Colmar Pocket

The Colmar Pocket
Part of World War II

U.S. and French Moroccan troops link up at Rouffach, February 1945. The junction of the two forces split the Colmar Pocket.
Date20 January – 9 February 1945
Location
Around Colmar, Alsace
48°4′50″N 7°21′36″E / 48.08056°N 7.36000°E / 48.08056; 7.36000 (Colmar)
Result Allied victory
Belligerents
  Germany
Commanders and leaders
Units involved
Strength
Initial:
  • 5 French infantry divisions
  • 2 French armored divisions
  • 2 U.S. infantry divisions
Reinforcements:
  • 1 French armored division
  • 1 U.S. armored division
  • 1 U.S. infantry division
  • 7 infantry divisions
  • 1 mountain division
  • 1 Panzer brigade
Casualties and losses
 At least 22,000; possibly as high as 38,500[4]

The Colmar Pocket (French: Poche de Colmar; German: Brückenkopf Elsass) was the area held in central Alsace, France, by the German Nineteenth Army from November 1944 to February 1945, against the U.S. 6th Army Group (6th AG) during World War II. It was formed when 6th AG liberated southern and northern Alsace and adjacent eastern Lorraine, but could not clear central Alsace. During Operation Nordwind in December 1944, the 19th Army attacked north out of the Pocket in support of other German forces attacking south from the Saar into northern Alsace. In late January and early February 1945, the French First Army (reinforced by the U.S. XXI Corps) cleared the Pocket of German forces.

  1. ^ Clarke & Smith 1993, p. 553.
  2. ^ De Lattre, p. 398
  3. ^ Clarke and Smith, p. 556
  4. ^ Clarke and Smith, p. 556–557.