About this Unit
The 6th Army is most famously known as a field army of the German Wehrmacht during World War II. Formed in 1939, it participated in the invasions of Poland and France before being transferred to the Eastern Front. The 6th Army became notorious for its involvement in the Battle of Stalingrad (1942-1943), where it was encircled and ultimately destroyed by the Soviet Red Army in one of the war's most decisive turning points. The name was later reconstituted for a new formation, but it never regained its former strength or reputation.
Historical Facts
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Formation and Early Role: The German 6th Army was formed in October 1939, initially intended for operations in the west, and later became one of the most famous (and notorious) German field armies of World War II.
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Commanded by Friedrich Paulus: Its most famous commander was General Friedrich Paulus, who led the 6th Army during the Battle of Stalingrad.
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Invasion of France and the Soviet Union: The 6th Army took part in the invasion of France in 1940, and later played a crucial role in Operation Barbarossa, the 1941 German invasion of the Soviet Union.
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Battle of Stalingrad: The 6th Army is best known for its involvement in the Battle of Stalingrad (August 1942 – February 1943), one of the bloodiest battles in history.
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Encirclement and Surrender: In November 1942, Soviet forces encircled the 6th Army in Stalingrad (Operation Uranus), cutting it off from supplies. General Paulus surrendered on 2 February 1943; over 90,000 German soldiers were taken prisoner, of whom only about 5,000 returned to Germany after the war.
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First Field Marshal to Surrender: Adolf Hitler promoted Paulus to Field Marshal on 30 January 1943, expecting him to commit suicide rather than surrender, as no German field marshal had ever been captured alive. Paulus chose to surrender, defying Hitler's expectations.
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Impact on German Morale: The loss of the 6th Army at Stalingrad was a major psychological blow to Nazi Germany and marked a turning point in the war on the Eastern Front.
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Reformation and Later Actions: The 6th Army was reformed in March 1943 and participated in subsequent operations in Ukraine, Hungary, and Austria before surrendering to Soviet forces in May 1945.
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Paulus’s Later Life: After his capture, Friedrich Paulus became a vocal critic of the Nazi regime and later testified at the Nuremberg Trials against other German officers.
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Legacy: The story of the 6th Army, especially its fate at Stalingrad, has been depicted in numerous books, films, and documentaries, symbolizing both the destructiveness of total war and the turning of the tide against Nazi Germany.
