Operation Lehrgang
작전 레어강
Operation Lehrgang was the Axis military evacuation of German and Italian forces from Sicily across the Strait of Messina to Calabria after the Allied invasion of Sicily in August 1943. Between 11 and 17 August, about 39,000 German troops with equipment and about 62,000 Italian soldiers reached the mainland, preserving Axis forces for continued operations in the Italian campaign.
In depth
Course of the operation
After the Allied landing in Sicily, the German command chose an organized withdrawal rather than a last stand, seeking to avoid a repetition of the mass surrender in North Africa. Albert Kesselring approved the plan and authorized Hans-Valentin Hube, the German commander of Axis forces in Sicily, to execute it. German and Italian naval forces handled the crossings under Gustav von Liebenstein, while air defenses and Siebelfähre landing craft supported the movement.
The operation ran from 11 to 17 August 1943. German forces evacuated 9,065 vehicles, 27 tanks, 94 heavy guns, and ammunition and fuel along with their troops; Italian troops also crossed to the mainland between 3 and 17 August. The withdrawal allowed German forces to continue organized defensive operations on the Italian mainland after Sicily was lost.
Name
Lehrgang is a German word meaning a course or instructional program, used here as a military codename.
Note
Figures may vary by source because the reported periods and categories differ.