German 212th Infantry Division
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212th Infantry Division
212th Volksgrenadier Division
578th Volksgrenadier Division
The German 212th Infantry Division was raised in August 1939 and remainded on garrison duty in Germany until March 1941, when it spent three months as a coastal defense unit along the English Channel
. In November 1941 it was transferred to the Eastern Front where it joined Army Group North
near Leningrad and along the Volkhov Front
. It continued with Army Group North until the summer of 1944, when it had been pushed back to Lithuania
and was transferred to the control of Army Group Center. The division was destroyed there in August or September, and the survivors were immediately reconstituted as the 578th Volksgrenadier Division, which was renamed as 212th Volksgrenadier Division almost as soon as it had been formed. The division retained a number of experienced officers and Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs, sergeants). The replacements received were mostly from Bavaria and were rated as above-average. Rebuilt to full personnel strength the division had weaknesses shared by almost all Volksgrenadier divisions: not enough communications equipment and a lack of assault guns. On 16 December 1944, the start of the Battle of the Bulge, the division only had 4 assault guns out of an authorized strength of 28. The reconstituted division transferred to the western front in December 1944. The division was assigned to the LXXX Corps of the German Seventh Army which formed the southern shoulder of the German armies attacking in the Ardennes: Battle of the Bulge
. General der Panzertruppe
Erich Brandenberger
, the German Seventh Army commander, rated the 212th Volksgrenadier Division as his best division. Because of this it was assigned the mission of protecting the southern flank of the Seventh Army. In this battle the 212th Volksgrenadier Division attacked elements of the US Army's 4th Infantry Division. The division achieved some success but not nearly what was required for it to succeed in seizing its assigned objectives. After the conclusion of the Battle of the Bulge
the 212th Volksgrendier Division participated in subsequent defensive operations along the Rhine, surrendering to the Americans near the end of the war.
212th Volksgrenadier Division
578th Volksgrenadier Division
The German 212th Infantry Division was raised in August 1939 and remainded on garrison duty in Germany until March 1941, when it spent three months as a coastal defense unit along the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
. In November 1941 it was transferred to the Eastern Front where it joined Army Group North
Army Group North
Army Group North was a German strategic echelon formation commanding a grouping of Field Armies subordinated to the OKH during World War II. The army group coordinated the operations of attached separate army corps, reserve formations, rear services and logistics.- Formation :The Army Group North...
near Leningrad and along the Volkhov Front
Volkhov Front
The Front was reformed on the 9 June 1942 from the Volkhov Operational Group of the Leningrad Front and served until 15 February 1944, participating in the relief of the Siege of Leningrad and taking part in other operations including:-Campaigns:...
. It continued with Army Group North until the summer of 1944, when it had been pushed back to Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
and was transferred to the control of Army Group Center. The division was destroyed there in August or September, and the survivors were immediately reconstituted as the 578th Volksgrenadier Division, which was renamed as 212th Volksgrenadier Division almost as soon as it had been formed. The division retained a number of experienced officers and Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs, sergeants). The replacements received were mostly from Bavaria and were rated as above-average. Rebuilt to full personnel strength the division had weaknesses shared by almost all Volksgrenadier divisions: not enough communications equipment and a lack of assault guns. On 16 December 1944, the start of the Battle of the Bulge, the division only had 4 assault guns out of an authorized strength of 28. The reconstituted division transferred to the western front in December 1944. The division was assigned to the LXXX Corps of the German Seventh Army which formed the southern shoulder of the German armies attacking in the Ardennes: Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
. General der Panzertruppe
General der Panzertruppe
General der Panzertruppe was a rank of German Army General introduced by the Wehrmacht in 1935. As the commander of a Panzer Corp this rank corresponds to a US Army Lieutenant-General...
Erich Brandenberger
Erich Brandenberger
Adolf Robert Erich Brandenberger was a German General der Panzertruppe. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves....
, the German Seventh Army commander, rated the 212th Volksgrenadier Division as his best division. Because of this it was assigned the mission of protecting the southern flank of the Seventh Army. In this battle the 212th Volksgrenadier Division attacked elements of the US Army's 4th Infantry Division. The division achieved some success but not nearly what was required for it to succeed in seizing its assigned objectives. After the conclusion of the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
the 212th Volksgrendier Division participated in subsequent defensive operations along the Rhine, surrendering to the Americans near the end of the war.
212th Infantry Division
- Generalmajor Walter Friedrichs, 1 September 1939 – 15 September 1939
- General der Artillerie Theodor EndresTheodor EndresTheodor Endres was a highly decorated General der Artillerie in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
, 15 September 1939 – 1 October 1942 - Generalleutnant Hellmuth Reymann, 1 October 1942 – 1 October 1943
- Generalmajor Dr. Karl KoskeKarl KoskeDr. Karl Koske was a highly decorated Generalmajor in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
, 1 October 1943 - 1 May 1944 - Generalleutnant Franz Sensfuß, 1 May 1944 – 15 September 1944
212th Volksgrenadier Division
- Generalleutnant Franz Sensfuß, October 1944 - 1 April 1945
- Genralmajor Max UlichMax UlichMax Ulich was a highly decorated Generalmajor in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the 212 Volksgrenadier-Division...
, 1 April 1945 - 21 April 1945 - Generalmajor Jobst Freiherr von Buddenbrock, 21 April 1945 - 8 May 1945
See also
- VolksgrenadierVolksgrenadierVolksgrenadier was the name given to a type of German Army division formed in the Autumn of 1944 after the double loss of Army Group Center to the Soviets in Operation Bagration and the Fifth Panzer Army to the Allies in Normandy. The name itself was intended to build morale, appealing at once to...
- Division (military)Division (military)A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
, Military unit, List of German divisions in WWII - HeerGerman ArmyThe German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
, WehrmachtWehrmachtThe Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:... - Battle of Krasny BorBattle of Krasny BorThe Battle of Krasny Bor was part of the Soviet offensive Operation Polyarnaya Zvezda. The Soviet offensive called for a pincer attack near Leningrad, to build up on the success of Operation Iskra and completely lift the Siege of Leningrad, encircling a substantial part of the German 18th Army. ...