼bler suggested to general Lohr to withdraw but was denied and was ordered to defend Rijeka even if completely encircled in order to prevent 4th Army from cutting off Army Group E escape routes while 7th SS Division was suppose to advance from Ljubljana towards Postojna to Corps rescue. This sealed corps fate because 7th SS had to be redirected towards Karlovac while Tito ordered 4th Army to bypass 97th Corps and capture Trieste.

Only after Partisan captured Trieste was the 97th Corps ordered to breakthrough towards Iliriska Bistrica - Postojna - Ljubljana. Breakthrough began on night of May 2/3 in a hedgehog formation. During 5 and 6 May, corps managed to capture Iliriska Bistrica but further advance become impossible and on May 7 at 6:04 capitulation was signed. Around 16000 soldiers, 40 senior officers and 3 generals become prisoners of war. Captured equipment included 31 tanks, 841 artillery pieces, 536 mortars, 1670 machine-guns, 2468 light machine-guns and 716 various motor vehicles.

Organization

April 1945 - around 88000 soldiers

188th Mountain Division

237th Infantry Division

various smaller German units

Serbian Volunteer Corps

Primorje Chetnik Corps

Chetnik Dinara division

Slovene Home Defense

Italian fascist units

Cossack units

1101th Army Coastal Artillery Regiment - Trieste

1102th Army Coastal Artillery Regiment - Rijeka

24. Waffen-Gebirgs-Division der SS â€žKarstjÃ¤ger"

Staff

Commanders:

Ludwig KÃ¼bler

Chiefs of staff:

Heinrich Bussmann

Operations officers:

Oberstleutnant Oskar Wittstein

Major Sittmann

Oberstleutnant Hans Karbe

Major Karsten

Battles & Campaigns

mid - 20 November 1943, Unternehmen Traufe - KarstjÃ¤ger

1944 - Unternehmen Ratte - SS-Karstwehr-Bataillon

March - Unternehmen Zypresse - KarstjÃ¤ger

March - Unternehmen MÃ¤rzveilchen - KarstjÃ¤ger

March - Unternehmen Maulwurf - KarstjÃ¤ger

March - Unternehmen Hellblau - KarstjÃ¤ger

March/April - Unternehmen Osterglocke - KarstjÃ¤ger

17-24 Apr - Operation Wendelstein I - IV - 188th Division

mid May - Braunschweig

22-24 May - Unternehmen Liane

7 May to? 16 July - Unternehmen Annemarie

7-10 Aug - Operation Prien - 188th Division

19-22 Aug - Operation Isozno - 188th Division

21-22 Aug - Operation Zugspiz-Hollental - 188th Division

28 August - Unternehmens Dachstein - 188th Division, SS-Karstwehr-Bataillon

23-25 Sep - Operation Habicht - 188th Division

Rijeka operation

counterattack at Ingridstellung