46th Infantry Division (Germany)

The 46th Infantry Division was a division of the German army from 1938 until 1945. It was formed in the latter part of 1938, and was constituted of recruits from the Sudetenland.

History

The division fought in the invasion of Poland in 1939, and then was held in reserve until May 1940, when it was transferred to France. The division fought in the Loire Valley until the fall of France.

The division was also involved in the assault of Crimea late in 1941. While engaged in heavy fighting in the Kerch Peninsula in December, and with Soviet landings both at the tip of the Kerch Peninsula and at Feodosiya, the 42th corps commander, General von Sponeck gave the order to pull back. This order was countermanded by the 11th Army commander, von Manstein, but since von Sponeck had already disassembled his wireless set, the order to hold ground was not received. The 46th Infantry Division avoided encirclement and eventually helped stem the tide of the Red Army landings at Feodosiya. General von Sponeck was dismissed and subject to a trail where Reichsmarschall Göring oversaw the proceedings. General von Sponeck was sentenced to death but this order was commuted by Adolf Hitler and reduced to seven years imprisonment. When Feldmarschall von Reichenau took command of Army Group South, he relayed a message to the divisional commander, Leutnant-General Himer which read

"Because of its slack reaction to the Russian landing on the Kerch Peninsula, as well as its precipitate withdrawal from the peninsula, I hereby declare 46th Division forfeit of soldierly honour. Decorations and promotions are in abeyance until countermanded. Signed: von Reichenau, Feldmarschall". [ cite book |last=Carell |first=Paul |year=1991 |title=Hitler Moves East |location=Winnipeg |publisher=J.J. Fedorowicz Publishing |ISBN=0-921991-11-8]

The 46th Infantry division was a part of 54th Army Corp, under the command of General Hansen.

With its numbers depleted, the division surrendered to the Soviets in May 1945.

References

Related Links

http://www.feldgrau.com/InfDiv.php?ID=42