102nd Infantry Division (Germany)

102nd Infantry Division (Germany)

The 102nd Infantry Division was a German military unit during World War II.

Organisation and history

The division was formed on 15 December 1940 in "Wehrkreis" II (Mecklenburg/Pomerania), in the 12th mobilisation wave, using elements of the 8th Infantry Division and the 28th Infantry Division.

The division fought on the Eastern Front, spending much of its existence as part of Ninth Army assigned to Army Group Centre. In 1943 it was involved in Operation Citadel and its aftermath, losing much of its strength in a series of fierce defensive battles around Orel; by October it was listed as assigned to Second Army and reduced to "Kampfgruppe" level. The division had the following organisation in December 1943:

*Grenadier-Regiment 84
*Grenadier-Regiment 232
*Divisions-Gruppe 216
*Divisions-Füsilier-Bataillon 102
*Artillerie-Regiment 104
*Pionier-Bataillon 102
*Panzerjäger-Abteilung 102
*Aufklärungs-Abteilung 102
*Divisions-Nachrichten-Abteilung 102
*Divisions-Nachschubführer 102

January 1944 found the division back with Ninth Army, covering its southern flank in the Pripet Marshes. It avoided the disastrous encirclement and destruction of much of Ninth Army around Bobruisk in late June during the Soviet Operation Bagration, and was then assigned back to Second Army, holding a line of defence along the River Narew.

The Soviet army's East Prussian Offensive, from 13 January 1945 onwards, broke the under-strength division, which was pushed north and trapped in the Heiligenbeil pocket, being reassigned to Fourth Army. In February it held the perimeter near Mehlsack, before being assigned to defend Braunsberg until it fell on 20 March. A few troops broke through westwards and eventually surrendered to the Americans in Schleswig-Holstein: the other encircled divisional elements in the "kessel" were eventually taken over by the 28th Jäger Division, being involved in the final defence of the Kahlholzer Haken peninsula at Balga.

Commanders

*Lieutenant-General John Ansat (10 December 1940 - 1 February 1942)
*Lieutenant-General Albrecht Baier (1 February 1942 - 10 March 1942)
*Major-General Werner von Räsfeld (10 March 1942 - 1 May 1942)
*Colonel-General Johannes Frießner (1 May 1942 - 19 January 1943)
*General Otto Hitzfeld (19 January 1943 - 5 November 1943)
*Lieutenant-General Werner von Bercken (5 November 1943 - March 1945)

See also

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

References

* " [http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/Infanteriedivisionen/102ID-R.htm] ". German language article at www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de. Retrieved July 03, 2007.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • 102nd Infantry Division (United States) — 102nd Infantry Division 102nd Infantry Division shoulder sleeve insignia Active 1942–1946 Country …   Wikipedia

  • 216th Infantry Division (Germany) — Infobox Military Unit unit name= 216th Infantry Division caption= dates= 26 August 1939 17 November 1943 country= flagicon|Germany|Nazi Germany allegiance= branch= Army ( das deutsche Heer ) type= 3rd Mobilization Wave Infantry Division… …   Wikipedia

  • 28th Jäger Division (Germany) — The 28th Jäger Division was a German military unit during World War II.Organisation and historyThe division was originally formed in October 1936 in Breslau, Silesia, as the 28th Infantry Division (this lineage giving it the divisional nickname… …   Wikipedia

  • 94th Infantry Division (United States) — Infobox Military Unit unit name=94th Division, 1918 1918 1921 1942 94th Infantry Division, 1942 1946 1956 1963 94th Command Headquarters (Divisional), 1963 1967 94th Army Reserve Command, 1968 1995 94th Regional Support Command, 1995 2001 94th… …   Wikipedia

  • 103rd Infantry Division (United States) — Infobox Military Unit unit name= 103d Infantry Division caption= 103rd Infantry Division shoulder sleeve insignia dates= 1942 1945 country= United States of America allegiance= United States of America branch= United States Army type= role= size …   Wikipedia

  • 102nd Division — In military terms, 102nd Division or 102nd Infantry Division may refer to:* 102nd Fortress Division (France) * 102nd Infantry Division (Germany) * 102nd Infantry Division (United States) ee also* List of military divisions by number …   Wikipedia

  • 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division — Infobox Military Unit unit name=50th (Northumbrian) Division caption=Insignia of the 50th Division dates=World War II country=United Kingdom allegiance= branch=British Army type=Infantry role= size= Approximately 18,000 men command structure= XXX …   Wikipedia

  • 2nd Infantry Division (United States) — Infobox Military Unit unit name=2nd Infantry Division caption=2nd Infantry Division shoulder sleeve insignia country=United States of America allegiance= type=Division branch=Regular Army dates=October 26, 1917 – present specialization= Infantry… …   Wikipedia

  • 29th Infantry Division (United States) — Infobox Military Unit unit name=29th Infantry Division caption=29th Infantry Division shoulder sleeve insignia country= United States of America allegiance= United States of America type=Division branch=National Guard dates= 1917 1919; 1941 1968; …   Wikipedia

  • 1st Infantry Division (Romania) — Infobox Military Unit unit name=1st Infantry Division Divizia 1 Infanterie caption=Official emblem of the 1st Infantry Division nickname= motto= colors= march= ceremonial chief= type= branch=Romanian Land Forces dates=16 August 1916 present… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”