79th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)
Army | |
Type | Infantry |
---|---|
Size | Division |
Engagements | World War II |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Karl Strecker |
The 79th Infantry Division (79. Infanterie-Division) was an
.Operational history
The 79th Infantry Division began mobilization on March 1, 1939, as a part of the second German "wave" system of mobilization. The "wave" was the German designation for groups of infantry divisions raised at approximately the same time, with approximately the same type of organization, equipment, personnel and training. Raised from Rheinlanders in the German Military District (Wehrkreis) XII, and headquartered in Wiesbaden, the home station of the 79th was
On 16 June 1941, orders were issued by OKW for the 79th Infantry Division to be transported to the Eastern Front starting 22 June.[1]
The Division was assigned to Army Group South for Operation Operation Barbarossa on June 26, 1941. From June 1941 until September 1942, the 79th fought in southern Russia.
Battle of Stalingrad
In October 1942 from positions in front of the Red Army bridgehead across the Don at Serafimovich to Stalingrad. This late weakening of the 6th Army's left flank to replace the serious infantry losses in the Stalingrad city battle contributed to the success of Operation Uranus, as Red Army's northern pincer axis of attack rolled through the 79th's former positions, which were given over to the Romanian 5th Infantry division.
The division began its attack on Stalingrad on October 17, 1942. The fighting in the Red October Tractor Factory was fiercely contended, hall by hall. When the Soviet Offensive started on November 19, 1942, the 79th was one of the units trapped in the "kessel" (or cauldron), when it was surrounded on November 24. The Sixth Army surrendered on January 31, 1943. The division staff, including the Ia (Operations Officer) Oberst Hans Schwanbeck, was flown out of Stalingrad on January 8–9, 1943. The division, including its commander, Generalleutnant Alexander von Daniels, surrendered to the Red Army when the German forces capitulated.
Reformation
The division was reformed from the remnants of other units outside of the Soviet encirclement on January 12, 1943. The division then took part in operations in the Novocherkassk area until relieved on March 13, 1943. It refitted in the Volnovakha area and in April 1943, returned to battle. It fought a number of defensive actions before reaching the Kuban bridgehead in August 1943. The division was evacuated to Ukraine retreating west with the rest of the German forces.
1944 found the 79th in
Later war
On October 27, 1944, the division was raised again outside the Welle system, this time in West Prussia and now as the 79th Volksgrenadier Division (79. Volks-Grenadier-Division). It had only ten percent combat veterans and was largely made up by absorbing the 586th Volksgrenadier Division (Katzbach). On December 11, 1944, the 79th Volksgrenadier Division was assigned to 7. Armee a reserve force near Bitburg, Germany. Although at half strength, the 79th was to take part in Operation Herbstnebel.
On December 21, 1944, the 79th VG moved towards its assembly area near
After Heavy fighting continued into January 1945, the Division fell to US forces at Heidelberg and Darmstadt. Remnants of the 79th fought in the vicinity of Rothenburg ob der Tauber under the name Battle Group (Kampfgruppe) "Hummel" in mid-April. This last organized unit of the 79th Volksgrenadier Division surrendered to US Forces on April 14, 1945. Grenadiers of the 79th Volksgrenadier Division fought small unit actions in the Alps.
Organization
Structure of the division:[2][3]
- Headquarters
- 179th Reconnaissance Battalion
- 208th Infantry Regiment
- 212th Infantry Regiment
- 226th Infantry Regiment
- 179th Engineer Battalion
- 179th Artillery Regiment
- 179th Tank Destroyer Battalion
- 179th Signal Battalion
- 179th Divisional Supply Group
Commanders
79th Infantry Division | ||
General der Infanterie Karl Strecker | March 1939 - January 1942 | |
Generalleutnant Richard Graf von Schwerin | January 1942 - August 1943 | |
Generalmajor Heinrich Kreipe | August 1943 - October 1943 | |
Oberst Andreas von Aulock | October 1943 | |
Generalleutnant Friedrich-August Weinknecht | October 1943 - August 29, 1944 ( POW )
| |
Generalmajor Erich Weber | 1944 |
References
- ISBN 3828905250.
- ^ German Order of Battle, 1st-290th Infantry Divisions in WWII. p. 90.
- ^ "Infanterie-Division (2. Welle), German Army, 22.06.1941". niehorster.org. Retrieved 2019-01-22.
Bibliography
- Quarrie, Bruce The Ardennes Offensive, I ARMEE & VII ARMEE (Order of Battle series book), Osprey Publishing Group, London, UK. 2001. ISBN 1-85532-913-1
- Hans Sänger Die 79. Infanterie-Division. 1939, ISBN 3895552135
- Unteroffizier Werner Psaar, Source: "Wiesbadener Soldatenkalender 1943" Rud. Bechtold & Comp., Wiesbaden