Kampfgruppe 'Kempf'

[Kev]

Hi,
Can anyone tell me where I can find any information on Kampfgruppe 'Kempf' from Jan - Dec 1943, especially its participation at Kursk.
I am particularly interested in the deployment/participation of the infantry units. (320 Inf Div).
I can't find any German maps covering this.

Thanks.
Regards,
Kev

[Ronald Lameck]

All of this comes from memory, so it may be a bit thin on detail:
If you can find the old Ballantine Books "Kursk" by Geoffrey Jukes (printed c. 1970), he identifies "Operational Group Kempf" in the area of the middle Donets R. from Kharkov in Jan. 1943. Thrown into the nearly 240 m. wide breech made by the Soviet offensive of 13 Jan. that ultimately destroyed 2d Hungarian and 8th Italian armies, it provided flank support for the counter-attack by S.S. Armoured Corps that re-captured Kharkov and created the Kursk Salient.
By the time of the July Kursk battles, it was enlarged to "Army Detachment Kempf," with one armoured and two infantry corps. At that time, it included (at least) 6, 7 & 19 Armoured and 57, 255, & 332 Infantry divisions. It was given 3 Armoured division in August. It was
apparently re-designated as 8th Army late in 1943 and spent the duration of the war in the south of the German east front forces. It finally surrendered to U.S. 7th Army in Austria in May 1945.

[Ronald Lameck]

P.S.: I think the Ballantine series was published in the U.K. by Parnell. Also find scant mention in "Kursk: The Clash of Armour" by Martin Caidin and "History of the Second World War" by Capt. B.H. Liddell Hart - both published c. 1970 and in "Lost Victories" by Field-Marshal Erich Manstein (c. 1958)

[Alanmccoubrey]

Kev, You might have more luck searching the web if you call it "Armeeabteilung Kempf". As far as books go, try Zetterling and Frankson's "Kursk 1943", CASS 2000, for a detailed breakdown of its organisation.

[Kev]

Thanks Ronald and Alan for your info, it has given me a wide range of books etc.,to look for.

Regards
Kev