| 2. Armee 2nd Army | |
|---|---|
 Flag of the Staff of an Armee Oberkommando (1871–1918) | |
| Active | 2 August 1914 – 13 January 1919 |
| Country |  German Empire |
| Type | Army |
| Engagements | World War I |
| Insignia | |
| Abbreviation | A.O.K. 2 |
The 2nd Army (German : 2. Armee / Armeeoberkommando 2 / A.O.K. 2) was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 from the III Army Inspection. [1] The army was disbanded in 1919 during demobilization after the war. [2]
The 2nd Army during World War I, fought on the Western Front and took part in the Schlieffen Plan offensive against France and Belgium in August 1914. Commanded by General Karl von Bülow, the 2nd Army's mission was to support the 1st Army's sweep around the left flank of the French Army and encircle Paris, bringing a rapid conclusion to the war. The 2nd Army laid siege to, and took the Belgian fortresses around Namur, and fought General Charles Lanrezac's French 5th Army at the Battle of Charleroi on 23–24 August 1914 and again at St. Quentin on 29–30 August 1914.
2nd Army bore the brunt of the Allied attack in the Battle of the Somme. It had grown to such an extent that a decision was made to split it into two still-powerful armies. Therefore, 1st Army was reformed on 19 July 1916 from the right (northern) wing of the 2nd Army. The former commander of 2nd Army, General der Infanterie Fritz von Below, took command of 1st Army and 2nd Army got a new commander General der Artillerie Max von Gallwitz. Von Gallwitz was also installed as commander of Heeresgruppe Gallwitz – Somme to co-ordinate the actions of both armies on the Somme. [3]
A large proportion of the Army would be wiped out during the joint Anglo-French offensive on the Somme.
At the end of the war it was serving as part of Heeresgruppe Kronprinz Rupprecht . [4]
By the end of the war, the 2nd Army was organised as:
| Army | Corps | Division |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd Army | 54th Corps (z.b.V.) | 21st Reserve Division |
| 22nd Division | ||
| 4th Division | ||
| 113th Division | ||
| 239th Division | ||
| 12th Reserve Division | ||
| Jäger Division | ||
| 185th Division | ||
| IV Reserve Corps | 14th Division | |
| 58th Division | ||
| 18th Reserve Division | ||
| 30th Division | ||
| 44th Reserve Division | ||
| 51st Corps (z.b.V.) | 2nd Cyclist Brigade | |
| 243rd Division | ||
| 121st Division | ||
| 54th Division | ||
| 1st Guards Reserve Division | ||
| 22nd Reserve Division | ||
| Under Army command | 17th Reserve Division | |
The 2nd Army had the following commanders during its existence. [6]
| From | Commander | Previously | Subsequently, |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 August 1914 | Generaloberst Karl von Bülow | III Army Inspectorate (III. Armee-Inspektion) | Heart attack, retired |
| 27 January 1915 | Generalfeldmarschall Karl von Bülow | ||
| 4 April 1915 | General der Infanterie Fritz von Below | XXI Corps | 1st Army |
| 19 July 1916 | General der Artillerie Max von Gallwitz | Attack Group West | 5th Army |
| 17 December 1916 | General der Kavallerie Georg von der Marwitz | VI Corps | 5th Army |
| 22 September 1918 | General der Infanterie Adolph von Carlowitz | 9th Army |
Fritz Theodor Carl von Below was a Prussian general in the German Army during the First World War. He commanded troops during the Battle of the Somme, the Second Battle of the Aisne, and the German spring offensive in 1918.
The IV Army Corps / IV AK was a corps level command of the Prussian and then the Imperial German Armies from the 19th Century to World War I.
The XII Army Corps / XII AK was a Saxon corps level command of the Saxon and German Armies before and during World War I.
The 1st Army was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 from the VIII Army Inspectorate. The army was dissolved on 17 September 1915, but reformed on 19 July 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. It was finally disbanded in 1919 during demobilization after the war.
The 3rd Army was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 seemingly from the II Army Inspectorate. The army was disbanded in 1919 during demobilization after the war.
The 4th Army was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilisation in August 1914 from the VI Army Inspection. The army was disbanded in 1919 during demobilization after the war.
The 5th Army was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 seemingly from the VII Army Inspection. The army was disbanded in 1919 during demobilization after the war.
The 7th Army was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 from the II Army Inspection. The army was disbanded in 1919 during demobilization after the war.
The 6th Army was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 from the IV Army Inspectorate. The army was disbanded in 1919 during demobilization after the war.
The 12th Army was an army level command of the German Army in World War I formed in August 1915 by the redesignation of Armee-Gruppe Gallwitz. It served exclusively on the Eastern Front and was dissolved on 9 October 1916 when its commander, General der Infanterie Max von Fabeck, was transferred to 8th Army.
The 18th Army was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed against France on 27 December 1917 from the former Heeresgruppe Woyrsch command. It served exclusively on the Western Front and was dissolved on 2 January 1919.
Armee-Abteilung Strantz / Armee-Abteilung C was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It served on the Western Front throughout its existence.
Armee-Abteilung Gaede / Armee-Abteilung B was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It served on the Western Front throughout its existence and formed the extreme left wing.
Armee-Abteilung Falkenhausen / Armee-Abteilung A was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It served on the left (southern) wing of the Western Front throughout its existence.
The Guards Reserve Corps was a corps level command of the German Army in World War I.
The XII Reserve Corps was a corps level command of the German Army in World War I.
The V Reserve Corps was a corps level command of the German Army in World War I.
The XXI Army Corps / XXI AK was a corps level command of the German Army, before and during World War I.
The VII Army Corps / VII AK was a corps level command of the Prussian and then the Imperial German Armies from the 19th Century to World War I.
The V Army Corps / V AK was a corps level command of the Prussian and then the Imperial German Armies from the 19th century to World War I.
