The 16th Army was a World War II

World War II

World 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

Field army

A Field Army, or Area Army, usually referred to simply as an Army, is a term used by many national military forces for a military formation superior to a corps and beneath an army group....

.

It took part in the Battle of France

Battle of France

In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...

. It was then deployed with Army Group North

Army Group North

Army Group North was a German strategic echelon formation commanding a grouping of Field Armies subordinated to the OKH during World War II. The army group coordinated the operations of attached separate army corps, reserve formations, rear services and logistics.- Formation :The Army Group North...

 during Operation Barbarossa

Operation Barbarossa

Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...

, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. It fought its way into northern Russia where in January 1942 it was encircled by the Soviets near Demyansk

Demyansk

Demyansk is an urban locality and the administrative center of Demyansky District of Novgorod Oblast, Russia, located along the Yavon River. Population:...

. Hitler forbade a withdrawal and the Army was re-supplied by air until a land corridor was opened in April 1942. It was subsequently involved in the siege of Leningrad

Siege of Leningrad

The Siege of Leningrad, also known as the Leningrad Blockade was a prolonged military operation resulting from the failure of the German Army Group North to capture Leningrad, now known as Saint Petersburg, in the Eastern Front theatre of World War II. It started on 8 September 1941, when the last...

. The Soviets relieved Leningrad in January 1944.

On February 19, 1944, the Soviet 2nd Baltic Front launched a fresh set of attacks against the German 16th Army around Kholm. The Soviet 22nd Army

22nd Army (Soviet Union)

The 22nd Army was a field army of the Russian Ground Forces, part of the Moscow Military District. It was active from 1941 to 2010. The order for the formation's dissolution was signed by the Minister of Defence on 1 July 2009....

 made good progress in the initial assault. These attacks greatly diminished the 16th Army. It, along with the 18th Army was cut off in the Courland peninsula when the Soviets launched their summer and autumn offensives of 1944. It stayed trapped there until the end of the war. After the war, 250,000 German troops trapped in the Courland pocket

Courland Pocket

The Courland Pocket referred to the Red Army's blockade or encirclement of Axis forces on the Courland peninsula during the closing months of World War II...

 were marched into captivity, many were never heard from again.

Commanders

Generalfeldmarschall Ernst Busch

Ernst Busch

Ernst Bernhard Wilhelm Busch was a German field marshal during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...

 22 October 1939 - 11 October 1943

General der Artillerie Christian Hansen

Christian Hansen (general)

Christian Hansen was a highly decorated General der Artillerie in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the 16. Armee. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful...

 11 October 1943 - 1 July 1944

General der Infanterie Paul Laux

Paul Laux

Paul Laux was a highly decorated General der Infanterie in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the 16. Armee He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...

 2 July 1944 - 30 August 1944

Generaloberst Carl Hilpert

Carl Hilpert

Carl Hilpert was an officer in the German Army during World War II.Hilpert was born in Nuremberg, Bavaria....

 3 September 1944 - 10 March 1945

General der Infanterie Ernst-Anton von Krosigk

Ernst-Anton von Krosigk

Ernst-Anton von Krosigk was a German general who from 1943 commanded the 1. Infanterie Division during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...

 10 March 1945 - 16 March 1945

General der Gebirgstruppen Friedrich-Jobst Volckamer von Kirchensittenbach

Friedrich-Jobst Volckamer von Kirchensittenbach

Friedrich-Jobst Volckamer von Kirchensittenbach was a highly decorated General der Gebirgstruppe in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the 16. Armee. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...

17 March 1945 - 10 May 1945