XXVII Army Corps ( Germany ) The XXVII Corps ( , or " XXVII . AK " ) was an infantry corps in the German Army . It fought in several notable actions during World War II . The corps was originally raised in August 1939 in " Wehrkreis " VII . Wartime service . 1939 . Organisation ( September 1939 ) : 16th , 69th , 211th and 216th Infantry Divisions During September 1939 the XXVII Corps was used to screen the Dutch - German border . 1940 . Organisation ( June 1940 ) : 211th , 213th , 218th and 239th Infantry Divisions The Corps participated in Nazi Germany ' s Invasion of France as part of Army Group C . In May , it crossed the southern Netherlands and Belgium towards Roubaix , where it helped in surrounding the French 1st Army . Later in the campaign , it attacked from the east bank of the Rhine towards Colmar . It then remained on occupation duties in eastern France until the following year . 1941 . Organisation ( November 1941 ) : 86th , 129th and 162nd Infantry Divisions ; " Gruppe " Landgraf ( parts of 6th and 7th Panzer Divisions ) The XXVII Corps did not take part in the initial stages of Operation Barbarossa , but was transferred to the Ninth Army , Army Group Centre , for Operation Typhoon , the attack on Moscow . On the Army ' s north flank , it advanced towards Kalinin , but by December had been forced to retreat into the Rzhev salient . 1942 . Organisation ( early November 1942 ) : 6th , 72nd , 87th , 95th , 129th , 251st and 256th Infantry Divisions ; heavy artillery and assault gun detachments The Corps suffered heavy losses during 1942 in the series of defensive battles around Rzhev . Its organisation changed several times during this period , but included up to eight infantry divisions at various points . Along with the remainder of Army Group Centre , it was ordered to evacuate the Rzhev salient the following year in Operation Büffel . 1943 . Organisation ( July 1943 ) : 52nd , 197th , 246th and 256th Infantry Divisions In the autumn of 1943 the Corps , now assigned to Fourth Army , took part in the defence against the Soviet offensive Operation Suvorov around Smolensk . By the next year , it had been pushed back to positions east of Orsha . 1944 . Organisation ( June 1944 ) : 25th Panzergrenadier Division , 78th Sturm Division , 260th Infantry Division During 1944 , the Corps was positioned in the sector of the strategically important Minsk - Moscow road near Orsha , having been specially reinforced for the purpose . In late June the Soviets commenced their summer offensive , Operation Bagration ; the XXVII Corps was attacked by forces of the 3rd Belorussian Front and took heavy casualties . Bypassed by a breakthrough of Soviet forces to the north , the Corps found itself encircled in the forests east of Minsk , and despite a breakout attempt on 5 July spearheaded by the 25th Panzergrenadier Division , was almost entirely destroyed . The corps commander , General Paul Völckers , was captured , as were the commanders of the 78th and 260th Divisions , Traut and Klammt . The Corps , and its staff , was hurriedly reconstructed in July / August from replacement units and deployed on the East Prussian border . 1945 . The rebuilt XXVII Corps was transferred to Second Army , facing the Soviet East Prussian Offensive . During the course of the offensive it was encircled on the Baltic coast at Danzig , and again destroyed / disbanded . The staff was evacuated and transferred to the reconstructed Third Panzer Army ; the remnants of the Corps eventually surrendered to troops of the US Army on 4 May , north of Ludwigslust .