German Feldpost in NDH
After the
capitulation of Yugoslav army and formation of Independent state of
Croatia(NDH), most of German army units retreated from the area. On
14.04.1941 general von Horstenau arrived in Zagreb and assumed role
of Plenipotentiary General in NDH (Deutscher Bevollmächtigten
General in Kroatien) , and took over command of all German forces
north od German-Italian demarcation line in Croatia. In 1941 in NDH
was stationed only one division 718.infantry divison and security
battalions ( Landesschutzen bataillion), under German command was
also German Volksdeutche militia (Einsatzstaffel der Deutschen
Mannschaft) and other Croatian units as needed.
First German command
was under Plenipotentiary General in NDH
- Deutscher
Bevollmächtigten General in Kroatien Feldpost number: Fp.40043
(28.2.1941-29.7.1941)
Der deutsche General in Agram,
(30.7.1941-28.2.1942)
Der deutsche General in Agram u. dtsch. Verbindungsstab zum ital.
AOK 2 (= D),
(8.9.1943-22.4.1944)
15.10.1943 Deutscher General in Agram
German
Plenipotentiary General in NDH under his command had 718.division ,
local commands and following battalions:
Landesschutzen
bataillon 924 Fp.41471 Sisak, 1941-1945 in NDH.
Landesschutzen
bataillon 925 Fp.36811 Zagreb, 1941-1945 in NDH.
Landesschutzen
bataillon 923 Fp.40560 Novska, 1941-1943 in NDH.
Landesschutzen
bataillon 447 Fp.27380 Sarajevo ,1941-1942 in NDH ,again in 1945 in
NDH
Landesschutzen
bataillon 823 Fp.31775 Banja Luka , 1941-1945 in NDH
Landesschützen-Bataillon
265/Sicherungs-Bat.265 Fp.56835 od 01.08.1943 – end od war NDH
Landesschützen-Bataillon
356/Sicherungs-Bat.356 Fp.56866 od 1943– end of war NDH
The most important
Feldpostamt serving these units in Croatia was
Feldpostamt 530 -
Fp.22862 , Kenn-176 , its head office was in Zagreb and it had
branches in Slavonski Brod(Brod N/S) and Banja Luka. FpA.530 was FpA.
for AOK 12 later Hgr.E .
New military command
and commander "The Befehlshaber der Deutsches Truppen in
Kroatien" was introduced on 16 November 1942. The staff from
this command was used to form the new Generalkommando (Gen.Kdo.) XV.
Gebirgs-Armeekorps on 12. August.1943.
Fp.48394 (2.1.1940-11.3.1943) Befehlshaber der deutschen Truppen in Kroatien,
(8.9.1943-22.4.1944)
1.10.1943 Generalkommando XV. (Gebirge) AK.
At the end od 1942
and beginning od 1943 a larger number of Wehrmacht units started
arriving to Croatia to combat growing Communist and Serbian
insurgency.
By the shear number
of German Divisions (total: 42) that passed through Croatia one would
assume that a huge amount of Feldpost was preserved after the war,
but most of the units were here only for a short period of time and
volume of Feldpost is not large.
It is important to
know when a certain unit was in Croatia so that we can
differentiate Feldpost sent from Croatia from feldpost mailed in
other areas.
List of units
present in Croatia (NDH, Istria, Baranja, Međimurje) is listed as follows:
Unit+ Kommando Fp
number , time spent in Croatia(NDH)
Feldpostamt+Fp.number and Kenn number :
(zw.=zweigstellen means branch)
ARMY
GROUPS-Heeresgruppe
1)Army group E , was
in NDH twice:
a)06.04.1941-28.12.1942
as AOK 12 , then as Army group E, 28.12.1942-26.08.1943
b)13.11.1944-5.5.1945
APM-AOK/Hgr.E
12:Fp.21800(15.2.1942-30.7.1942) Armeepostmeister beim (AOK 12),
(31.7.1942-9.2.1943)
Armeepostmeister Südost,
Kenn :K- 639, K-176
2)Army group F was
in NDH : 26.08.1943-26.03.1945
APM-Hgr.F Fp.21800
(6.4.1944-9.11.1944) 20.10.1944 Armeepostmeister bei der Heeresgruppe
F.
Kenn K-176
3)Units of Army
group B:Istra and western Croatian
littoral:7.1943-21.11.1943(dissolved)Kenn-216
4)Units of Army
group C:Istra and western Croatian littoral: 21.11.1943- 25.04.1945,
Kenn-520
5)Units of Army
group Sud : in Međimurje 2.1945-06.04.1945
Army
- Armee
1) 2nd Panzer
Army(German: 2. Panzerarmee), was in NDH twice:
a) 8.1943-2.12.1944
b)
29.03.1945-06.04.1945
APM-PzAOK-2 Fp.03400
(27.1.1942-14.7.1942)Armeepostmeister beim Panzer-AOK.2. Kenn 845
For shorter periods
of time parts of following armies were also present in NDH:
10.armee(1-5.1945)
14 armee(21.11.1943-24.01.1944)
Armee abteilung von Zangen
(24.01.1944-20.08.1944)
Armeeabteilung Serbien( 20-27.10.1944)
Armeekorps
1) II.
SS-Panzerkorps was in NDH: Istra,Croatian littoral,Gorski kotar:
02.10.1943-20.11.1944
FpA.102SS
Fp.22620-SS Feldpostamt (II. SS-Panzer-Korps) Kenn - 764
2) III.
SS-Panzerkorps (germanisches) in NDH :12.08.1943- until beginning of
12.1943.
FpA.103SS
Fp.Feldpostamt III.(Germ.) SS-Panzer-Korps , Kenn-799
3)
V.SS-Gebirgs-Korps in NDH twice
a)
10.1943-29.10.1944
b) from end of
12.1944- until end of 1.1945.
FpA.105 SS Fp.58185-
Feldpostamt V. SS-Gebirgs-Korps, Kenn-631 ,zw 521
4) IX. Waffen
Gebirgs Armeekorps der SS, in NDH 7.9144-11.11.1944
Fp.A.109-SS Fp.45050
Feldpostamt 509 (IX. SS-Korps) ,Kenn-986
5) XV.
Gebirgs-Armeekorps : 12.08.1943- 07.05.1945
Fp.A.415 Fp.21669
Feldpostamt 415. Kenn-611
6) XV.
SS-Kosaken-Kavallerie-Korps, in NDH : 3.1945 - 07.05.1945
Fp.A.115-SS , Fp.???
Kenn-??? : Fp and Kenn were probably never assigned .
7)XXI.
Gebirgs-Armeekorps, in NDH : 1.1945-07.05.1945
Fp.A.421 Fp.44956
Feldpostamt 421 ,Kenn-892
8)XXII.
Gebirgs-Armeekorps in Međimurje : 3.1945-07.05.1945
Fp.A.422, Fp.43496
Feldpostamt 422 ,Kenn-244
9)XXXIV.(34.).Armeekorps
in NDH: 13.11.1944-20.04.1945
Fp.05774 -Gen.
Kommando XXXIV.AK ,FpAmt-?? Kenn-???
10)LXVIII.(68.)Armeekorps
in NDH: 27.10.1944-29.11.1944
FpA.468,
Fp.59190-Feldpostamt 468. Kenn-691,736
11)LXIX.
(69.)Armeekorps (LXIX. Reservekorps (69.) NDH:18.08.1943-10.04.1945
FpA.469,
Fp.42999-Feldpostamt 469. Kenn-810
12)LXXXVII.(87.)
Armeekorps in NDH 24.01.1944-20.08.1944 (from 17.03.1944
Armee-Abteilung von Zangen) Fp.48210,(14.3.1944 AG.v.
Zangen,15.8.1944 Generalkom. LXXXVII. AK)
FpAmt.-?? , Kenn-?
13)LXXXXI.(91.)
Armeekorps in NDH: 15.01.1945-07.05.1945
14)LXXXXVII (97.)
Armeekorps (earlier Befehlshabers Operationszone Adriatisches
Küstenland)
parts of korps were
in NDH: Istra,Croatian littoral : 11.1943-07.05.1945
FpA.487 . Fp.44577-
Feldpostamt 487. Kenn-507
15)Befehlshaber
Syrmien (former Kommandant des rückwärtigen Armeegebiet
(Koruck)582.) Fp.30523-Kommandant rückwärtiges Armeegebiet 582
Divisions
1)
1.Gebirgs-Division Kommando Fp.07978 , in NDH 3 times :
a) 12/1943-02/1944,
b)
11/1944-29.12.1944,
c)
03/1945-06.04.1945
FpA-54-Fp.11628
Kenn-726, zw 251(1944)
2)
1.SS-Panzer-Division "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler"
Kommando Fp.21825
NDH:02.10.1943-11/1943
FpA-1SS-Fp.12388
Kenn-235
3)
1.Kosaken-Kavallerie-Division Kommando Fp.56400 NDH:
10/1943-05/1945
FpA.55-Fp.44467
Kenn.542 , zw 949(1943), zw 256(1944)
4)
2.Kosaken-Kavallerie-Division Kommando Fp.57600? NDH: 02/1945-05/1945
FpA-?? ,Kenn-??
5) 5.SS
Panzergrenadier Division "Wiking" Kommando Fp.16284 NDH:
8.1943-11.1943
FpA-5SS-Fp.12106,
Kenn-558
6)
7.SS-Freiwill.-Gebirgs-Div."Prinz Eugen" Fp-see separate
article
NDH:
12/1942-09/1944 i 12/1944- 05/1945
FpA7.SS-Fp43726,
Kenn-969 , Fp35914-SS-Feldpostprüfstelle 7 ,Kenn-170 ,from
7.1942-3.1944
7)
8.SS-Kavallerie-Division "Florian Geyer" Kommando Fp.17771
NDH : 01/1944-08/1944
FpA-8.SS-Fp.40197,Kenn-531,
zw 866 (1944)
8)
11.SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenad.-Div. "Nordland" Kommando
Fp.33316 NDH:08/1943-11/1943
FpA-10SS-Fp32977,
Kenn-495
9) 11.Feld-Division
(Lufwaffe) Kommando Fp.42470 NDH: 12/1944-5/1945
FpA-911-Fp48053 ,
Kenn 561
10)
13.Waffen-Gebirgs-Div.der SS"Handschar"(kroat. Nr. 1)
Fp-see separate text
NDH: 02/1944-12/1944
FpA-13.SS-Fp.59000,
Kenn 394
11) 19.Flak-Division
Kommando Fp.52222 NDH: 10/1944-05/1945
used korps or army
Feldpostamt
12) 20.Flak-Division
Kommando Fp.53959 NDH: 10/1944-11/1944
used korps or army
Feldpostamt
13)
22.Infanterie-Division, Kommando Fp. 18049 NDH: 12/1944-05/1945
FpA-22-Fp.14928 ,
Kenn 434 , zw 148(1945)
14) 41.
Festungs-Division, Kommando Fp.02445 NDH 12/1944-05/1945
FpA-141-Fp.08133
,Kenn 342, zw 363(1944), zw 256(1945)
15) 42.
Jäger-Division( until 22.12.1943 187.Reserve-Division) Kommando
Fp.48500
NDH 12/1942-06/1944
. As 187 res.div uses XV-Gebirgkorps Feldpostamt until 12.1943 or
uses FpA.530. Kenn 176
from 12.1943 uses
own FpA-142-Fp.59937 ,Kenn: 412, zw 583(1943),
16) 71.
Infanterie-Division Kommando Fp.31001 NDH: 09/1943-01/1944
FpA-171-Fp.31779 ,
Kenn 234 ,zw376(1943)
17) 98.
Infanterie-Division Kommando Fp.18758 NDH: 06/1944 -08/1944
FpA-198-Fp.09806,
Kenn-469
18) 100.
Jäger-Division Kommando Fp.24944 NDH: 07/1943-08/1943
FpA-100-Fp.01230,
Kenn 621
19)
104.Jäger-Division(until 12.02.1943 704.Inf-Div) Kommando Fp.40056
NDH:01/1945-05.1945
FpA-104-Fp.45830,
Kenn 543, zw 363(1943)
20)
114.Jäger-Division(until 01.04.1943 714.Inf-Div)Kommando Fp.40145
NDH:06/1942-02/1944
FpA-114-Fp.47701,
Kenn 418, zw 182(1943)
21)
117.Jäger-Division ( until 01.04.1943 717.Infanterie-Division)
Kommando Fp.40028
NDH 2 puta :
11/1942-04/1943 i 11/1944-04/1945
FpA-117-Fp46241,Kenn
724, zw 363 (1943)
22)
118.Jäger-Division(until 01.04.1943 -718.Inf-Div) Fp-40066 NDH:
05/1941-12/1944, 3-4.1945
FpA-118-Fp.43794,
Kenn 367, zw 622(1943)
23) 162.
(Turkestanisch) Infanterie-Division. Kommando Fp.00865 NDH:
10/1943-11/1943
FpA-936-Fp.56956,
Kenn 481
24)
173.Reserve-Division Kommando Fp.56380 NDH: 07/1943-01/1944
used korps or army
Feldpostamt
25)
181.Infanterie-Division KommandoFp.00435 NDH 2 puta: 10/1943-02/1944
i 04/1945-05/1945
FpA-222-Fp.30632,
Kenn 199 , zw 358,392, 979
26) 188.
Reserve-Gebirgs-Division Kommando Fp.02725 NDH: 02/1944-04/1944
,Istra 08/1944-05/1945
FpA-1088-Fp.06680,
Kenn 683
27) 237.
Infanterie-Division Kommando Fp.26040 NDH 04/1945-05/1945 , Istra
08/1944-05/1945
FpA-237-Fp.37380,
Kenn 450
28) 264.
Infanterie-Division Kommando Fp.56660 NDH: 10/1943-01/1945
FpA-264-Fp.56480,
Kenn 540, zw591(193)
29) 297.
Infanterie-Division Kommando Fp.20531 NDH: 12/1944-04/1945
FpA-297-Fp.47250,
Kenn 308 zw177, 621
30) 342.
Infanterie-Division , Kommando Fp.???? NDH: 01/1942-02/1942 fp47473
FpA-342-Fp.47982
Kenn 655
31) 367.
Infanterie-Division Kommando Fp.00608 NDH: 11/1943-03/1944
FpA-367-Fp.33500,
Kenn 863
32) 369.
Infanterie-Division (kroat.) Fp-see separate article NDH:
12/1942-05/1945
FpA-369-Fp.29706
Kenn 965, zw Kenn 622(1943), Kenn 203(1944)
33)
371.Infanterie-Division Kommando Fp.43900 NDH: 11/1943-01/1944
FpA-369-Fp.39388
Kenn637
34) 373.
Infanterie-Division (kroat.) Fp- see separate article NDH:
05/1943-05/1945
FpA-373-Fp.07103
Kenn 349, zw Kenn 196 (1943)
35) 392.
Infanterie-Division (kroat.) Fp- see separate article: 01/1944-05/1945
FpA-392-Fp.01615
Kenn 771
36)
Panzer-Grenadier-Division "Brandenburg " Kommando Fp.05411
NDH 11/1944
FpA-800-Fp.03431
Kenn 974
37) Division
Bottcher Fp-----? NDH 9/1944-11/1944
(improvised divison
formed 9.1944, dissolved 02.11.1944 , Fp. and Kenn number probably
never assigned)
38) Division Stephan
(Geiger) Kommando Fp.45285 NDH 11/1944-05/1945
improvised divison
(Divisionsstab z.b.V. Stephan later Geiger) formed 11.1944, Fp. and
Kenn number probably never assigned)
39) 278.
Infanterie-Division,Kommando Fp.08176 03-04mj.1944 in Istra
FpA-878-Fp.45425
Kenn 735 ,zw 464(1944)
40) 24.Panzer
Division .Kommando Fp.25898 10/1943 in Istra
FpA-40-Fp.40300,
Kenn 184
41)
44.Reichsgrenadier-Div.Hoch-und Deutschmeister Kommando Fp.26574
10-11.1943 in Istra
FpA-44-Fp.41606,
Kenn 197
42) 31.SS Division (Lombard, Batschka) Kommando Fp.19970 11.1944 in Baranja
FpA-31.SS-Fp.27578,
Kenn 709
Independent
brigades in NDH :
1) 4.
SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Brigade "Nederland" in NDH:
12.08.1943- until 12.1943.
Fp.57720: Kommando
SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Brigade Nederland
FpA-54.SS-Fp.56655 ,
Kenn 665
2) Festungs-Brigades
reteating from Greece were fighting in Croatia from 2.1945-05.1945
Festungs-Brigade
963-"Klotz" Fp.40333
Festungs-Brigade
964: Fp.36047
Festungs-Brigade
966: Fp.56220
Festungs-Brigade
967: Fp.58050
Festungs-Brigade
969: Fp.40718
Festungs-Brigade
1017: Fp.05277
3) Sturm-Brigade
Südost in NDH 1-5.1945 , two origins are possible for this brigade:
a) unit was built
from "Kampfgruppe Engelbrecht" (made out of the german
Ausbildungs-Bataillone bei der kroatischen Wehrmacht); Fp.-Nr. 02873,
04450, 05173 and 07571 (see text about Kroatische Ausbildungs Brigade
)
b) ? unit was made
from or become part of Kampfgruppe Fischer
Fp.05437
(7.11.1944-Kriegsende) Stab Kampfgruppe Fischer.
Fp.07856 (16.3.1944)
Stab, 1. Kompanie u. 1. Batterie Kampfgruppe Fischer,
