Army Liguria: Difference between revisions

Army Group Liguria
Army Group Liguria
German: Armee Ligurien; Italian: Armata Liguria
Active	31 July 1944 – 1 May 1945
Country	Italian Social Republic
Branch	National Republican Army; Heer ( Wehrmacht)
Type	Field army
Engagements	Italian campaign Gothic Line Spring 1945 offensive in Italy; ;
Commanders
Notable; commanders	Rodolfo Graziani

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Army Liguria (Armee Ligurien, or LXXXXVII Army) was an army formed for the National Republican Army (Esercito Nazionale Repubblicano, or ENR). The ENR was the national army of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini's Italian Social Republic (Repubblica Sociale Italiana, or RSI). Formation of this RSI army started in 1943 and the army was disbanded in 1945. Army Liguria included several German units and its Italian units were sometimes transferred to German formations.

Between November 1944 and February 1945, the formation was alternatively known as Army Group Liguria (Armeegruppe Ligurien) due to the subordination of 14th Army under it.

Formation

On 16 October 1943, the Rastenburg Protocol was signed with Nazi Germany and the RSI was allowed to raise four division-sized military formations. The four divisions—1st Italian "Italia" Infantry Division, 2nd Italian "Littorio" Infantry Division, 3rd Italian "San Marco" Marine Division, and 4th Italian "Monte Rosa" Alpine Division—were to ultimately total 52,000 men.

Service

In July 1944, the first of these divisions completed training and was sent to the front. Like the smaller RSI units—the Black Brigades and the Decima Flottiglia MAS—the newly formed RSI divisions generally participated in anti-partisan activities. While there were exceptions, these divisions saw front line actions against the Allies, especially at the Gothic Line.

As the remaining divisions completed training, they were combined with German units and formed into Army Group Liguria. The RSI Minister of Defense, Rodolfo Graziani, commanded all Army forces of the RSI.

On 1 May 1945. The Army Group Liguria surrendered after being defeated at the Spring 1945 offensive in Italy.

Order of battle

Order of Battle for the LXXXXVII "Liguria" Army - as of 30 April 1945 ^[1]

Army Group Liguria - (Marshal Rodolfo Graziani)

- Lombardia Corps (General Kurt Jahn)
  - 3rd Italian "San Marco" Marine Infantry Division
  - 134th German Infantry Brigade
- LXXV Corps (General Hans Schlemmer)

The 1st Bersaglieri "Italia" Division was attached to the 14th German Army.

References

^ The Decline and Fall of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, Hans Dollinger, Library of Congress Catalogue Card Number 67-27047
^ Some few elements of the Monte Rosa Division was transferred to the Lombardy Corps

[ReferenceA-1] The Decline and Fall of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, Hans Dollinger, Library of Congress Catalogue Card Number 67-27047

[2] Some few elements of the Monte Rosa Division was transferred to the Lombardy Corps

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Infobox military unit
-'''Army Group Liguria''' (''Heeresgruppen Ligurien'') was the [[Esercito Nazionale Repubblicano|National Republican Army]] (''[[Esercito Nazionale Repubblicano]]'', or ENR) of Italian dictator [[Benito Mussolini]]'s [[Italian Social Republic]] (''[[Italian Social Republic|Repubblica Sociale Italiana]]'', or RSI).  Formation of this RSI army started in 1943 and the army was disbanded in 1945.  Army Group Liguria included several German units and its Italian units were sometimes transferred to German formations.
+| unit_name          = Army Group Liguria
+| native_name        = {{langx|de|Armee Ligurien}}<br>{{langx|it|Armata Liguria}}
-==Formation and service==
+| dates              = 31 July 1944 – 1 May 1945
-On [[16 October]] [[1943]], the Rastenburg Protocol was signed with [[Nazi Germany]] and the RSI was allowed to raise four division-sized military formations.  The four divisions -- 1st Italian "Italia" Infantry Division, 2nd Italian "Littorio" Infantry Division, 3rd Italian "San Marco" Marine Division, and 4th Italian "Monte Rosa" Alpine Division -- were to ultimately total 52,000 men.
+| country            = {{flag|Italian Social Republic}}
+| branch             = {{army|Italian Social Republic}}<br />[[File:Heer - decal for helmet 1942.svg|16px]] [[German Army (Wehrmacht)|Heer]] ([[File:Balkenkreuz.svg|16px]] [[Wehrmacht]])
+| type               = [[Field army]]
+| battles            = [[Italian campaign (World War II)|Italian campaign]]
+* [[Gothic Line]]
+** [[Spring 1945 offensive in Italy]]
+| notable_commanders = [[Rodolfo Graziani]]
+}}
+'''Army Liguria''' ('''''Armee Ligurien''''', or '''LXXXXVII Army''') was an army formed for the [[National Republican Army]] (''Esercito Nazionale Repubblicano'', or ENR). The ENR was the national army of Italian dictator [[Benito Mussolini]]'s [[Italian Social Republic]] (''Repubblica Sociale Italiana'', or RSI). Formation of this RSI army started in 1943 and the army was disbanded in 1945. Army Liguria included several German units and its Italian units were sometimes transferred to German formations.
+Between November 1944 and February 1945, the formation was alternatively known as '''Army Group Liguria''' (''Armeegruppe Ligurien'') due to the subordination of [[14th Army (Wehrmacht)|14th Army]] under it.
-In July 1944, the first of these divisions completed training and was sent to the front.  Like the smaller RSI units -- the [[Black Brigades]] and the [[Decima Flottiglia MAS]] -- the newly formed RSI divisions generally participated in [[Italian resistance movement|anti-partisan activities]].  While there were exceptions, these divisions saw limited front line action.
+==Formation==
-As the remaining divisions completed training, they were combined with German units and formed into Army Group Liguria.  General [[Alfredo Guzzoni]] was the Commander-in-Chief of this army group.  The RSI Minister of Defense, [[Rodolfo Graziani]], commanded all Army forces of the RSI.
+On 16 October 1943, the Rastenburg Protocol was signed with [[Nazi Germany]] and the RSI was allowed to raise four division-sized military formations.  The four divisions—1st Italian "Italia" Infantry Division, 2nd Italian "Littorio" Infantry Division, 3rd Italian "San Marco" Marine Division, and 4th Italian "Monte Rosa" Alpine Division—were to ultimately total 52,000 men.
+==Service==
-*Order of Battle for the LXXXXVII "Liguria" Army - [[30 April]] [[1945]] <ref>''The Decline and Fall of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan'', Hans Dollinger, Library of Congress Catalogue Card Number 67-27047</ref>
+In July 1944, the first of these divisions completed training and was sent to the front.  Like the smaller RSI units—the [[Black Brigades]] and the [[Decima Flottiglia MAS]]—the newly formed RSI divisions generally participated in [[Italian resistance movement|anti-partisan activities]].  While there were exceptions, these divisions saw front line actions against the Allies, especially at the [[Gothic Line]].
-** LXXV Corps
-*** [[5th Mountain Division (Germany)|5th German Mountain Division]]
-*** 2nd Italian "Littorio" Infantry Division
-*** 34th German Infantry Division
-** Lombardia Corps
-***3rd Italian "San Marco" Marine Division
-***134th German Infantry Brigade
-***4th Italian "Monte Rosa" Alpine Division
+As the remaining divisions completed training, they were combined with German units and formed into Army Group Liguria. The RSI Minister of Defense, [[Rodolfo Graziani]], commanded all Army forces of the RSI.
-The 1st Italian "Italia" Infantry Division was attached to the [[Fourteenth Army (Germany)|14th German Army]].
+On 1 May 1945. The Army Group Liguria surrendered after being defeated at the [[Spring 1945 offensive in Italy]].
-==Surrender==
-On [[1 May]] [[1945]], Graziani ordered the RSI forces under his command to lay down their arms and Army Group Liguria ceased to exist.  German General [[Heinrich von Vietinghoff]]-Steel signed the unconditional instrument of surrender for all Axis forces in Italy and his surrender took effect on [[2 May]]. <ref>''The Decline and Fall of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan'', Hans Dollinger, Library of Congress Catalogue Card Number 67-27047</ref>
+==Order of battle==
+* Order of Battle for the LXXXXVII "Liguria" Army - as of 30 April 1945 <ref name="ReferenceA">''The Decline and Fall of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan'', Hans Dollinger, Library of Congress Catalogue Card Number 67-27047</ref>
+Army Group Liguria - (Marshal [[Rodolfo Graziani]])
+** '''Lombardia Corps''' (General [[Kurt Jahn]])
+*** [[3rd Italian "San Marco" Marine Infantry Division]]
+*** 134th German Infantry Brigade
+** [[LXXV Army Corps (Wehrmacht)|LXXV Corps]] (General [[Hans Schlemmer]])
+*** [[2nd Italian "Littorio" Infantry Division]]
+*** [[4th Italian "Monte Rosa" Alpine Division]]<ref>Some few elements of the Monte Rosa Division was transferred to the Lombardy Corps</ref>
+*** [[5th Mountain Division (Germany)|5th German Mountain Division]]
+*** [[34th Infantry Division (Germany)|34th German Infantry Division]]
+The [[1st Bersaglieri "Italia" Division]] was attached to the [[14th Army (Wehrmacht)|14th German Army]].
 ==See also==
-* [[List of German Army Groups in WWII]]
+* [[List of German Army Groups in World War II]]
 * [[Italian Co-Belligerent Army]]
 * [[Alfredo Guzzoni]]
 * [[Gothic Line order of battle]]
+* [[Operation Grapeshot order of battle]]
-* [[Operation Wintergewitter|Operation Winter Storm]] (''[[Operation Wintergewitter|Unternehmen Wintergewitter]]'')
+* [[Battle of Garfagnana]]
 ==References==
 {{reflist}}
+{{Armies of the German Army}}
 [[Category:Military units and formations of Italy in World War II|Liguria]]
-[[Category:Field armies of Italy in World War II|Liguria]]
-[[Category:Military history of Italy|Liguria]]
-[[Category:Army groups of the German Army|Liguria]]
-[[Category:Wehrmacht|Heer]]
 [[Category:Military units and formations established in 1943]]
 [[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1945]]
+[[Category:Field armies of Germany in World War II]]
-[[es:Grupo de Ejércitos Liguria]]