XV Mountain Corps (Wehrmacht)

The XV Mountain Corps was a German military formation that commanded German forces conducting counter-insurgency operations against the Yugoslav Partisans in the Independent State of Croatia during World War II. It was formed in the Balkans from the staff of the German commander in Croatia (German: Militärbefehlshabers in Kroatien) on 12 August 1943. It was subordinated to the 2nd Panzer Army, and from its formation until 1 November 1943 the corps was commanded by General der Infanterie (Lieutenant General) Rudolf Lüters, and between 1 November 1943 and July 1944 it was commanded by General der Infanterie Ernst von Leyser, who was replaced in August 1944 by General der Panzertruppe (Lieutenant General) Gustav Fehn who commanded the corps for the rest of the war. In May 1944, the corps was responsible for the conduct of Operation Rösselsprung, which was aimed at killing the Partisan leader Josip Broz Tito. The corps surrendered to the Partisans on 8 May 1945, and Fehn and many of the remaining men of the corps were subsequently killed by the Yugoslav authorities.