The German Army (, 'army') is the land component of the armed forces of
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German together with the
''Marine'' (German Navy) and the
''Luftwaffe'' (German Air Force). , the German Army had a strength of 63,047 soldiers.
History
Overview
A German army equipped, organized, and trained following a single doctrine and permanently unified under one command was created in 1871 during the
unification of Germany
The unification of Germany (, ) was a process of building the first nation-state for Germans with federalism, federal features based on the concept of Lesser Germany (one without Habsburgs' multi-ethnic Austria or its German-speaking part). I ...
under the leadership of
Prussia
Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...
. From 1871 to 1919, the title ''
Deutsches Heer'' (German Army) was the official name of the German land forces. Following the German defeat in
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
and the end of the
German Empire
The German Empire (),; ; World Book, Inc. ''The World Book dictionary, Volume 1''. World Book, Inc., 2003. p. 572. States that Deutsches Reich translates as "German Realm" and was a former official name of Germany. also referred to as Imperia ...
, the main army was dissolved. From 1921 to 1935 the name of the German land forces was the ''
Reichsheer'' (Army of the Realm) and from 1935 to 1945 the name ''
Heer'' was used. The ''Heer'' was one of two ground forces of the Third Reich during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
but, unlike the ''Heer'', the ''
Waffen-SS
The (; ) was the military branch, combat branch of the Nazi Party's paramilitary ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) organisation. Its formations included men from Nazi Germany, along with Waffen-SS foreign volunteers and conscripts, volunteers and conscr ...
'' was not a branch of the ''
Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the German Army (1935–1945), ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmac ...
'' but was a combat force under the
Nazi Party
The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party ( or NSDAP), was a far-right politics, far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that created and supported the ideology of Nazism. Its precursor ...
's own ''
Schutzstaffel
The ''Schutzstaffel'' (; ; SS; also stylised with SS runes as ''ᛋᛋ'') was a major paramilitary organisation under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany, and later throughout German-occupied Europe during World War II.
It beg ...
'' (SS). The ''Heer'' was formally disbanded in August 1946.
After World War II, Germany was
divided into the
Federal Republic of Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen constituent states have a total population of over 84 ...
(West Germany) and the
German Democratic Republic
East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from Foundation of East Germany, its formation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on ...
(East Germany), which both formed their own armed forces: on 12 November 1955 the first recruits began their service in the West German ''Heer'', while on 1 March 1956 the East German ''
Landstreitkräfte der NVA'' (Land Forces of the National People's Army) were founded. During the Cold War, the West German Army was fully integrated into
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
's command structure while the ''Landstreitkräfte'' were part of the
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact (WP), formally the Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Mutual Assistance (TFCMA), was a Collective security#Collective defense, collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Polish People's Republic, Poland, between the Sovi ...
. Following the process of
German reunification
German reunification () was the process of re-establishing Germany as a single sovereign state, which began on 9 November 1989 and culminated on 3 October 1990 with the dissolution of the East Germany, German Democratic Republic and the int ...
in 1990, the ''Landstreitkräfte'' were partially integrated into the German Army. Since then, the German Army has been employed in peacekeeping operations worldwide and since 2002 also in combat operations in Afghanistan as part of NATO's
International Security Assistance Force
The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was a multinational military mission in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014. It was established by United Nations Security Council United Nations Security Council Resolution 1386, Resolution 1386 ac ...
.
Founding of the Army

Following World War II the
Allies dissolved the ''Wehrmacht'' with all its branches on 20 August 1946. However already one year after the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany in May 1949 and because of its increasing links with the West under German chancellor
Konrad Adenauer
Konrad Hermann Joseph Adenauer (5 January 1876 – 19 April 1967) was a German statesman and politician who served as the first Chancellor of Germany, chancellor of West Germany from 1949 to 1963. From 1946 to 1966, he was the first leader of th ...
, the Consultative Assembly of
Europe
Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
began to consider the formation of a
European Defence Community
European, or Europeans, may refer to:
In general
* ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe
** Ethnic groups in Europe
** Demographics of Europe
** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe and other We ...
with German participation on 11 August 1950. Former high-ranking ''
Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the German Army (1935–1945), ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmac ...
'' officers outlined in the
Himmeroder memorandum a plan for a "German contingent in an international force for the defense of Western Europe." For the German land forces the memorandum envisioned the formation of a 250,000 strong army. The officers saw the need for the formation of twelve
Panzer division
A Panzer division was one of the Division (military)#Armored division, armored (tank) divisions in the German Army (1935–1945), army of Nazi Germany during World War II. Panzer divisions were the key element of German success in the Blitzkrieg, ...
s and six corps staffs with accompanying Corps troops, as only armoured divisions could muster a fighting force to throw back the numerically far superior forces of the
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact (WP), formally the Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Mutual Assistance (TFCMA), was a Collective security#Collective defense, collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Polish People's Republic, Poland, between the Sovi ...
.
Theodor Blank was appointed "officer of the Federal Chancellor for the Strengthening of Allied Troops questions". This
Defence Ministry forerunner was known somewhat euphemistically as the Blank Office (
Amt Blank), but explicitly used to prepare for the
rearmament of West Germany (''
Wiederbewaffnung''). By March 1954 the Blank Office had finished plans for a new German army. Plans foresaw the formation of six infantry, four armoured, and two mechanised infantry divisions, as the German contribution to the defense of Western Europe in the framework of a
European Defence Community
European, or Europeans, may refer to:
In general
* ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe
** Ethnic groups in Europe
** Demographics of Europe
** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe and other We ...
.
[For a discussion on German defence planning in the context of the EDC, see Abenheim, ''Reforging the Iron Cross,'' Chap. 5 (Zilian, p.41)] On 8 February 1952 the Bundestag approved a German contribution to the defense of Western Europe and on 26 February 1954 the
Basic Law of the Republic was amended with the insertion of an article regarding the defence of the sovereignty of the federal government.
[Zilian, p.41] Following a decision at the
London Nine Power Conference of 28 September to 3 October 1954, Germany's entry into
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
effective from 9 May 1955 was accepted as a replacement for the failed European Defence Community plan. Afterwards the Blank Office was converted to the Defence Ministry and Theodor Blank became the first Defence Minister. The nucleus of army was the so-called ''V'' Branch of the Department of Defence. Subdivisions included were ''VA Leadership and Training,'' ''VB Organisation'' and ''VC Logistics.''
The army saw itself explicitly not as a successor to the defeated ''
Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the German Army (1935–1945), ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmac ...
'', but as in the traditions of the
Prussian military reformers of 1807 to 1814 and the members of the
military resistance during National Socialism, such as the officers which undertook the failed
20 July plot
The 20 July plot, sometimes referred to as Operation Valkyrie, was a failed attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler, the chancellor and leader of Nazi Germany, and overthrow the Nazi regime on 20 July 1944. The plotters were part of the German r ...
to assassinate
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
in 1944. Nevertheless, for lack of alternatives the officer corps was made up largely of former ''Wehrmacht'' officers. The first Chief of the Army was the former ''Wehrmacht''
Hans Rottiger, who had been involved in the drafting of the Himmeroder memorandum.
The official date of the founding of the army is 12 November 1955 when the first soldiers began their service in
Andernach
Andernach () is a town in the district of Mayen-Koblenz, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, of about 30,000 inhabitants. It is situated towards the end of the ''Neuwied basin'' on the left bank of the Rhine between the former tiny fishing village ...
. In 1956 the first troops set up seven training companies in Andernach and began the formation of schools and training centers. On 1 April 1957, the first conscripts arrived for service in the army. The first military organisations created were instructional battalions, officer schools, and the Army Academy, the forerunner to the ''
Führungsakademie der Bundeswehr'' in
Hamburg
Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...
.
In total of twelve armoured and infantry divisions were to be established by 1959, as planned in Army Structure I. To achieve this goal existing units were split approximately every six months. However the creation of all twelve divisions did not take place until 1965. At the end of 1958 the strength of the army was about 20,200 men. The army was equipped at first with American material, such as the
M-47 Patton main battle tank. Three corps commands were formed beginning in 1957: the I Corps, II Corps, and the
III Corps.
Also in 1957 the "Office for Territorial Defence" was established as the highest Territorial Army authority. The Office for Territorial Defence was under the direct command of the
Federal Ministry of Defence and commanded the
Territorial Army (Germany) (''Territorialheer''), a reserve formation. While the ''Heer'' along with the ''
Marine'' and ''
Luftwaffe
The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial Ge ...
'' were firmly integrated into the NATO Military Command Structure, the ''Territorialheer'' remained under national command. The main function of the ''Territorialheer'' was to maintain the operational freedom of NATO forces through providing rear area defence against saboteurs, enemy special forces, and the like. There were three Territorial Commands (''Territorialkommandos''), including North,
South
South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both west and east.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...
, and
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein (; ; ; ; ; occasionally in English ''Sleswick-Holsatia'') is the Northern Germany, northernmost of the 16 states of Germany, comprising most of the historical Duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of S ...
, and up to six
''Wehrbereichskommandos'' (WBKs), military regional commands. By 1985 each of the WBKs had two ''Heimatschutzbrigades'' (HSBs, home defence brigades).

The development of Soviet tactical nuclear weapons required the development of a new Army structure even before Army Structure 1 was fully achieved. To minimize the effects of attacks with tactical nuclear weapons on massed forces, the 28,000 strong
divisions
Division may refer to:
Mathematics
*Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication
* Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division Military
*Division (military), a formation typically consisting of 10,000 t ...
of the ''Heer'' were broken up into smaller and more mobile
brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military unit, military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute ...
s under Army Structure 2. These smaller units were also to be capable of self-sustainment on a nuclear battlefield for several days, and to be capable of moving quickly from defense and to attack. The new armoured and mechanised brigades were capable of
combined arms
Combined arms is an approach to warfare that seeks to integrate different combat arms of a military to achieve mutually complementary effects—for example, using infantry and armoured warfare, armour in an Urban warfare, urban environment in ...
combat. Each division was composed of three brigades. The armoured brigades consisted of an armoured infantry battalion, two armoured battalions, a self-propelled artillery battalion and a supply battalion. The mechanised brigades consisted of a motorised infantry battalion, two mechanised infantry battalions, an armoured battalion, a field artillery battalion and a supply battalion. The motorised brigades consisted of three motorised infantry battalions, an anti-tank battalion, a field artillery battalion and a supply battalion. The alpine brigades consisted of three alpine battalions, a mountain artillery battalion and a supply battalion. By 1959 the ''Heer'' consisted of 11 divisions of 27 brigades, four ''Panzer'' (armoured), four (mechanised), two ''Jäger'' (motorised), and one ''Gebirgsjäger'' (alpine).
From roughly 1970 onward, Army Structure 3 saw the targeted number of 36 active brigades raised by 1975 while the 2nd and 4th divisions were reorganised into ''Jäger'' formations. The armies ''Fallschirmjäger'' (paratrooper) brigades were renamed into ''Luftlande'' (airborne) brigades and a third brigade (''Luftlandebrigade 27'') was formed.
Under Army Structure 4 from 1980/81 on, the German Army fielded 12 divisions (with 38 active brigades): six ''Panzer'' (armoured), four (mechanised), one ''Luftlande'' (airborne), and one ''Gebirgs'' (alpine) divisions. Ten active divisions were grouped into three corps:
I German Corps as part of NATO's
Northern Army Group, II German Corps and
III German Corps as part of
Central Army Group. The remaining heavy division (
6th Panzergrenadier Division) was part of
Allied Forces Baltic Approaches. In peacetime the 1st Airborne Division was assigned to II German Corps with its three brigades to be distributed among the three Corps respectively in wartime, forming a quick reaction reserve.
The number of active brigades rose compared to Army Structure 3 due to two ''Heimatschutz'' territorial defense brigades (51 and 56) being assigned to the field army as part of a mechanised and mountain division respectively. The non-NATO assigned territorial army formed 10 further territorial defense brigades for rear area security at varying readiness levels, with most units being partially manned in peacetime and others being entirely non-active units with equipment in storage.
Brigades in the field army grew to four combat battalions instead of three. Mechanised brigades typically consisted of one ''Panzer'' and three battalions, of which one was a partially active and mixed formation, containing a tank company and two mechanised companies. Armoured brigades similarly consisted of one and three ''Panzer'' battalions, with one armoured battalion being mixed and partially active (containing one mechanised and two tank companies).
Mechanised infantry battalions in mechanised brigades typically had one of three companies equipped as motorised infantry with
M113 APCs instead of
Marder IFVs.
Post Cold War
After 1990, the ''Heer'' absorbed the
''Nationale Volksarmee'', the armed forces of
East Germany
East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from Foundation of East Germany, its formation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on ...
. The former East German forces were initially controlled by the ''Bundeswehr'' Command East under the command of Lieutenant General
Jörg Schönbohm and disbanded on 30 June 1991. In the aftermath of the merger, the German Army consisted of four Corps (including IV Corps at
Potsdam
Potsdam () is the capital and largest city of the Germany, German States of Germany, state of Brandenburg. It is part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. Potsdam sits on the Havel, River Havel, a tributary of the Elbe, downstream of B ...
in the former DDR) with a manpower of 360,000 men. It was continuously downsized from this point. In 1994
III Corps was reorganised as the
German Army Forces Command
The Army Forces Command () in Falckenstein Barracks in Koblenz was one of the two leadership pillars of the German Army, together with the German Army Office, before it was merged into the Army Command (Germany), Army Command (''Kommando Heer ...
. In 1996, the 25th Airborne Brigade was converted into a new command leading the Army's special forces, known as the ''
Kommando Spezialkräfte
The Kommando Spezialkräfte (KSK) (, alternatively Special Operations Forces Command (SOFCOM)) is a unified combatant command and a large brigade-level unit of the German Army (Heer) designated to perform Covert operation, covert operations, ca ...
''.
Logistics,
CBRN defense
Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense (CBRN defense) or Nuclear, biological, and chemical protection (NBC protection) is a class of protective measures taken in situations where chemical warfare, chemical, biological warfar ...
, territorial defense and military police units were split off into the newly formed
Joint Support Service and medical units into the
Joint Medical Service in 2000. The transferred units continue to wear army uniforms.
The 2001 onwards restructuring of the German Army saw it move to a seven division structure – five mechanised (each with two mechanised brigades), one special forces, and one air assault.
In 2003, three Corps still existed, each including various combat formations and a maintenance brigade, as well as the
I. German/Dutch Corps, a joint German-Netherlands organization, used to control in peacetime the 1st Panzer and 7th Panzer Divisions as well as Dutch formations. The 1st Panzer would have reported to the corps in wartime while the 7th would be posted to the
Allied Rapid Reaction Corps
The Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) is a rapid reaction force maintained by NATO. It is capable of deploying a High Readiness Force (Land) Headquarters at short notice for operations and crisis response.
History
The ARRC was created on 1 ...
. II Corps was German in peacetime but would have exchanged a division with the
V U.S. Corps in time of war (the
5th Panzer). The 5th Panzer Division was formally disbanded as of 30 June 2001. In peacetime it also commanded the
10th Panzer Division, which was allocated to
Eurocorps
Eurocorps (, ), located in the French city of Strasbourg (Bas-Rhin), is a multinational corps headquarters. Founded by France and Germany in 1992, it is today composed of personnel from six framework nations and five associated nations. The fram ...
and which parents the German half of the
Franco-German Brigade. The
1st Mountain Division at Munich was also subordinate to this headquarters.
The IV Corps was headquartered at
Potsdam
Potsdam () is the capital and largest city of the Germany, German States of Germany, state of Brandenburg. It is part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. Potsdam sits on the Havel, River Havel, a tributary of the Elbe, downstream of B ...
in eastern Germany and controlled two Panzergrenadier Divisions, the
13th and 14th. The
14th Panzergrenadier Division also took control of units in Western Germany re-subordinated from the
6th Panzergrenadier Division when it lost its command function. It would have made up the German contribution to the
Multinational Corps Northeast in time of war. IV Corps also used to have under its command the Military District Command I, the
1st Airmobile Brigade, and the Berlin Command (
:de:Standortkommando Berlin).
The current structure was assumed with the most recent German Army reform which also suspended conscription by 1 July 2011 and saw the army move to a purely professional three division structure with a view on creating smaller, more flexible and more deployable units, emphasising global employment against non-state threats such as international terrorism or as part of UN and EU missions.
, the German Army had a strength of 62,766 soldiers.
Structure and organisation

The German Army is commanded by the
Inspector of the Army (''Inspekteur des Heeres'') based at the
Army Command (''Kommando Heer'') in
Strausberg near
Berlin
Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
. The training centers are supervised by the Army Training Command in
Leipzig
Leipzig (, ; ; Upper Saxon: ; ) is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Saxony. The city has a population of 628,718 inhabitants as of 2023. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, eighth-largest city in Ge ...
.
The combat units of the army now include two armoured divisions and the lighter rapid forces division. Unlike other European armies such as neighbouring France,
regiment
A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation.
In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...
s are not a common form of organization and are thus rare in the German army. Battalions and regiments are directly subordinate to brigades or to divisions as divisional troops. German infantry battalions field 1,000 men, considerably larger than most NATO armies. While some brigades are still designated as either ''Panzer'' (armour) or (mechanised infantry) formations, these names are by now traditional and no longer imply a different organisation, for example an armoured brigade would not be expected to contain more tanks than a mechanised one.
*
1. Panzerdivision in
Oldenburg
**
Panzerlehr Brigade 9, in
Munster
Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...
**
Panzer Brigade 21, in
Augustdorf
**
Panzergrenadier Brigade 41, in
Neubrandenburg
Neubrandenburg (, Low German ''Niegenbramborg'', both lit. ''New Brandenburg an der Havel, Brandenburg'') is a city in the southeast of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is located on the shore of a lake called Tollensesee and forms the urban c ...
**
43 Mechanized Brigade (
Royal Netherlands Army
The Royal Netherlands Army (, KL) is the Ground warfare, land branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. Though the Royal Netherlands Army was raised on 9 January 1814, its origins date back to 1572, when the was raised making the Dutch standing a ...
), in
Havelte
Havelte (Drèents dialects, Drèents: ''Haovelte'' or ''Haovelt'') is a village in the Northeastern Netherlands. It is located in the Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality of Westerveld, Drenthe, about 60 km (37.2 mi) south-sou ...
(
Netherlands
, Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
)
** Divisional troops
*
10. Panzerdivision, in
Veitshöchheim
**
Panzer Brigade 12, in
Cham
**
13 Light Brigade (Royal Netherlands Army), in
Oirschot (Netherlands)
**
Panzergrenadier Brigade 37, in
Frankenberg
**
Panzerbrigade 45, in
Rūdninkai (Lithuania)
**
Franco-German Brigade, in
Müllheim
** Divisional troops
*
Rapid Forces Division, in
Stadtallendorf
Stadtallendorf is a town in the district of Marburg-Biedenkopf, Hesse, Germany. It lies about east of Marburg. In 2010, the town hosted the 50th Hessentag state festival.
Geography
Location
Under the German system of ''Naturräume'', Stadta ...
** Airborne Brigade 1, in
Saarlouis
Saarlouis (; , ; formerly Sarre-Libre and Saarlautern) is a town in Saarland, Germany, capital of the district of Saarlouis (district), Saarlouis. In 2020, the town had a population of 34,409. Saarlouis is located on the river Saar (river), Saar. ...
**
11 Airmobile Brigade (Royal Netherlands Army), in
Schaarsbergen (Netherlands)
**
Gebirgsjäger Brigade 23, in
Bad Reichenhall
**
Special Operations Forces
Special forces or special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...
(KSK), in
Calw
Calw (; previously pronounced and sometimes spelled Kalb accordingly; ) is a Landstadt, town in the middle of Baden-Württemberg in the south of Germany, capital and largest town of the Calw (district), district Calw. It is located in the North ...
** Helicopter Command, in
Bückeburg
** Divisional troops
* Home Defence Division, in
Berlin
Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
**

Home Defence Regiment 1, in
Roth
**

Home Defence Regiment 2, in
Münster
Münster (; ) is an independent city#Germany, independent city (''Kreisfreie Stadt'') in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also a ...
**

Home Defence Regiment 3, in
Nienburg
**

Home Defence Regiment 4, in
Alt Duvenstedt
**

Home Defence Regiment 5, in
Ohrdruf
** Home Defence Regiment 6, in
Altengrabow (forming, official activation October 2025)
*
Eurocorps
Eurocorps (, ), located in the French city of Strasbourg (Bas-Rhin), is a multinational corps headquarters. Founded by France and Germany in 1992, it is today composed of personnel from six framework nations and five associated nations. The fram ...
(German elements), in
Strasbourg
Strasbourg ( , ; ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est Regions of France, region of Geography of France, eastern France, in the historic region of Alsace. It is the prefecture of the Bas-Rhin Departmen ...
(France)
** Command Support Brigade
*** German elements in two permanent battalions and one staff company
*
1 (German/Dutch) Corps, in
Münster
Münster (; ) is an independent city#Germany, independent city (''Kreisfreie Stadt'') in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also a ...
** German elements in two permanent battalions and one staff company
*
Multinational Corps Northeast, in
Szczecin
Szczecin ( , , ; ; ; or ) is the capital city, capital and largest city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in northwestern Poland. Located near the Baltic Sea and the Poland-Germany border, German border, it is a major port, seaport, the la ...
(Poland)
** 610th Signal Battalion, in
Prenzlau
Prenzlau (; ) is a town in Brandenburg, in north-eastern Germany, the administrative seat of Uckermark District. It is also the centre of the historic Uckermark region.
Geography
The town is located on the Ucker river, about north of Berlin. ...
* Central Army Depot, in
Herongen
* Central Army Depot, in
Pirmasens
Pirmasens (; (also ''Bermesens'' or ''Bärmasens'')) is an independent town in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, near the border with France. It was famous for the manufacture of shoes. The surrounding rural district was called ''Landkreis Pirmasens ...
* Central Mobilisation Base, in
Brück
Equipment
File:Leopard 2 A7.JPG, Leopard 2A6 main battle tank
File:PzH2000 houwitser.png, PzH2000 self-propelled artillery
File:Tag der Bundeswehr NH90 (cropped).jpg, NH-90 transport helicopter
File:Puma, first series.jpg, Puma infantry fighting vehicle
Further vehicles include:
Armoured personnel carrier and fighting vehicles:
*
Puma (IFV) infantry fighting vehicle
An infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), also known as a mechanized infantry combat vehicle (MICV), is a type of armoured fighting vehicle and armoured personnel carrier used to carry infantry into battle and provide direct fire, direct-fire suppo ...
*
Boxer (armoured fighting vehicle)
The Boxer is family of armoured fighting vehicles designed by an international consortium to accomplish a number of operations through the use of installable mission modules. The governments participating in the Boxer programme have changed as t ...
*
TPz Fuchs as
armoured personnel carrier
An armoured personnel carrier (APC) is a broad type of armoured military vehicle designed to transport personnel and equipment in combat zones. Since World War I, APCs have become a very common piece of military equipment around the world.
Acc ...
*
ATF Dingo
The ATF Dingo is a German heavily armored military MRAP infantry mobility vehicle based on a Unimog chassis with a V-hull design, produced by the company KNDS Deutschland (formerly Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW)). The first prototype of the Dingo 1 ...
as armoured
infantry mobility vehicle
An infantry mobility vehicle (IMV) is a four-wheel drive armored personnel carrier (APC) serving as an armed military transport, military patrol, reconnaissance or security vehicle. Those IMVs are distinct from 8-, 6-, and 4-wheeled APCs (su ...
Trucks:
*
Mercedes-Benz Zetros off-road transport truck
*
MAN KAT1 high-mobility off-road truck
*
Unimog
The Unimog (pronunciation in American English: ''YOU-nuh-mog''; British English: ''YOU-knee-mog''; German: , ) is a Daimler Truck line of multi-purpose, highly offroad capable AWD vehicles produced since 1948. Utilizing engine-driven power tak ...
all-wheel drive army personnel or equipment carriers
Truppengattungen
The German Army is divided into several branches, each known as a ''Truppengattung'', which might also be part of a ''Truppengattungsverbund'' which includes several ''Truppengattungen''. Each ''Waffengattung'' carries a certain beret color (except for the mountain troops, who carry a
distinctive cap) and uniform markings in a certain ''
Waffenfarbe'', although the combinations might overlap.
As part of various reorganizations (such as the creation of the
Joint Support Service and the
Cyber and Information Domain Service) and the reductions in size of the Bundeswehr after 1990, several ''Truppengattungen'' were dissolved.
''
Waffenfarbe'' (Army and army support branch only)
File:HD W Kragenspiegel ABCAbw.svg, NBC
File:HD W Kragenspiegel Art.svg, Artillery
File:HD W Kragenspiegel Pz.svg, Armored forces
File:HD W Kragenspiegel FJg.svg, '' Feldjäger''
File:HD W Kragenspiegel HAufkl.svg, Reconnaissance
File:HD W Kragenspiegel Fm.svg, Signals
File:HD W Kragenspiegel Inf.svg, Infantry
File:HD W Kragenspiegel HLog.svg, Logistics
File:HD W Kragenspiegel San.svg, Medical troops
File:HD W Kragenspiegel MilMus.svg, Military band
File:HD W Kragenspiegel HFlg.svg, '' Heeresflieger''
File:HD W Kragenspiegel Pi.svg, Army engineers
* Bright Red: General ranks (only ''Kragenspiegel'', not ''Litze''),
* Crimson: General Staff
Rank structure
The rank structure of the German army is adjusted to the rank structure of
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
. Unlike its predecessors, the modern German Army does not use the rank of
Colonel General
Colonel general is a military rank used in some armies. It is particularly associated with Germany, where historically General officer#Old European system, general officer ranks were one grade lower than in the Commonwealth and the United States, ...
. The highest rank for an army officer is
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...
, as the rank of
Full General
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air and space forces, marines or naval infantry.
In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED Online. ...
is reserved for the Armed Forces chief of staff or officers serving as NATO officers.
;Officers
;NCOs and enlisted
See also
*
Bavarian Army
The Bavarian Army () was the army of the Electorate of Bavaria, Electorate (1682–1806) and then Kingdom of Bavaria, Kingdom (1806–1918) of Bavaria. It existed from 1682 as the standing army of Bavaria until the merger of the military sovereig ...
*
History of Germany during World War I
*
History of Germany during World War II
*
Imperial German Army
The Imperial German Army (1871–1919), officially referred to as the German Army (), was the unified ground and air force of the German Empire. It was established in 1871 with the political unification of Germany under the leadership of Kingdom o ...
(1870-1919)
*
Kaiserliche Armee (to 1806)
**
Imperial German Army
The Imperial German Army (1871–1919), officially referred to as the German Army (), was the unified ground and air force of the German Empire. It was established in 1871 with the political unification of Germany under the leadership of Kingdom o ...
** , the Airforce
** , the Navy
*
Prussian Army
*
Tank battalions of the German Army 1956–2008
*
List of military weapons of Germany
References
Further reading
* Addington, Larry H. ''The Blitzkrieg Era and the German General Staff, 1865–1941'' (1971).
* Bartov, Omer. ''Hitler's army: Soldiers, Nazis, and war in the Third Reich'' (1992).
* Bull, Stephen. ''German Assault Troops of the First World War: Stosstrupptaktik—The First Stormtroopers'' (History Press, 2014).
* Citino, Robert M. ''The Path to Blitzkrieg: Doctrine and Training in the German Army, 1920–39'' (2007).
* Citino, Robert M. ''Quest for Decisive Victory: From Stalemate to Blitzkrieg in Europe, 1899–1940'' (2002).
* Dupuy, Trevor Nevitt. ''A Genius for War: The German Army and General Staff, 1807–1945'' (1977).
* Gross, Gerhard P. ''The Myth and Reality of German Warfare: Operational Thinking From Moltke the Elder to Heusinger'' (2016).
* Deist, Wilhelm, ed. ''The German Military in the Age of Total War'' (Berg, 1985).
*
* Hughes, Daniel J., and Richard L. DiNardo, eds. ''Imperial Germany and War, 1871–1918'' (University Press of Kansas, 2018).
* Karau, Mark D. ''Germany's Defeat in the First World War: The Lost Battles and Reckless Gambles That Brought Down the Second Reich'' (ABC-CLIO, 2015).
* Kelleher, Catherine M. "Fundamentals of German Security: The Creation of the Bundeswehr: Continuity and Change", in Stephen F. Szabo (ed.), ''The Bundeswehr and Western Security'', (St. Martin's Press, New York, 1990).
* Lummel, Peter. "Food Provisioning in the German Army of the First World War." in ''Food and War in Twentieth Century Europe'' (Routledge, 2016) pp. 31-44.
* Seaton, Albert. ''The German Army: 1933-45'' (1982).
* Showalter, Dennis (2016). ''Instrument of War: The German army 1914–18''
* Showalter, Dennis (2015). ''The Wars of German Unification''
*
Online free
External links
Official Homepage of the German Army (Heer)
Historical links
German Army Organization 1914*
The Nazi German Army 1935-1945 (Heer)German Infantry Photographs from World War II��Colour photographs
Gebirgsjaeger��German Mountain Troops
Axis History��Axis History site including German troops
{{Authority control
Bundeswehr