German Command Structure: OKH

[Gotthard Heinrici]

OKH or Oberkommando des Heeres was the High Command of the German Army in World War 2. Technically subordinate to the OberKommando der Wehrmacht, it was in existence from 1936 – 1945.

The Commanders of the OKH during its existence were as follows:

General Ludwig Beck 1936 – 1938
GeneralOberst Franz Halder 1938-Sept 1942
GeneralOberst Kurt Zeitzler Sept 1942 –June 1944
Generalleutnant Adolf Heusinger June 1944 – July 1944
GeneralOberst Heinz Guderian July 1944 – March 1945
General der Infanterie Hans Krebs March 1945 – April 1945

Although initially responsible for the planning of all operations (The Heer was considered the leading branch of the armed service) the influence of OKW and Adolf Hitler ensured that the OKH was marginalised more and more as the war progressed. In practice OKH tended to look after the Eastern Front whilst the OKW looked after the other fronts. Because there was no Centralised Planning command (other then Hitler) it meant that 2 organisations were competing for the same pool of resources.

It was a mess compared to the Allied structure.