Army Group Spree

German unit histories, lineages, OoBs, ToEs, commanders, fieldpost numbers, organization, etc.

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AHK
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Posts: 327
Joined: Sun Sep 29, 2002 9:57 am
Location: NEW ORLEANS

Army Group Spree

Post by AHK »

In "The Fall of Berlin 1945" by Antony Beevor; he mentions this unit, but no OB is listed. Can anyone help?
Thanks
AHK
Doug Batson
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Posts: 40
Joined: Fri Sep 27, 2002 6:48 am
Location: Parsippany, NJ USA

Armee Detachment Spree

Post by Doug Batson »

Hi,

Here is what I have on this formation.

Doug



On 23 April 1945, just as the Russians were at the very gates of the Berlin, GenLt Hellmuth Reymann was relieved of his post as Commander of Fortress Berlin and appointed commander of Army Detachment Spree in the Potsdam area. This formation consisted of one under strength division (Division Jahn, a unit still in process of being formed out of Labor Service components). This force was committed to action along a 40 kilometer front facing south on either side of Berlin. His removal from Berlin was obviously ordered at the insistance of Goebbels whose initially favorable attitude toward Reymann had radically altered. When Generaloberst Heinrici, to whom Berlin was at this time subordinate, learned of the change, he ordered Reymann to remain at his post because it seemed to him foolhardy to change commanders at a time when the danger was most acute. He was not able to make his orders prevail, however, and Reymann took over command of "Armeeabteilung Spree" and, with part of this force, he was driven back to Potsdam and surrounded. His force, numbering some 20,000 men was eventually evacuated through a narrow corridor which was held open by the 12th Army.
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