The XXXXI Panzerkorps was formed in July 1942 when XXXXI Armeekorps was redesignated. It fought at Bely, in the anti-partisan operations at Nikitinka, Yartsevo, Vyazma and Dukhovshchina. It fought at Smolensk, Kromy and Bryansk in March 1943 and Sevsk, Trubchersk and Ponyri in April 1943. It later fought at Kursk 1943, it was nearly destroyed at Bobruisk in June 1944 and after rebuilting it fought the soviet counter-offensive withdrawing to East Prussia. It remained there until March 1945 when it was sent to the Havel where it surrendered to the western Allies at the end of the war.

Commanders

General der Panzertruppen Josef Harpe (10 July 1942 - 15 Oct 1943)
General der Artillerie Helmuth Weidling (15 Oct 1943 - 31 Jan 1944)
Generalleutnant Ehrenfried Boege (01 Feb 1944 - 10 Mar 1944) i.V.
General der Artillerie Helmuth Weidling (11 Mar 1944 - 20 Jun 1944)
Generalleutnant Edmund Hoffmeister (20 June 1944 - 1 July 1944) m.d.F.b. (1)
General der Artillerie Helmuth Weidling (01 July 1944 - 20 Jul 1944)
[Reformed]
General der Artillerie Helmuth Weidling (13 Aug 1944 - 10 Apr 1945)
Generalleutnant Wend von Wietersheim (10 Apr 1945 - 19 Apr 1945) (2)
Generalleutnant Rudolf Holste (19 Apr 1945 - 8 May 1945) m.d.F.b.

Area of operations

Eastern front, central sector (July 1942 - Dec 1944)
East Prussia (Dec 1944 - Mar 1945)
Berlin (Mar 1945 - May 1945)

Order of battle

Arko 441
Korps-Nachrichten Abteilung 441
Korps-Nachschub Truppen 441
Ost-Bataillon 441
Schwere Granatwerfer Bataillon 441

Footnotes

1. Generalleutnant Edmund Hoffmeister captured near Svisloch.
2. Generalleutnant Wend von Wietersheim was unable to undertake the command.

Sources used

Microfilm Publication A-3356, German Officer Personnel files, NARA
Roger James Bender & Warren W Odegard - Uniforms, Organization and History of the Panzertruppe
Dermot Bradley, Karl-Friedrich Hildebrand, Markus Rövekamp - Die Generale des Heeres 1921-1945
François de Lannoy & Josef Charita - Panzertruppen: German armored troops 1935-1945
Wolf Keilig - Die Generale des Heeres
Andris Kursietis - Die Wehrmacht at War 1939-1945
French MacLean - The Unknown Generals, German Corps Commanders of WWII
Kurt Mehner - Die Deutsche Wehrmacht 1939-1945: Führung und Truppe
Samuel W. Mitcham, Jr - The Panzer Legions: A Guide to the German Army Tank Divisions of World War II and Their Commanders
Friedrich Wilhelm Von Mellenthin - German Generals of WWII
Samuel W. Mitcham, Jr - The Panzer Legions: A Guide to the German Army Tank Divisions of World War II and Their Commanders
Georg Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht 1933-1945
Günter Wegmann & Christian Zweng - Formationsgeschichte u. Stellenbesetzung der deutschen Streitkräfte, 1815 - 1990, Teile IV, Abt. 1:  Die Dienststellen, Kommandobehörden u. Truppenteile des Heeres, Oct.35 - May.45

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -