German Armed Forces - Manpower

The Wehrmacht manpower topped out in 1944 with more than 53% serving in the German Army. In 1935, Hitler announced German rearmament and re-introduced conscription which applied to all men between 18 and 45. The Wehrmacht conscription regulations varied during the war years. In October 18, 1944, saw the establishment of the Volkssturm allowing conscription of all males between 16 and 60 years of age.

Wehrmacht

The Wehrmacht was the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. It was composed of three branches: the Heer (army), the Kriegsmarine (navy), and the Luftwaffe (air force). The Wehrmacht was one of the most powerful military forces of its time, and it played a significant role in the early successes in the war.

The Wehrmacht was known for its superior training, tactics, and equipment, as well as its ability to rapidly mobilize and deploy forces on multiple fronts. Its early successes in the war were due to its innovative tactics, such as the use of armored units and combined arms operations.

However, as the war progressed, the Wehrmacht was stretched thin and began to suffer from manpower and resource shortages. Despite this, the Wehrmacht continued to fight fiercely until the end of the war, and its personnel made many sacrifices in service to their country.

Heer

The Heer at the start of the war in 1939, had approximately 3.7 million personnel, including both active-duty soldiers and reserves. As the war progressed, the Heer increasingly relied on conscription and forced labor to maintain its manpower levels. Foreign volunteers and conscripts from occupied territories, such as France and the Soviet Union, were also heavily relied upon, with many being coerced or forced into military service.

As the war progressed and Germany suffered significant losses on the battlefield, but the Heer was able to maintain manpower levels until 1945. By the end of the war in 1945, the Heer had suffered over 4 million casualties, including both deaths and injuries.

Luftwaffe

In the spring of 1939, the peacetime strength of the Luftwaffe was 400,000 men. Following the mobilization in late 1939, the number of men serving increased to almost 900,000. By Operation Barbarossa launched in 1941, the personnel strength had grown to 1.5 million. The largest personnel strength of the Luftwaffe was achieved during the period from 1942 to 1943, with 1.7 million men and women in uniform.

Kriegsmarine

The Kriegsmarine saw significant growth in manpower during the war. At the start of the war in 1939, the Kriegsmarine had around 50,000 personnel, which increased to a peak of 810,000 in 1944.

However, as the war progressed and Germany’s resources were stretched thin, the Kriegsmarine struggled to maintain its manpower levels. With the majority of the losses being experienced sailors. This was due to the heavy losses that the Kriegsmarine suffered in the Battle of the Atlantic, which was a critical theater of the war.

In addition to these losses, the Kriegsmarine also struggled to recruit new personnel due to the worsening situation on the Eastern and Western fronts. Many potential recruits were being diverted to the army, which was seen as the more prestigious and important branch of the German military.

By the end of the war in 1945, the Kriegsmarine had approximately 700,000 personnel. However, due to the heavy losses suffered throughout the war, the Kriegsmarine was unable to maintain its strength, and many of the sailors were inexperienced and poorly trained.

Waffen–SS

The Waffen-SS, the combat branch of the SS, was initially formed in 1933 as a personal security force for Adolf Hitler. It later evolved into a significant military force during World War II, with its manpower levels growing significantly from 1939 through 1945.

At the start of the war in 1939, the Waffen-SS had approximately 35,000 personnel. By 1941, that number rose to 150,000, and by the end of 1942, it had reached 230,000. The Waffen-SS continued to grow throughout the war, and by 1945, its manpower had reached its peak at approximately 830,000 personnel.

The Waffen-SS was able to maintain its manpower levels through a combination of recruitment and conscription. It was often used as a tool for propaganda, with promises of better pay, training, and equipment compared to the regular army. Additionally, the Waffen-SS was often seen as a more prestigious and elite unit, which attracted many volunteers.

However, the Waffen-SS also relied heavily on conscription, particularly towards the end of the war when manpower shortages became more acute. This led to the conscription of individuals from occupied territories, including Ukraine, Belarus, and the Baltic states.

Despite its significant manpower levels, the Waffen-SS suffered heavy losses throughout the war, particularly on the Eastern Front. By the end of the war, only a small number of its personnel had survived.

Civilian Militia

Volkssturm

The Volkssturm was a German national militia formed in 1944. It was created with the intention of mobilizing the civilian population for the defense of Germany against the advancing Allied forces. The Volkssturm’s manpower levels were relatively small compared to other branches of the German military.

The Volkssturm was formed out of a sense of desperation on the part of the German government, as the war was not going well, and the military was suffering from manpower shortages. There aren’t good estimates of the total number who served in the Volkssturm, but it is estimated that 40,000 participated in the Battle of Berlin.

The Volkssturm was made up of men between the ages of 16 and 60 who were not already serving in the military. The majority of the Volkssturm’s personnel were older men and teenagers who were too young to be conscripted into the regular army. They were often poorly trained and lacked adequate equipment and supplies.

In terms of equipment, the Volkssturm was often equipped with outdated or improvised weapons, such as rifles from World War I or homemade grenades. They often had to scavenge for supplies and weapons, making their effectiveness in combat limited. One of the few modern weapons they were trained in was the use of panzerfaust antitank weapons.

The Volkssturm was not a particularly effective fighting force, and many of its personnel were captured or killed during the closing stages of the war. However, their resistance helped to slow down the Allied advance and buy time for the regular German military to regroup and prepare for defense.