German Feldpost in NDH

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,