OB West

Oberbefehlshaber West (German: initials OB West), German for "Commander-in-Chief in the West") was the overall commander of the Westheer, the German armed forces on the Western Front during World War II. It was directly subordinate to the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (the German armed forces High Command). The area under the command of the OB West varied as the war progressed. At its farthest extent it reached the French Atlantic coast. By the end of World War II in Europe it was reduced to commanding troops in Bavaria.

Commanders

No.	Name	Took office	Left office	Time in office
1	Rundstedt, GerdGeneralfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt (1875–1953)	10 October 1940	1 April 1941	173 days
2	Witzleben, ErwinGeneralfeldmarschall Erwin von Witzleben (1881–1944)	1 May 1941	15 March 1942	348 days
(1)	Rundstedt, GerdGeneralfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt (1875–1953) ^[a]	15 March 1942	2 July 1944	2 years, 109 days
3	Kluge, GüntherGeneralfeldmarschall Günther von Kluge (1882–1944) ^[b]	2 July 1944	17 August 1944	46 days
–	Model, WalterGeneralfeldmarschall Walter Model (1891–1945) Acting ^[c]	17 August 1944	3 September 1944	17 days
(1)	Rundstedt, GerdGeneralfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt (1875–1953) ^[d]	3 September 1944	11 March 1945	189 days
4	Kesselring, AlbertGeneralfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring (1885–1960)	11 March 1945	22 April 1945	42 days

Order of battle from June 1944 to January 1945

OB West^{[citation needed]}
Army Group B			Panzer Group West	Army Group G		Army Group H		Army Group D
Seventh Army	Fifteenth Army	Sixth SS Panzer Army (Dec 1944-Jan 1945)	Fifth Panzer Army	First Army	Nineteenth Army	1st Parachute Army	25th Army	Structure of the OB West
LXXXIV Corps	LXXXVIII Corps	I SS Panzer Corps	I SS Panzer Corps	XII Corps	LXII Corps	II Parachute Corps	XXX Corps
II Parachute Corps	LXXXVIII Corps	II SS Panzer Corps	XLVII Panzer Corps	XXIV Corps	LXXXV Corps	LXXXVI Corps
LIII Corps (Dec 1944)	LXXXVI Corps	LXVII Corps	II SS Panzer Corps	XXIV Corps	LXXXV Corps	LXXXVI Corps

Notes

^ Officially reported as retiring due to age and ill-health.
^ Committed suicide on 19 August 1944 after being recalled to Berlin.
^ Temporary replacement, continued as commander of Army Group B.
^ Replaced after Allies crossed the Rhine.

References

Oberbefehlshaber West, German Army, 06.06.1944

[1] Officially reported as retiring due to age and ill-health.

[2] Committed suicide on 19 August 1944 after being recalled to Berlin.

[3] Temporary replacement, continued as commander of Army Group B.

[4] Replaced after Allies crossed the Rhine.

[a]

[b]

[c]

[d]