205th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)

The 205th Infantry Division (German: 205. Infanterie-Division) was a German division during the Second World War.

205. Infanterie-Division
German 205th Infantry Division
Active1 January 1940 – 8 May 1945
Country Nazi Germany
BranchArmy
TypeInfantry
SizeDivision
EngagementsWorld War II

Initially formed as the 14th Militia Division (German: 14. Landwehr-Division), the division was mobilized a few days before the invasion of Poland in 1939, and remained on garrison duty in Germany throughout that campaign. It was the only Landwehr unit mobilized during 1939–1945 (others that were mobilized were reorganized as 3rd-Wave-style divisions), though the 97th Landwehr Division had been mobilized for the 1938 Anschluss.

It was renamed the 205th Infantry Division on 1 January 1940 and sent to France near the end of the western campaign. It was demobilized in July, but mobilized again in early 1941, and served as a garrison against any potential Allied invasion until early 1942. It was then sent to the Russian Front, where it served with Army Group Center in the "little Stalingrad" at Velikiye Luki over the winter of 1942–1943. The division was transferred to Army Group North in late 1943 and eventually trapped in the Courland Pocket, where it surrendered to the Soviets in 1945.

Commanding officers
  • Generalleutnant Ernst Richter (1 January 1940 – 1 March 1942)
  • Generalleutnant Paul Seyffardt (1 March 1942 – 5 November 1943)
  • Generalmajor Ernst Michael (5 November 1943 – 1 December 1943)
  • General der Artillerie Horst von Mellenthin (1 December 1943 – 20 November 1944)
  • Generalmajor Ernst Biehler (20 November 1944 – 15 November 1944)
  • Generalmajor Karl-Hans Giese (15 November 1944 – 8 May 1945)

See also

References

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


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