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The
8th Army was a
World War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
field army.
World War I
At the outbreak of World War I, the 8. Armee was stationed in
East PrussiaEast Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
to defend against the expected Russian attack, Plan XIX. After the scrappy
Battle of GumbinnenThe Battle of Gumbinnen, initiated by forces of the German Empire on August 20, 1914, was the first major German offensive on the Eastern Front during the First World War...
, 8. Armee commander Generaloberst
Maximilian von PrittwitzMaximillion Von Prittwitz was a German General.-Family:Prittwitz came from an extremely old aristocratic Silesian family in Bernstadt...
ordered a retreat. This movement resulted in his replacement by
GeneralfeldmarschallField Marshal or Generalfeldmarschall in German, was a rank in the armies of several German states and the Holy Roman Empire; in the Austrian Empire, the rank Feldmarschall was used...
Paul von HindenburgPaul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg , known universally as Paul von Hindenburg was a Prussian-German field marshal, statesman, and politician, and served as the second President of Germany from 1925 to 1934....
, with
Erich LudendorffErich Friedrich Wilhelm Ludendorff was a German general, victor of Liège and of the Battle of Tannenberg...
as the Army's chief of Staff.
Under its new command, the Army was responsible for the victories at the
Battle of Tannenberg (1914)The Battle of Tannenberg was an engagement between the Russian Empire and the German Empire in the first days of World War I. It was fought by the Russian First and Second Armies against the German Eighth Army between 23 August and 30 August 1914. The battle resulted in the almost complete...
and the
Battle of the Masurian LakesDuring World War I, there was:* First Battle of the Masurian Lakes, September 1914* Second Battle of the Masurian Lakes, February 1915...
.
Commanders
- Maximilian von Prittwitz
Maximillion Von Prittwitz was a German General.-Family:Prittwitz came from an extremely old aristocratic Silesian family in Bernstadt...
(1913-1914)
- Paul von Hindenburg
Paul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg , known universally as Paul von Hindenburg was a Prussian-German field marshal, statesman, and politician, and served as the second President of Germany from 1925 to 1934....
(1914)
- Fritz von Below
Fritz Wilhelm Theodor Karl von Below was a Prussian general in the German Army during the First World War.-Biography:...
(1914-1916)
- Günther von Kirchbach
Günther Emanuel Graf von Kirchbach was a German colonel general who served during the First World War.Günther von Kirchbach was born in Erfurt in 1850 the son of Hugo von Kirchbach. Von Kirchbach entered the Prussian army in April 1868 as a second lieutenant in the Garde-Füsilier-Regiment. He...
(1917-1918)
- Hugo von Kathen
Hugo Karl Gottlieb von Kathen was a German infantry general during World War I.- Family :Kathen was born in Freienwalde, Farther Pomerania to the Prussian Major Karl von Kathen , a landowner from Langenhaken in Pomerania, and Agnes née Schumann...
(1918)
World War II
The 8th Army was activated on August 1, 1939 with General
Johannes BlaskowitzJohannes Albrecht Blaskowitz was a German general during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
in command. First seeing service in Poland participated in heavy fights during Battle of Bzura, the army was later reorganised into the 2nd Army for the invasion of France, before later being reactivated as being part of the Ostfront in Russia. The army was involved in the defence of
HungaryHungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
and
AustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
before finally surrendering.
Commanders
- General Johannes Blaskowitz
Johannes Albrecht Blaskowitz was a German general during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
(August 1, 1939 - October 20, 1939)
- General der Infanterie Otto Wöhler
Otto Wöhler was a German general of infantry, serving during World War I and World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves...
(August 22, 1943 - December 27, 1944)
- General Hans Kreysing
Hans Kreysing was a German general who commanded the 3. Gebirgs-Division. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
(December 28, 1944 - May 8, 1945)