208th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)
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208th Infantry Division | |
---|---|
208. Infanterie-Division | |
Active | August 1939–May 1945 |
Country | Nazi Germany |
Branch | Army |
Type | Infantry |
Size | Division |
Engagements | World War II |
The 208th Infantry Division, or 208.Infanterie-Division in German, was a large military unit that served during World War II. Like most German infantry divisions, the bulk of its troops were foot-mobile infantry supported by horse-drawn artillery.
The 208th Infantry Division was formed on 26 August 1939. it served in the invasion of Poland of 1939 as a reserve division of Army Group North and was commanded by General Moritz Andreas. During Fall Gelb it was a reserve division allocated to 18th Army and was mainly active in the occupation of northern Belgium. From January 1942 it fought continuously on the Eastern Front.
On 1 January 1945, the 208th Infantry Division (then part of Army Group Heinrici under Army Group A) had a strength of 9,840 men.[1]: 504
Commanding officers
- Generalleutnant Moritz Andreas, (1 September 1939 – 13 December 1941)
- General der Infanterie Hans-Karl von Scheele, (13 December 1941 – 1 February 1943)
- Generalleutnant Karl-Wilhelm von Schlieben, (1 February 1943 – ? April 1943)
- Generalmajor Georg Zwade, (? April 1943 – 22 June 1943)
- Generalleutnant Heinz Piekenbrock, (22 June 1943 – 8 May 1945)
Order of battle
1939
- Infantry Regiment 309
- Infantry Regiment 337
- Infantry Regiment 338
- Artillery Regiment 208
- Engineer Battalion 208
- Anti-Tank Detachment 208
- Reconnaissance Detachment 208
- Intelligence Department 208
- Supply Troops 208
1943
- Grenadier Regiment 309
- Grenadier Regiment 337
- Grenadier Regiment 338
- Fusilier Battalion 208
- Artillery Regiment 208
- Pioneer Battalion 208
- Panzerjäger Detachment 208
- Intelligence Department 208
- Supply Troops 208
See also
References
- ^ Lakowski, Richard (2008). "Der Zusammenbruch der deutschen Verteidigung zwischen Ostsee und Karpaten". In Müller, Rolf-Dieter (ed.). Die Militärische Niederwerfung der Wehrmacht. Das Deutsche Reich und der Zweite Weltkrieg (in German). Vol. 10/1. München: Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt. pp. 491–681. ISBN 9783421062376.