During the Second World War, the German Heer utilized a specialized tactical headquarters designation known as Artillerie-Kommandeur, commonly abbreviated as Arko, to oversee, coordinate, and concentrate artillery assets at the corps level. Established primarily as independent command staffs belonging to the general headquarters reserve pool known as Heerestruppen, an Arko headquarters was not permanently bound to a rigid organizational order of battle with fixed subordinate fighting regiments; instead, it acted as a modular and highly adaptable command echelon assigned to an Armeekorps, Gebirgskorps, or Panzerkorps. Commanded typically by an experienced artillery officer holding the rank of Oberst or Generalmajor, and occasionally General der Artillerie, the Arko functioned as the senior tactical advisor on gunnery matters to the Kommandierender General of the corps. The primary responsibility of an Arko was orchestrating devastating massed fire support across diverse sectors of engagement, synchronizing divisional formations like the Artillerie-Regiment with independent motorized, heavy, and observation battalions such as heavy Artillerie-Abteilungen, Nebelwerfer rocket units, and Beobachtungs-Abteilungen. Beyond battlefield fire concentration, the Arko controlled the corps artillery communications network, managed ballistic plotting boards, directed counter-battery tasks against enemy positions, coordinated reconnaissance with Luftwaffe aviation assets, and regulated crucial ammunition supply pipelines. Across the Blitzkrieg campaigns and intense defensive struggles on the Eastern Front, Normandy, and Italy, officers serving in Arko postings directed complex barrage systems that shaped mechanized mobile tactics, earning prestigious decorations like the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold and the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes for tactical excellence in heavy combat before German administrative reorganizations later phased many of these headquarters into higher Artillerie-Divisions.
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ARTILLERIE-KOMMANDEUR 140 (ARKO 140)
General der Artillerie Walter Hartmann (1891-1977) was born on 23 July 1891 in Mülheim an der Ruhr and entered the Saxon Army on 1 October 1910 as Fahnenjunker in the 1. Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 12. Promoted to Leutnant in 1912 and Oberleutnant in 1916, he served on the Eastern Front in the First World War, earning both classes of the Eisernes Kreuz and other decorations before being taken into the Reichswehr as Hauptmann in 1921. Rising through the ranks as Major in 1932, Oberstleutnant in 1936 and Oberst in 1938, he commanded Artillerie-Regiment 24 in the Polish and Western campaigns. Appointed Artilleriekommandeur 140 in November 1940, he took part in the invasion of the Soviet Union. On 15 July 1941, while directing artillery fire from the foremost line under intense enemy fire to support the breakthrough of the 100. (leichte) Infanterie-Division through the Stalin Line at Koserowka, he was severely wounded and lost his left arm and left leg. For this decisive action he received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 10 August 1941 as Oberst and Artilleriekommandeur 140, followed by promotion to Generalmajor on 1 October 1941. After a long recovery he returned to duty at his own request, commanding Division z.b.V. 407 and later the 390. Feldausbildungs-Division, and was promoted to Generalleutnant on 1 February 1943. From April 1943 he led the 87. Infanterie-Division in the Welish sector. Despite his double amputation he personally directed counterattacks to seal Soviet penetrations in September 1943, for which he was awarded the Eichenlaub to the Ritterkreuz on 30 November 1943 as Generalleutnant and Kommandeur of the 87. Infanterie-Division. Promoted to General der Artillerie on 1 May 1944, he commanded the XXXXIX. Gebirgs-Armeekorps in Crimea before taking over the VIII. Armeekorps on 1 September 1944. For his energetic leadership in holding the Oder front from Cosel to Oppeln against strong Soviet assaults in January and February 1945 through repeated local counterthrusts, he received the Schwerter to the Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub on 18 March 1945 as General der Artillerie and Kommandierender General of the VIII. Armeekorps. He briefly commanded the XXIV. Panzerkorps in April 1945, entered American captivity at the end of the war and was released in 1947. Hartmann died in Hameln on 11 March 1977.
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ARTILLERIE-KOMMANDEUR 149 (ARKO 149)
Oberstleutnant Bernhard Flachs (1912-1944) was born on 18 March 1912 in Plauen im Vogtland and entered the Heer in 1934 as Fahnenjunker, advancing to Fähnrich in 1935, Leutnant in 1936, Oberleutnant in 1939 and Hauptmann in 1942. He served as Batterie-Offizier and later Batteriechef of the 6. Batterie in Artillerie-Regiment 14 (mot.), taking part in the Polish and Western campaigns, for which he received the Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse on 5 October 1939 and the Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse on 31 May 1940. On the Eastern Front he earned the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold on 24 May 1942 as Chef of that battery and the Allgemeines Sturmabzeichen. In autumn 1942, as Ia in the Stab of Artillerie-Kommandeur 149 with the V. Armee-Korps of the 17. Armee under Heeresgruppe A, he distinguished himself during the advance into the Caucasus by repeatedly preventing Soviet breakthrough attempts through skillful coordination of artillery fire, earning the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 30 October 1942 as the 1248th recipient. Appointed Kommandeur of Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 277 on 27 June 1943 under the 6. Armee of Heeresgruppe Süd, he led the unit with outstanding success in the summer and autumn battles east of the Dnieper. Near Melitopol between 27 and 30 August 1943 his Abteilung destroyed 46 Soviet tanks, of which Flachs himself accounted for two in close combat; later near Novo Mountal the unit destroyed 54 tanks in a single day, and south of Zaporozhye he personally initiated a counterattack that restored the front line and knocked out seven more tanks. For these achievements he was awarded the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz (381st award) on 31 January 1944 while still Hauptmann. Promoted to Major in 1944, he became Inspekteur der Sturmgeschützschule Burg in April of that year. During a front inspection near Bedburg-Erft in the Cologne area he was killed on 8 December 1944 and was posthumously advanced to Oberstleutnant. Additional decorations included the Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz and Silber, the Nahkampfspange in Bronze, and the Ostmedaille.
Source :
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artilleriekommandeur
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