This table is a full overview of the German Army on 1 March 1939. At the time, due to the Polish land corridor at Gdansk, the German Army was divided into four administrative groups:

  • Field army in mainland Germany
  • Field army in East Prussia
  • Reserve army in mainland Germany
  • Reserve army in East Prussia

Soldiers

Unit Officers Civil servants Non-commissioned officers Privates Total
Germany East Prussia Germany East Prussia Germany East Prussia Germany East Prussia Germany East Prussia
Field army Reserve army Field army Reserve army Field army Reserve army Field army Reserve army Field army Reserve army Field army Reserve army Field army Reserve army Field army Reserve army Field army Reserve army Field army Reserve army
Higher command units 4 127 1 868 366 141 4 560 811 484 70 5 584 759 481 62 19 670 3 104 1 826 248 33 941 6 542 3 157 521
Guard units - 35 - - - 6 - - - 302 - - - 1 381 - - - 1 724 - -
Bridge guard units - 160 - - - - - - - 929 - - - 5 500 - - - 6 589 - -
Home guard units - 69 - - - 2 - - - 333 - - - 2 155 - - - 2 559 - -
Militia units - 5 292 - 261 - 287 - 14 - 22 554 - 1 104 - 149 359 - 7 321 - 177 492 - 8 700
Infantry 25 648 7 186 2 416 531 2 078 661 177 42 137 696 38 000 12 809 2 733 711 380 346 673 64 652 24 229 876 802 392 520 80 054 27 535
Cavalry and reconnaissance 1 879 686 269 67 226 95 28 7 8 666 2 826 1 334 265 49 670 22 435 7 701 2 185 60 441 26 042 9 332 2 524
Artillery 10 360 2 488 1 070 182 1 080 366 85 23 38 975 9 790 4 061 719 247 952 97 968 27 783 7 270 298 367 110 612 32 999 8 194
Artillery observation 896 201 82 27 70 29 6 3 2 963 876 277 116 16 867 5 806 1 601 836 20 796 6 912 1 966 982
Smoke mortars 57 25 - - 9 6 - - 330 129 - - 1 899 484 - - 2 295 644 - -
Decontamination companies 30 - - - - - - - 90 - - - 680 - - - 800 - - -
Artillery measuring units 252 - 28 - 9 - 1 - 495 - 55 - 1 539 - 171 - 2 295 - 255 -
Armored forces 931 241 30 5 168 130 6 - 5 277 1 584 167 24 16 472 6 884 516 170 22 848 8 839 719 199
Anti-tank units 2 164 310 186 23 336 62 27 4 12 613 2 131 1 100 153 52 108 12 709 4 675 961 67 221 15 212 5 988 1 141
Engineers 3 293 606 297 38 350 126 55 8 14 401 3 342 1 341 218 105 477 29 929 9 167 2 104 123 421 34 003 10 860 2 368
Road laying services 604 - 44 - 76 - 8 - 2 852 - 250 - 28 396 - 2 636 - 31 928 - 2 938 -
Construction units 5 290 120 1 335 - 901 24 156 - 27 200 540 6 523 - 316 160 6 744 70 634 - 349 551 7 428 78 648 -
Fortification engineer staff and telephone cable units 125 - 5 - 450 - 18 - 245 - 7 - 1 100 - 2 - 1 920 - 32 -
Signals units 2 827 918 218 55 1 017 123 102 5 14 085 3 545 1 064 213 72 381 22 118 5 335 1 379 90 310 26 704 6 719 1 652
Army transport centers 440 - 20 - 466 - 21 - 380 - 17 - 784 - 35 - 2 070 - 93 -
Transport services 288 - 21 - 39 - 4 - 1 335 - 88 - 7 908 - 530 - 9 570 - 643 -
Railroad units 381 - 29 - 65 - 4 - 2 321 - 113 - 12 438 - 752 - 15 205 - 898 -
Field replacement units 569 - 48 - 70 - 6 - 4 492 - 384 - 26 189 - 2 208 - 31 320 - 2 646 -
Experimental department for army motorization - 14 - - - 14 - - - 206 - - - 347 - - - 581 - -
Home motor district and pool - 238 - - - 396 - - - 732 - - - 3 374 - - - 4 740 - -
Border guards 2 445 - 362 - 296 - 44 - 8 871 - 1 310 - 71 503 - 10 021 - 83 115 - 11 737 -
Security crews 434 - - - 36 - - - 3 676 - - - 14 703 - - - 18 849 - - -
Supply services 4 287 693 475 37 1 344 47 88 3 16 823 4 385 1 950 232 121 740 42 798 13 254 2 137 144 194 47 923 15 767 2 409
Administrative services 426 - 34 - 1 396 1 681 106 - 3 904 - 296 - 22 376 1 287 1 589 - 28 102 2 968 2 025 -
Medical services 3 488 312 309 22 1 529 100 133 8 11 033 929 976 65 60 806 8 593 5 436 609 76 856 9 934 6 854 704
Veterinary services 1 079 196 134 11 231 54 34 3 4 006 1 180 491 30 34 261 5 308 4 182 365 39 577 6 738 4 841 409
Security service 1 054 - 95 - 242 - 22 - 9 393 - 817 - 11 009 - 966 - 21 698 - 1 900 -
Field post services - - - - 3 892 - 401 - - - - - - - - - 3 892 - 401 -
Army acceptance inspectorate - 750 - - - 752 - - - 3 609 - - - 2 156 - - - 7 267 - -
Fortification inspectorate 21 - - - 24 - - - 12 - - - 36 - - - 93 - - -
Armaments industry offices 46 - - 6 176 - - 9 915 - - 2 978 - - 10 2 115 - - 27
Prisoner of war camps - 166 - 14 - 330 - 33 - 241 - 23 - 548 - 61 - 1 285 - 131
Artillery schools - 31 - - - 12 - - - 41 - - - 121 - - - 205 - -
Weapons sergeant schools - 13 - - - 77 - - - 1 105 - - - 7 - - - 1 202 - -
Ordnance sergeant schools - 36 - - - 16 - - - 415 - - - 329 - - - 796 - -
Air defence schools - 6 - - - 4 - - - 23 - - - 50 - - - 83 - -
Total 73 441 22 660 7 873 1 420 21 136 6 211 2 016 232 338 633 100 506 35 911 5 959 2026 482 778 167 235 672 49 885 2459 592 907 544 281 472 57 496
96 101 9 293 27 347 2 248 439 139 41 870 2 804 649 285 557 3 367 136 338 968
105 394 29 595 481 009 3 090 206 3 706 104

Horses and Horse carts

Unit Horses Horse carts
Germany East Prussia Germany East Prussia
Field army Reserve army Field army Reserve army Field army Reserve army Field army Reserve army
Higher command units 530 140 28 2 - 15 - -
Guard units - - 46 - - - 60 -
Bridge guard units - - 92 - - - 46 -
Home guard units - - - - - - - -
Militia units - - - - - - - -
Infantry 171 429 18 030 25 701 2 017 50 848 6 009 7 417 677
Cavalry and reconnaissance 12 991 4 130 13 357 1 559 250 268 1 200 108
Artillery 166 819 25 109 19 054 1 609 21 567 4 057 1 701 187
Artillery observation - - - - - - - -
Smoke mortars - - - - - - - -
Decontamination companies - - - - - - - -
Artillery measuring units - - - - - - - -
Armored forces - - - - - - - -
Anti-tank units - - - - - - - -
Engineers 9 461 1 499 905 60 3 416 530 384 24
Road laying services 728 64 - - 364 32 - -
Construction units 7 719 1 721 84 - 3 479 789 24 -
Fortification engineer staff and telephone cable units - - - - - - - -
Signals units 4 654 541 1 181 52 612 75 136 6
Army transport centers - - - - - - - -
Transport services - - - - - - - -
Railroad units - - - - - - - -
Field replacement units 2 481 246 - - 825 102 - -
Experimental department for army motorization - - - - - - - -
Home motor district and pool - - - - - - - -
Border guards 3 614 480 - - 1 801 240 - -
Security crews 440 - - - 220 - - -
Supply services 30 666 8 432 8 824 710 13 090 3 508 2 967 240
Administrative services 2 270 595 - - 710 189 - -
Medical services 5 750 1 238 16 - 2 137 474 - -
Veterinary services 27 563 3 230 476 26 2 876 345 86 6
Security service 1 520 191 - - 576 80 - -
Field post services - - - - - - - -
Army acceptance inspectorate - - - - - - - -
Fortification inspectorate 24 - - - - - - -
Armaments industry offices - - - - - - - -
Prisoner of war camps - - 100 8 - - 30 -
Artillery schools - - 30 - - - - -
Weapons sergeant schools - - - - - - - -
Ordnance sergeant schools - - - - - - - -
Air defence schools - - 8 - - - - -
Total 448 659 65 646 69 902 6 043 102 771 16 713 14 051 1 248
514 305 75 945 119 484 15 299
590 250 134 783

Armored Vehicles

Unit Armored vehicles
Germany East Prussia
Field army Reserve army Field army Reserve army
Higher command units 7 - - -
Guard units - - - -
Bridge guard units - - - -
Home guard units - - - -
Militia units - - - -
Infantry 118 78 11 -
Cavalry and reconnaissance 945 - 154 7
Artillery - - - -
Artillery observation - - - -
Smoke mortars - - - -
Decontamination companies - - - -
Artillery measuring units - - - -
Armored forces 2 652 78 612 15
Anti-tank units 10 - 2 -
Engineers - - 10 -
Road laying services - - - -
Construction units - - - -
Fortification engineer staff and telephone cable units - - - -
Signals units 135 - - -
Army transport centers - - - -
Transport services - - - -
Railroad units - - - -
Field replacement units - - - -
Experimental department for army motorization - 20 - -
Home motor district and pool - - - -
Border guards - - - -
Security crews - - - -
Supply services - - - -
Administrative services - - - -
Medical services - - - -
Veterinary services - - - -
Security service - - - -
Field post services - - - -
Army acceptance inspectorate - - - -
Fortification inspectorate - - - -
Armaments industry offices - - - -
Prisoner of war camps - - - -
Artillery schools - - - -
Weapons sergeant schools - - - -
Ordnance sergeant schools - - - -
Air defence schools - - - -
Total 3 867 176 789 22
4 043 811
4 854

Cars, Trucks, and Motorcycles

Unit Cars Trucks Motorcycles Sidecars
Germany East Prussia Germany East Prussia Germany East Prussia Germany East Prussia
Field army Reserve army Field army Reserve army Field army Reserve army Field army Reserve army Field army Reserve army Field army Reserve army Field army Reserve army Field army Reserve army
Higher command units 2 331 329 214 29 2 258 74 182 6 6 417 149 606 17 303 126 20 6
Guard units - - - - - 13 - - - 11 - - - 3 - -
Bridge guard units - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Home guard units - - - - - - - - - 2 - - - 2 - -
Militia units - 84 - 6 - - - - - 371 - 20 - 287 - 14
Infantry 14 085 3 354 920 215 14 415 1 565 197 34 21 675 2 069 1 133 75 9 024 1 107 393 38
Cavalry and reconnaissance 1 916 403 203 35 3 307 189 331 12 6 619 955 629 67 4 375 577 407 40
Artillery 6 839 285 349 8 15 999 675 841 27 10 795 225 779 6 1 903 23 117 -
Artillery observation 2 635 539 237 67 1 995 389 197 54 844 161 82 20 146 45 14 6
Smoke mortars 120 38 - - 492 146 - - 177 37 - - 75 13 - -
Decontamination companies 30 - - - 140 - - - 20 - - - 10 - - -
Artillery measuring units 81 - 9 - 315 - 35 - 234 - 26 - 63 - 7 -
Armored forces 702 344 23 6 2 654 222 82 2 1 906 236 65 5 832 92 29 2
Anti-tank units 8 336 1 278 867 90 6 079 689 462 45 7 599 716 660 50 4 678 277 402 22
Engineers 2 233 117 148 8 9 954 219 645 14 5 536 208 388 14 2 642 91 183 6
Road laying services 152 - 10 - 792 - 60 - 436 - 32 - 140 - 10 -
Construction units 797 - 380 - 2 484 - 915 - 1 731 - 513 - 830 - 180 -
Fortification engineer staff and telephone cable units 79 - 3 - 27 - 1 - 70 - - - - - - -
Signals units 10 319 1 183 728 74 8 755 643 627 38 5 481 315 401 21 782 136 71 8
Army transport centers 116 - 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Transport services 702 - 51 - 2 772 - 178 - 1 068 - 76 - 285 - 18 -
Railroad units 90 - 5 - 217 - 13 - 116 - 6 - 104 - 5 -
Field replacement units 3 - - - 214 - - - 138 - 3 - 30 - - -
Experimental department for army motorization - 28 - - - 50 - - - 57 - - - 33 - -
Home motor district and pool - 108 - - - 114 - - - 130 - - - 92 - -
Border guards 1 227 - 151 - 392 - 44 - 2 647 - 355 - 1 370 - 189 -
Security crews 72 - - - 77 - - - 471 - - - 201 - - -
Supply services 2 431 682 137 26 19 164 2 736 661 100 6 274 4 418 392 165 3 502 487 124 18
Administrative services 516 193 32 - 3 232 700 125 - 1 006 44 44 - 336 - 13 -
Medical services 1 522 29 90 2 9 495 123 460 8 2 550 19 184 1 2 292 6 170 -
Veterinary services 215 18 28 1 2 213 151 282 10 855 16 110 1 360 - 44 -
Security service 1 270 - 106 - 596 - 38 - 3 262 - 291 - 1 397 - 124 -
Field post services 170 - 17 - 594 - 60 - 8 - 1 - 8 - 1 -
Army acceptance inspectorate - 80 - - - 57 - - - 32 - - - 32 - -
Fortification inspectorate 9 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Armaments industry offices 150 - - 4 72 - - - 57 - - - - - - -
Prisoner of war camps - 14 - 1 - 36 - 3 - 13 - 2 - - - -
Artillery schools - 5 - - - 15 - - - 3 - - - 1 - -
Weapons sergeant schools - 1 - - - 2 - - - 2 - - - - - -
Ordnance sergeant schools - 1 - - - 2 - - - 1 - - - - - -
Air defence schools - 5 - - - 5 - - - 4 - - - 1 - -
Total 59 148 9 118 4 712 572 108 704 8 815 6 436 353 87 992 10 194 6 776 464 35 688 3 431 2 521 160
68 266 5 284 117 519 6 789 98 186 7 240 39 119 2 681
73 550 124 308 105 426 41 800

Sources

  1. Zahlenangaben zum Mob. Heer 1939/40. Berlin : GenStdH/2. Abt, 1939. 62 p. Gen St d H/2. Abt. (III B) - Nr. 659/39 g.K.. NARA T78 R413 H 1/155.