View source for Panzer Army Africa

{{Short description|German-Italian field army in North Africa during WWII}}
{{Redirect|Panzer Armee Afrika|the wargame|Panzer Armee Afrika (board game)}}
{{more footnotes|date=March 2013}}

The '''Panzerarmee Afrika''', referred to as '''Gruppo Corazzato Africa''' in [[Fascist Italy|Italy]], was a combined German-Italian [[field army]] that fought in the [[North African campaign]] during [[World War II]]. It consisted of one German corps and three Italian corps in the unit. As of 1943 the new command structure, the ''Army Group Africa'', consisted of the German [[5th Panzer Army|5th Army]] and the Italian [[Italian 1st Army|1st Army]]. During the campaigns in North Africa the unit was under the Italian chain of command.
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name          = {{lang|de|Panzerarmee Afrika}}/{{lang|it|Gruppo Corazzato Africa}}
| image                         = 
| image_size                    =
| dates                         = 15 August 1941 – 13 May 1943
| country                       = {{flagcountry|Nazi Germany}}<br>{{flagcountry|Fascist Italy}}
| branch                        =[[File:Heer - decal for helmet 1942.svg|16px]] [[German Army (Wehrmacht)|Heer]] ([[File:Balkenkreuz.svg|16px]] [[Wehrmacht]])<br>{{army|Kingdom of Italy}}
| type                          = [[Field army]]
| role                          = [[Desert warfare]]<br>[[Expeditionary warfare]]<br>[[Tank warfare]]
| battles                       = {{tree list}}
*[[North African campaign]]
** [[Western Desert campaign]]
** [[Tunisian campaign]]
{{tree list/end}}
| size                          =
| command_structure             = [[Comando Supremo]]<br>[[Oberbefehlshaber Süd]]
| past_commanders               = 
| notable_commanders            = [[Erwin Rommel]]<br />[[Georg Stumme]]<br />[[Hans-Jürgen von Arnim]]<br />[[Giovanni Messe]]}}

==History==
===Panzer Group Africa===
When the ''[[Afrikakorps]]'' was formed on 11 January 1941 it was subordinated to the Italian chain of command in Africa. In the middle of 1941 the [[Oberkommando der Wehrmacht]] (OKW, Armed Forces High Command) created a larger command structure in Africa, forming a new headquarters, '''Panzer Group Africa''' ({{lang|de|Panzergruppe Afrika}}, {{lang|it|Gruppo Corazzato Africa}}). On 15 August 1941, Panzer Group Africa was activated with newly promoted {{lang|de|[[General der Panzertruppe]]}} [[Erwin Rommel]] in command. The Panzer Group controlled the {{lang|de|Afrikakorps}} and other units that were sent to North Africa.

===Panzer Army Africa===
Panzer Group Africa was renamed '''Panzer Army Africa''' ({{lang|de|Panzerarmee Afrika}}, {{lang|it|Armata Corazzata Africa}}) on 30 January 1942. (A German Panzer group was an army-level headquarters. As the war progressed all of the Panzer groups were renamed Panzer Armies.)

===German-Italian Panzer Army===
Panzer Army Africa was renamed ''German-Italian Panzer Army''' ({{lang|de|Deutsch-Italienische Panzerarmee}}, {{lang|it|Armata Corazzata Italo-Tedesca}}) and subordinated to the [[Comando Supremo]] and to the [[Oberbefehlshaber Süd]] in October 1942 during the long retreat after the defeat at the [[Second Battle of El Alamein]] during the [[Western Desert Campaign]].

===Army Group Africa===
In February 1943, the headquarters was expanded and called '''Army Group Africa''' ({{lang|de|Heeresgruppe Afrika}}, {{lang|it|Gruppo d'Armate Africa}}) to manage the defence of [[Tunisia]] during the final stages of the [[North African Campaign]]. Army Group Africa included the [[5th Panzer Army|German Fifth Panzer Army]] ({{lang|de|5. Panzerarmee}}) and the Italian [[1st Army (Italy)|1st Army]]. Command of the Army Group was turned over from [[Rommel]] to [[Hans-Jürgen von Arnim]] in March. He surrendered the Army Group on 13 May 1943, ending the Axis presence in Africa.

==Order of battle==

===Panzer Army Africa===
* During the Western Desert Campaign:
** [[Deutsches Afrikakorps]]
** [[XX Army Corps (Italy)|Italian XX Army Corps]]
** [[XXI Army Corps (Italy)|Italian XXI Army Corps]]
** [[X Army Corps (Italy)|Italian X Army Corps]]

===Army Group Africa===
* During the Tunisian Campaign:
** [[5th Panzer Army|German Fifth Army]]
** [[1st Army (Italy)|Italian First Army]]

==Commanders==
{{Officeholder table start
| showorder          = y
| showimage          = y
| officeholder_title = Commander
| showtermlenght     = y
| showparty          = n
| showdefencebranch  = n
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 1
| image             = Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1977-018-13A, Erwin Rommel(brighter).jpg
| military_rank     = ''Generaloberst''
| officeholder      = [[Erwin Rommel]]
| officeholder_sort = Rommel, Erwin
| born_year         = 1891
| died_year         = 1944
| term_start        = 1 September 1941
| term_end          = 9 March 1942
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1941|09|01|1942|03|09}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 2
| image             = Ludwig Cruwell.jpg
| military_rank     = ''General der Panzertruppe''
| officeholder      = [[Ludwig Crüwell]]
| officeholder_sort = Crüwell, Ludwig
| born_year         = 1892
| died_year         = 1958
| term_start        = 9 March 1942
| term_end          = 19 March 1942
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1942|03|09|1942|03|19}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 3
| image             = Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1977-018-13A, Erwin Rommel(brighter).jpg
| military_rank     = ''Generalfeldmarschall''
| officeholder      = [[Erwin Rommel]]
| officeholder_sort = Rommel, Erwin
| born_year         = 1891
| died_year         = 1944
| term_start        = 19 March 1942
| term_end          = 22 September 1942
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1942|03|19|1942|09|22}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 4
| image             = Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1980-009-34, Georg Stumme.jpg
| military_rank     = ''General der Panzertruppe''
| officeholder      = [[Georg Stumme]]
| officeholder_sort = Stumme, Georg
| born_year         = 1886
| died_year         = 1942
| died              = y
| term_start        = 22 September 1942
| term_end          = 24 October 1942
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1942|09|22|1942|10|24}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 5
| image             = Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1972-083-25, Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma.jpg
| military_rank     = ''Generalleutnant''
| officeholder      = [[Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma]]
| officeholder_sort = Thoma, Wilhelm
| born_year         = 1891
| died_year         = 1948
| term_start        = 24 October 1942
| term_end          = 25 October 1942
| acting            = y
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1942|10|24|1942|10|25}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 6
| image             = Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1977-018-13A, Erwin Rommel(brighter).jpg
| military_rank     = ''Generalfeldmarschall''
| officeholder      = [[Erwin Rommel]]
| officeholder_sort = Rommel, Erwin
| born_year         = 1891
| died_year         = 1944
| term_start        = 25 October 1942
| term_end          = 26 November 1942
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1942|10|25|1942|11|26}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 7
| image             = Gustav Fehn.jpg
| military_rank     = ''General der Panzertruppe''
| officeholder      = [[Gustav Fehn]]
| officeholder_sort = Fehn, Gustav
| born_year         = 1892
| died_year         = 1945
| term_start        = 26 November 1942
| term_end          = 2 December 1942
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1942|11|26|1942|12|02}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 8
| image             = Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1977-018-13A, Erwin Rommel(brighter).jpg
| military_rank     = ''Generalfeldmarschall''
| officeholder      = [[Erwin Rommel]]
| officeholder_sort = Rommel, Erwin
| born_year         = 1891
| died_year         = 1944
| term_start        = 2 December 1942
| term_end          = 22 February 1943
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1942|12|02|1943|02|22}}
}}
| {{Officeholder table
| order             = 9
| image             = Giovanni Messe.jpg
|military_rank      = ''Maresciallo d'Italia''
| officeholder      = [[Giovanni Messe]]{{efn|The German-Italian ''Panzerarmee Afrika'' was renamed Italian First Army by General Messe and was deployed in the Southern front in Tunisia and fought until May 1943.}}
| born_year         = 1883
| died_year         = 1968
| term_start        = 22 February 1943
| term_end          = 13 May 1943
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1943|02|22|1943|05|13}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 10
| image             = Jurgen von Arnim.jpg
| military_rank     = ''Generaloberst''
| officeholder      = [[Hans-Jürgen von Arnim]]
| officeholder_sort = Arnim, Hans
| born_year         = 1889
| died_year         = 1962
| term_start        = 10 March 1943
| term_end          = 13 May 1943
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1943|03|10|1943|05|13}}
}}
{{Officeholder table end}}

==See also==
* [[List of World War II military units of Germany]]
* [[List of Italian divisions in World War II]]
* [[Panzer Division]]
* {{lang|de|[[Fliegerführer Afrika]]}}
* [[Hans von Luck]]

==Footnotes==
{{notelist}}

{{Army Groups Germany}}
{{Armies of the German Army}}

[[Category:North African campaign]]
[[Category:Western Desert campaign]]
[[Category:German units in Africa]]
[[Category:Field armies of Italy in World War II]]
[[Category:Panzer armies of Germany in World War II|PA]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1941]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1943]]
[[Category:Army groups of the German Army in World War II]]