12th Infantry Division (Germany)

The German 12th Infantry Division, later known as the 12th Volksgrenadier Division, was a German military unit that fought during World War II.

History and organisation

Formation

The division was formed in 1934 under the cover name of "Infanterieführer II", and did not assume its bona-fide designation until the creation of the Wehrmacht was announced in October 1935. Initially, the division included Infantry Regiment 27, formed in Rostock and Infantry Regiment 48, created from the 5th (East Prussian) Regiment of the former "Reichswehr". In 1937, Infantry Regiment 89, raised in Schwerin, was added. The division's full organisation was as follows:

* Infanterie-Regiment 27
* Infanterie-Regiment 48
* Infanterie-Regiment 89
* Artillerie-Regiment 12
* I./Artillerie-Regiment 48
* Aufklärung-Abteilung 12
* Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 12
* Pionier-Bataillon 12
* Nachrichten-Abteilung 12
* Feldersatz-Bataillon 12
* Divisions-Versorgungs-Einheiten 12

Actions 1939-41

In 1939 it fought in the invasion of Poland and in 1940 it participated in the invasion of France. It remained on occupation duties until May 1941, latterly in the Netherlands.

Actions in the Soviet Union

In June 1941 the division joined Operation Barbarossa under Army Group North, and remained under that command until the end of 1943. In 1942 it was one of the divisions encircled in the Demyansk Pocket.

In December 1942, Infantry Regiment 27 was renamed Fusilier Regiment 27 (taking over the traditions of an earlier Imperial German regiment, the 90th), while Infantry Regiments 48 and 89 were renamed Grenadier Regiments 48 and 89 (in both cases, these were intended as honorific or morale-building titles).

At the beginning of 1944 the division was transferred to Fourth Army, under Army Group Center; in June, it was one of those that found itself facing the Soviet offensive in the Belorussian SSR, Operation Bagration. After an effective defence of the road into Mogilev, the division withdrew into the town, which it was ordered to hold at all costs, and was destroyed there. Very few troops escaped back to German lines from the encirclement.

As 12th Volksgrenadier Division

It was rebuilt as the 12th Volksgrenadier Division in October 1944, and fought the rest of the war in the west under Army Group B. It participated in the defense of Aachen, the Battle of the Hurtgen Forest, and the Battle of the Bulge. In April 1945 it surrendered at Wuppertal upon the collapse of the Ruhr Pocket.

Commanders

* Lieutenant-General Ludwig von der Leyen (1 September1939)
* Lieutenant-General Walther von Seydlitz-Kurzbach (10 March 1940)
* Colonel Karl Hernekamp (1 January 1942)
* Lieutenant-General Kurt-Jürgen Freiherr von Lützow (1 March 1942)
* Colonel Gerhard Müller (1 June 1942)
* Colonel Wilhelm Lorenz (11 July 1942)
* Lieutenant-General Kurt-Jürgen Freiherr von Lützow (20 July 1942)
* Lieutenant-General Curt Jahn (25 May 1944)
* Lieutenant-General Rudolf Bamler (4 June 1944)
* Major-General Gerhard Engel (28 June 1944)

Soldiers attached to the 12th Infantry Division

* Heinz-Georg Lemm

References

Note: The Web references may require you to follow links to cover the unit's entire history.

* Wendel, Marcus (2004). " [http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=1372 12. Infanterie-Division] ". Retrieved May 10, 2005.
* Wendel, Marcus (2004). " [http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=819 12. Volksgrenadier-Division] ". Retrieved May 10, 2005.
* " [http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/Infanteriedivisionen/12ID-R.htm 12. Infanterie-Division] ". German language article at www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de. Retrieved May 10, 2005.

See also

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