Frontaufklärungskommandos

[gruppe.drei]

Hello,
does anyone have any information about Frontaufklärungskommando (FAK)? (history, structure, order, missions...).

Thanx

[Heimatschuss]

Hello,

the Frontaufklärungskommandos were founded by the Abwehr before the attack on the Soviet Union to gather tactical intelligence. This was done for example by studying captured Soviet files and infiltrating enemy positions to a depth of about 50 km.
If you can read German a good introductory text on the Frontaufklärungskommandos is in

Heinz Höhne
Der Krieg im Dunkeln. Macht und Einfluß der deutschen und russischen Geheimdienste.
Bertelsmann Verlag, Gütersloh, 1985
p. 440-450

Best regards
Torsten

[Lorenz]

Hello,
does anyone have any information about Frontaufklärungskommando (FAK)? (history, structure, order, missions...).
Thanx

If you are limited to English, see:

Kahn, David. Hitler’s Spies: German Military Intelligence in World War II. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1978. ISBN: 0-02-560610-7. Hb. Dj. 671p. Illus. Footnotes. Bibliography. Index.

The term Abwehrkommando was changed to Frontaufklärungskommando and the term Abwehrtrupp was changed to Frontaufklärungstrupp in spring 1944. So you will find out a lot more about this organization and these units if you search using the term "Abwehr". There are quite a few books in both English and German on the subject.

--Lorenz