Final Phase of the Eastern Front OKH Operations Orders and Situation Reports, January–April 1945 (Irving file T78-305)

The Operationsabteilung (Ia) of the Army General Staff was responsible for operational planning, situation reporting, and the drafting and dissemination of orders for the German Army. During the period covered by this file, the OKH operated under extreme pressure as German forces on the Eastern Front faced sustained Soviet offensives, territorial collapse, and acute logistical breakdown.

By early 1945, the OKH’s operational role was increasingly constrained by direct Führer intervention, overlapping SS authority, and the disintegration of effective command structures. Documents from this period reflect both formal command processes and the growing dysfunction of late-war German military administration.

Scope and Content

This file contains a substantial body of primary-source operational material generated by the OKH Operationsabteilung (Ia) during the final months of the Eastern Front campaign.

The contents include:

Operational orders issued to army groups and subordinate commands
Situation reports and daily assessments of military conditions
Fernschreiben and teleprinter communications
Notes and memoranda prepared for or following Führervorträge
Internal correspondence between OKH departments
Distribution lists and Ausfertigungen indicating command circulation
Operational maps and annotated cartographic material showing front lines, defensive positions, and planned movements

The documents cover multiple operational theatres on the Eastern Front, including Germany’s eastern territories, Hungary, Austria, and adjacent regions, and reflect both planned operations and emergency responses to rapidly changing battlefield conditions.

The material preserves contemporaneous command language and internal assessments, including evidence of rejected proposals, resource shortages, and conflicting command priorities.

Appraisal, Destruction, and Scheduling Information

This file has been appraised as having very high archival and research value. No destruction or weeding is recommended. The material should be preserved in full.

Disclaimer

This file contains original historical documents produced by the German Army High Command (Oberkommando des Heeres, OKH) during the final months of the Second World War.

The materials are presented for scholarly, documentary, and research purposes only. They reflect the language, assumptions, and perspectives of their original authors and do not represent the views, interpretations, or endorsements of the hosting archive.

The presence of these documents does not imply approval of the policies, actions, or ideology of the regime under which they were created. The records are preserved to support historical inquiry, evidentiary analysis, and critical examination of primary sources.

Users are advised that the material may contain terminology, descriptions, or viewpoints that are historically contextual but may be disturbing or offensive by modern standards. Such content is retained in its original form to preserve the integrity of the historical record.

Researchers are encouraged to interpret the material within its full historical context and to consult additional sources where appropriate.

Condition Note

The file consists of microfilm-derived digital reproductions and exhibits variable image quality typical of late-war documentation and post-war archival copying. Some pages show fading, distortion, skewing, or reduced contrast, and handwritten annotations are occasionally difficult to read. Despite these issues, the material is largely intact and legible with careful examination and suitable digital enhancement.

4 page Sample Final Phase of the Eastern Front OKH Operations Orders and Situation Reports, January–April 1945 (Irving file T78-305)