The German Fifth Army was a field army of Imperial Germany during World War I and World War II.
World War I
In August of 1914 the command of Fifth Army was assigned to Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany, heir to the Hohenzollern throne, with General Schmidt von Knobelsdorf serving as his Chief of Staff, and would remain thus until late 1916. The opening hostilities on the Western Front saw the Crown Prince's Fifth Army, along with the neighboring German Fourth Army (commanded by Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg), acting at the center of the Schlieffen plan attack into Belgium and France. On 21 August, 1914, in what became known as the Battle of the Ardennes, German Fourth and Fifth Armies advanced into the Ardennes to counter a thrust by the French Third and Fourth Armies. Over the next two days Fifth Army played a major part in halting the opposing French forces. By 23 August, after taking heavy losses and being outmaneuvered strategically, the two French armies were driven into retreat. Following the German Fifth Army's victory in the Battle of the Ardennes it moved to Verdun, where it would remain until 1918. In February of 1916 the Crown Prince’s Fifth Army would launch Operation Gericht, the German offensive that kicked off the Battle of Verdun, one of the bloodiest and longest battles in history. Late in 1916, after suffering terrible losses in its efforts at Verdun, General Max von Gallwitz assumed control of Fifth Army. Before the close of the war Fifth Army fought in several noteworthy actions, including the Battle of Saint-Mihiel, in September of 1918, when it clashed with the American Expeditionary Force Under John J. Pershing.
World War II
The Fifth Army (German: 5.Armee Oberkommando) was activated on August 25, 1939 with General Kurt Liebmann in command. It acted in defence of the Siegfried Line in the west before seeing operations in Poland. It acted as an occupied security force before disbanding on the Polish surrender.
Commanders
- General Kurt Liebmann (August 25 1939 - November 4 1939)
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