VI Army Corps (Germany)

The VI Corps (, or VI.AK) was an infantry corps in the German Army. It fought in several notable actions during World War II.

The corps was originally formed around the 6th Division of the Reichswehr in October 1934 in Münster.

Wartime service

1940

Organisation (June 1940): 15th and 205th Infantry Divisions

Under the command of Otto-Wilhelm Förster, the Corps took part in the Nazi Invasion of France, when it was part of the Twelfth Army of Army Group A. For the remainder of the year it was stationed on the coast as part of the occupation forces.

1941, 1942

Organisation (January 1942): 6th, 26th, 110th, 161st and 256th Infantry Divisions; 1st Panzer Division; heavy artillery, Nebelwerfer, anti-tank and pioneer detachments

In Operation Barbarossa, the VI Corps became part of Army Group Centre, to which it remained attached until the very final period of the war. As part of the Ninth Army, it took part in the costly series of battles in the Rzhev salient throughout 1942.

War crimes

During the fighting in the Rzhev salient, the civilian population of the area suffered greatly from starvation, partly due to the requisition of stocks by the Wehrmacht, and disease. Many civilians were also deported as forced labour; between May and July 1942 alone VI Corps itself deported over 4,000 civilians in this manner.

The town of Rzhev lost 93% of its population in just thirteen months.

1943

Organisation (November 1943):14th,...
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