28th Jäger Division (Germany)

The 28th Jäger Division was a German military unit during World War II.

Organisation and history

The division was originally formed in October 1936 in Breslau, Silesia, as the 28th Infantry Division (this lineage giving it the divisional nickname of the "Eisernes Kreuz Schlesische Division", the 'Iron Cross Silesian Division'). After action in the Crimea, and taking heavy casualties in the siege of Sevastopol, it was reconstituted as the 28th Light Infantry Division in December 1941, and then as the 28th Jäger Division in July 1942, with the following organisation :

*Jäger-Regiment 49
*Jäger-Regiment 83
*Artillerie-Regiment 28
*Feldersatz-Bataillon 28
*Pionier-Bataillon 28
*Panzerjäger-Abteilung 28
*Aufklärungs-Abteilung 28
*Divisions-Einheiten 28

The 28th Jäger Division fought largely on the Leningrad front, as part of Army Group North. In July 1944 it participated in the unsuccessful attempt to break the encirclement of Fourth Army east of Minsk during Operation Bagration. In late 1944 and early 1945 it fought in East Prussia with the rebuilt Fourth Army, being largely destroyed or captured in the Heiligenbeil pocket. After absorbing some elements of the destroyed 102nd Infantry Division the remainder surrendered to the Soviets in Samland.

Commanders

*General Johann Sinnhuber (July 1942)
*General Friedrich Schulz (1 May 1943 – 24 November 1943)
*Major-General Hubert Lamey (25 November 1943 – January 1944)
*General Hans Speth (January 1944 – 27 April 1944)
*Lieutenant-General Gustav Heistermann von Ziehlberg (28 April 1944 – 19 November 1944)
*Major-General Ernst König (20 November 1944 – 11 April 1945)
*Colonel Hans Tempelhoff (12 April 1945)

See also

* Division (military), Military unit, List of German divisions in WWII
* Heer, Wehrmacht

References

* " [http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/Jagerdivision/28JD.htm] ". German language article at www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de. Retrieved June 22, 2007.