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Wehrmacht
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Images & Videos
Operation Barbarossa Illustration of a German Wehrmacht infantryman from a static division in World War II, shown in green uniform and helmet, carrying a rifle, stick grenade, ammunition pouches, gas mask container, and shovel handle, with descriptive labels and a brief summary of static divisions' roles. Third Reich Adolf Hitler and Heinrich Himmler walk past rows of uniformed guards holding rifles during a parade, with Nazi flags displayed on buildings in the background. Illustration of a German SS Panzer Grenadier, labeled as a machine gunner, wearing a camouflage helmet and uniform, with an ammunition belt, MG42 machine gun, Walther P.38 handgun, and various field gear including a gas mask container, canteen, and tool kit. Raeder, Erich Bismarck battleship Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini
Operation Barbarossa: Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union
Erwin Rommel
At a Glance
Germany invades Poland, September 1, 1939, using 45 German divisions and aerial attack. By September 20, only Warsaw held out, but final surrender came on September 29.
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Wehrmacht: References & Edit History

Article Contributors

Primary Contributors

  • Michael Ray
    Michael Ray is an assistant managing editor who has worked at Britannica since 2003. In addition to leading the Geography and History team, he oversees coverage of European history and military affairs. He earned a B.A. in history from Michigan State University in 1995.

Other Encyclopedia Britannica Contributors

Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
Modified link of Web site: Warfare History Network - The Wehrmacht. Jul 18, 2026
Add new Web site: CORE - A New Direction of War: The Ethnic War Waged by the Wehrmacht in Eastern Europe (PDF). Nov 21, 2025
Add new Web site: Towards Emancipation? - Wehrmachthelferinnen (Female Auxiliaries) of the German Wehrmacht (1939-1945). Aug 29, 2025
Add new Web site: Chemins de m?moire - Wehrmacht veterans in post-war Germany. Feb 15, 2025
Add new Web site: Millersville University - The Complicity of the Wehrmacht in the Holocaust (PDF). Dec 18, 2024
Add new Web site: Yad Vashem - Wehrmacht. Oct 30, 2024
Add new Web site: Weapons and Warfare - The End of the Wehrmacht Part�I. Aug 21, 2024
Add new Web site: Warfare History Network - The Wehrmacht. Aug 11, 2023
Add new Web site: HistoryNet - Death of the Wehrmacht. May 20, 2023
Add new Web site: GlobalSecurity.org - Wehrmacht. Apr 06, 2023
Add new Web site: Jewish Virtual Library - The Nazi Party: Military Organization of the Third Reich. Feb 19, 2022
New article added. Apr 05, 2019
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