The Heeresgruppe Süd was formed from 12. Armee in September 1939 and was redesignated Heeresgruppe A on 15 October 1939 and was reformed in June 1941.

It was split into Heeresgruppe A & Heeresgruppe B on 13 July 1942 and was reformed from Heeresgruppe Don in February 1943.

It was redesignated Heeresgruppe Nordukraine on 4 April 1944 and was reformed from Heeresgruppe Südukraine in September 1944.

In April 1945 it was redesignated Heeresgruppe Ostmark.

Commanders

Generaloberst Gerd von Rundstedt (1 Sep 1939 - 15 Oct 1939)
Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt (10 June 1941 - 1 Dec 1941)
Generalfeldmarschall Walter von Reichenau (1 Dec 1941 - 17 Jan 1942) (Death) (1)
Generalfeldmarschall Fedor von Bock (17 Jan 1942 - 13 July 1942)
Generalfeldmarschall Erich von Manstein (? Feb 1943 - 31 Mar 1944)
Generalfeldmarschall Walter Model (31 Mar 1944 - 4 Apr 1944)
Generaloberst Johannes Frießner (? Sep 1944 - 28 Dec 1944)
General der Infanterie Otto Wöhler (28 Dec 1944 - 7 Apr 1945)
Generaloberst Dr Lothar Rendulic (7 Apr 1945 - 30 Apr 1945)

Osttruppen attached to Heeresgruppe Süd (30 April 1943)

6. Turkestanische Kompanie/Wach-Bataillon 571 (S: 246/9; B: n.G.)
7. Georgische Kompanie/Wach-Bataillon 571 (S: 246/9; B: n.G.)
4. Georgische Kompanie/Nachschub-Abteilung 592 (S: 246/10)
4. Turkestanische Kompanie/Nachschub-Abteilung 573 (in Zuführung)
4., 5. Ukrainische Kompanie/Wach-Bataillon 571 (S: 566/40; B: n.G.)
Lettisches Schutzmannschaft-Bataillon 22 (4 Kompanien; S: 290/7; B: n.G.)
Lettisches Schutzmannschaft-Bataillon 268 (3 Kompanien; S: 263/7; B: 27 x le.MG, 10 x s.MG)

Osttruppen attached to Heeresgruppe Süd (5 May 1943)

Georgisches Infanterie-Bataillon II./198 (5 Kompanien)
6. Turkestanische Wach-Kompanie/571
7. Georgische Wach-Kompanie/571
4. Georgische Nachschub-Kompanie/592
5. Georgische Nachschub-Kompanie/592 [From 22 June 1943]
4. Turkestanische Nachschub-Kompanie/573
4. Ukrainische Wach-Kompanie/571
5. Ukrainische Wach-Kompanie/571
Ukrainisches Bau-Bataillon 112
Turkestanisches Bau-Bataillon 156
Turkestanisches Bau-Bataillon 305 (4 Kompanien und Nachschub-Kolonne)

Osttruppen attached to Heeresgruppe Süd (5 Sep 1943)

4. Ukrainische Nachschub-Kompanie/571
5. Ukrainische Nachschub-Kompanie/571
6. Turkestanische Wach-Kompanie/571
7. Georgische Wach-Kompanie/571
5. Turkestanische Eisenbahn-Bau-Kompanie/83
5. Aserbeidschanische Eisenbahn-Bau-Kompanie/106
5. Aserbeidschanische Eisenbahn-Bau-Kompanie/111
5. Georgische Eisenbahn-Brückenbau-Kompanie/404
4. Georgische Nachschub-Kompanie/592
5. Armenische Nachschub-Kompanie/592
F-Sanitätszug 941 (S)
F-Sanitätszug 743 (S)
F-Sanitätszug 744 (S)

Osttruppen attached to Heeresgruppe Süd (22 Nov 1943)

Turkestanisches Infanterie-Bataillon I./450
Ost-Nachschub-Abteilung 551 (3 Kompanien)
19. Turkestanische Bau-Kompanie/218
17. Turkestanische Bau-Kompanie/506
16. Turkestanische Bau-Kompanie/410
15. Turkestanische Bau-Kompanie/219
14. Turkestanische Bau-Kompanie/154
5. Turkestanische Eisenbahn-Bau-Kompanie/83
5. Georgische Eisenbahn-Brückenbau-Kompanie/404
5. Aserbeidschanische Eisenbahn-Bau-Kompanie/106
5. Aserbeidschanische Eisenbahn-Bau-Kompanie/111
4. Ukrainische Nachschub-Kompanie/571
4. Georgische Nachschub-Kompanie/592
5. Armenische Nachschub-Kompanie/592
3. Georgische Nachschub-Kompanie/561
4. Aserbeidschanische Nachschub-Kompanie/118

Notable members

Fedor von Bock (Reached the highest rank in the German Army, Generalfeldmarschall, in 1940, he was killed 4 May 1945 by a strafing British fighter-bomber, the only German Field Marshal to be killed during the war)
Eberhard Finckh (Active in the resistance against Hitler and executed following the failure of the July 20 Plot)
Heinrich-Georg Hax (Silver medal winner in the rapid fire pistol event in the 1932 and 1936 Olympics)
Wessel Freytag von Loringhoven (Active in the resistance against Hitler and committed suicide after the failure of the July 20 Plot)
Walter Model (Holder of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds)
Hans Speidel (Active in the resistance against Hitler, post war he became a General in the Bundeswehr and held the NATO position of Commander-in-Chief of the Allied ground forces in Central Europe)
Gerd von Tresckow (Active in the resistance against Hitler and committed suicide in captivity after the failure of the July 20 Plot)

In fiction

The 1994 board game "Lost Victory: Manstein At Kharkov, Winter 1943" designed by David James Ritchie and published by GMT Games covers the Third Battle for Kharkov.

The 1996 board game "Barbarossa: Army Group South, 1941" designed by Vance von Borries and published by GMT Games focused on the fighting in the early stages of fighting on the Eastern Front.

The 2002 board game "Von Manstein's Backhand Blow" designed by Dirk Blennemann and published by GMT Games covers the fighting in February and March 1943.

Adolf Hitler visits the HQ of Heeresgruppe Süd in July 1942

(Courtesy of Bundesarchiv/Wikimedia, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 Germany)

Oberstleutnant Hans von Ahlfen, commander of Pionier-Regimentsstab z.b.V. 617, awarding the Iron Cross

(Courtesy of Bundesarchiv/Wikimedia, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 Germany)

Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt being visited by Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini August 1941

(Courtesy of Bundesarchiv/Wikimedia, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 Germany)

Adolf Hitler shaking hands with Erich von Manstein during a visit in March 1943, to the right General der Flieger Wolfram von Richthofen

(Courtesy of Bundesarchiv/Wikimedia, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 Germany)

Oberst Hans von Ahlfen inspecting an armored train in the Crimea in 1942

(Courtesy of Bundesarchiv/Wikimedia, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 Germany)

Footnotes

1. Walter von Reichenau died of a heart attack while on a flight to Germany from the Eastern front.

Sources used

Research by Jason von Zerneck
T-78-413, Frame 1008
Martin Månsson - Heinrich Himmler: A photographic chronicle of Hitler's Reichsführer-SS
Georg Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht 1933-1945

Reference material on this unit

Werner Haupt - Army Group South: The Wehrmacht in Russia 1941-1945
Antonio J. Munoz - German Rear Area Security Behind the Lines of Army Group South 19410-1943
Carl Wagener - Die Heeresgruppe Süd: Der Kampf im Süden der Ostfront