The LXXII Army Corps () was an army corps of the German Wehrmacht during World War II. The corps was formed in February 1944. Before October 1944, it carried the designation z. b. V., marking it as a corps 'for special deployment'.
History The LXXII Army Corps z. b. V. was formed on 13 February 1944 in southern Russia. It was initially subordinate to the 6th Army (subordinate to Army Group A, later Army Group South Ukraine) in the Galați area in Moldavia. It was moved to the 3rd Romanian Army under Army Group South Ukraine in May 1944, but then transferred back to 6th Army in August, to the army group reserves in September, and once again to the 6th Army, now under Army Group South, in October.
Beginning in October 1944, the designation z. b. V. was dropped and the corps subsequently referred to as LXXII Army Corps.
In December 1944, the LXXII Army Corps was assigned to the 3rd Hungarian Army under Army Group South, before being transferred back to the 6th Army in January 1945. After subordination to the 8th Army between February and April 1945, it was transferred to the newly formed Army Group Ostmark. Under Army Group Ostmark, the LXXII Army Corps surrendered at the end of the war in May 1945.
Structure +Organizational structure of the LXXII (72nd) Army Corps of the German Wehrmacht, 1944 – 1945YearDateCommanderSubordinate unitsArmyArmy GroupOperational area19443 MarchSigismund von Förster370th Infantry, 5th Luftwaffe Field Division6th ArmyArmy Group AGalați15 April304th Infantry, 5th LFDArmy Group South Ukraine15 May153rd Infantry, 15th Romanian, 21st Romanian3rd Romanian Army15 JuneNone (in reserves)15 July31 August6th ArmySeptemberGeorg Zwadedirectly under army groupInactive13 OctoberAugust Schmidt76th Infantry6th ArmyArmy Group SouthSouthern Hungary5 November76th Infantry, 25th Hungarian26 November271st Infantry, 1st Hungarian Cavalry3rd Hungarian Army31 December2nd Hungarian Armored, 3rd Panzer, 6th Panzer6th Army194519 February8th Jäger, 101st Jäger8th ArmyHungary1 March8th Jäger, Kampfgruppe KaiserHungary (Esztergom)12 April46th Infantry, 182nd Infantry, 271st Infantry, 711th Infantry5 MayWerner Schmidt-Hammer78th Infantry, 254th Infantry, 304th Infantry1st Panzer ArmyArmy Group OstmarkMoravia
Noteworthy individuals
Sigismund von Förster, corps commander of LXXII Army Corps z.b.V. (22 July 1943 – 25 September 1944). Georg Zwade, corps commander of LXXII Army Corps z.b.V. (25 September 1944 – October 1944). August Schmidt, corps commander of LXXII Army Corps z.b.V. and LXXII Army Corps (October 1944 – April 1945). Anton Grasser, corps commander of LXXII Army Corps (6. – 20. April 1945) Werner Schmidt-Hammer, corps commander of LXXII Army Corps (April 1945 – May 1945).
References