Transportkorps Speer

Transportkorps Speer was created in 1944 from Legion Speer and the units of the National Socialist Motor Corps that was serving the Organisation Todt. Short after its creation it became subordinated to the Wehrmacht. Yet, its major mission remained in support of OT, which at this time was mainly engaged in rebuilding and repair of bomb damaged industrial facilities and housing complexes. Transportkorps Speer was organized in motor transportation battalions and regiments, supported by depot, repair, engineering, signal, and medical units.

Transportkorps Speer
Agency overview
Formed1944
Dissolved1945
TypeParamilitary
JurisdictionGerman-occupied Europe
HeadquartersKreuzbruch, near Oranienburg
Employees70,000
Oberkommando der Wehrmacht responsible
Agency executive
  • Generalmajor Wilhelm Nagel, Korpskommandant

Creation

The Nationalsozialistisches Kraftfahrkorps (NSKK) supplied the motor vehicle transportation for the Organisation Todt, the civil and military engineering organization in Nazi Germany, until 1944. The NSKK-Transportbrigade Todt was in charge of motor transportation for the construction of the Siegfried Line. NSKK-Transportbrigade Speer was in charge of the motor transportation for the air base constructions of the OT. Foreign drivers were recruited into the Legion Speer, since they - as aliens - could not be members of the NSKK, which was a sub-organization of the Nazi Party. In 1942, Transportbrigade Todt, Transportbrigade Speer, and Legion Speer, was subsumed into an umbrella organization, Transportgruppe Todt, which in 1944 was made into an organization independent of the NSKK, the Transportkorps Speer.[1] On 12 September 1944, Transportkorps Speer was transferred to Wehrmacht control.[2]

Mission

In the fall of 1944, most of the OT was withdrawn from occupied Europe to Germany proper, the Reich area. It new task was rebuilding and repair of bomb damaged industrial facilities and housing complex. Mobility was of outmost importance, and the primary OT-units were assigned motor vehicles from Transportkorps Speer. The lack of vehicles prevented the secondary OT-units from being motorized. The Ministry of Armament, the Luftwaffe, and the German Army also had Transportkorps Speer units attached. The OT was, however, its largest employer. Of Transportkorps Speer's 50,000 motor vehicles, 40,000 were assigned the OT.[3]

Organisation

Transportkorps Speer was a separate agency closely working with the OT; mutual salutes were to be exchanged between members of both organizations.[3]

The OT was serviced by a number of Kraftwagentransportabteilungen (motor vehicle transportation battalions). Transportregiment (Transport Regiment) 2 and 3 served the Luftwaffe. Transport Regiment 5-12, the German Army. In addition, there were Ersatzabteilungen (Depot Battalions), Kraftfahrinstandesetzungsregimenter (Vehicle Repair Regiments), Pionierabteilung (Engineering Battalion), Nachrichtenstaffel (independent signal company), Sanitätskraftfahrstaffel (independent medical company), and an Sicherungssabteilung (Escort Battalion).[4]

The higher organization of the Transportkorps Speer was originally made up of eight Abschnitte (sectors). In August 1944, four division-level Inspektionen (inspections) replaced the eight sectors, while in February 1945, the four inspections were replaced by six Intendante (supply commands). As late as in April 1945, the remnants of Transportkorps Speer was reorganized as three brigades; one for Norway, Denmark, and northern Germany; one for central Germany and the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia; and one for Ostmark, northern Italy, and northern Yugoslavia.[5]

Disbandment

Transportkorps Speer ceased to function as an operational organization before Germany capitulated. At the end of the war, all of its vehicles that were not taken over by the Wehrmacht, were standing still due to the lack of fuel.[6]

Ranks
Insignia Rank Wehrmacht War Service
Pay Group [7]		 Comparative rank
in the Wehrmacht
Collar Shoulder
Korpskommandant
2
 General d. Infanterie
Gruppenkommandant
3
 Generalleutnant
Brigadekommandant
4
 Generalmajor
Oberstkapitän
5
 Oberst
Oberfeldkapitän
6
 Oberstleutnant
Oberstabskapitän
7
 Major
Stabskapitän
8
 Hauptmann
Oberfeldkornett
9
 Oberleutnant
Feldkornett
10
 Leutnant
Enlisted
Stabsfahrmeister
11
 Stabsfeldwebel
Hauptfahrmeister
11
 Oberfeldwebel
Oberfahrmeister
12
 Feldwebel
Fahrmeister
13
 Unterfeldwebel
Unterfahrmeister
14
 Unteroffizier
Stabskraftfahrer
15
 Stabsgefreiter
Hauptkraftfahrer
15
 Obergefreiter
Oberkraftfaher
16
(after two years 15)
 Gefreiter
Kraftfahrer
16
(after two years 15)
 Grenadier
Source: [8][9]

Troop colours:

  •  Black: General Service
  •  Green: Administration
  •  Light blue: Supply
  •  Blue: Medical
  •  Pink: Engineer
  •  Wine red: Judicial
  •  Grey: Special service

References

Citations
  1. Military Intelligence Research Section 1945, pp. 77-80.
  2. Thomas 2012, p. 9.
  3. Seidler 1984, p. 635.
  4. Thomas 2012, pp. 8-9.
  5. Thomas 2012, pp. 9-10.
  6. Seidler 1984, p. 636.
  7. "Erlaß des Oberkommandos der Wehrmacht über die Angliederung des Transportkorps Speer an die Wehrmacht vom 22. September 1944." Deutsch-Russisches Projekt zur digitalisierung Dokumente in Archive der Russischen Föderation. Retrieved 2019-04-25.
  8. Thomas 1992, p. 35.
  9. "Transportkorps Speer." International Encyclopedia of Uniform Insignia. Retrieved 2019-04-25.

Cited literature
  • Military Intelligence Research Section (1945). Handbook of the Organisation Todt. London: MIRS. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  • Seidler, Franz W. (1984). "Das Nationalsozialistiche Kraftfahrkorps und die Organisation Todt im Zweitem Weltkrieg". Vierteljahrshefte für Zeitgeschichte. 32 (4): 625–636.
  • Thomas, Nigel (1992). Wehrmacht Auxiliary Forces. London. ISBN 9781855322578.
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