13th Luftwaffe Field Division

13th Luftwaffe Field Division
12. Luftwaffen-Feld-Division
Active	1942 – 1944
Country	Nazi Germany
Branch	Luftwaffe
Type	Infantry
Size	Division
Engagements	World War II Eastern Front Siege of Leningrad Third Battle of Lake Ladoga Leningrad–Novgorod offensive

The 13th Luftwaffe Field Division (German : 13.Luftwaffen-Feld-Division) was an infantry division of the Luftwaffe branch of the German Wehrmacht that fought in World War II.

History

The 13th Luftwaffe Field Division was formed on 15 November 1942 at the Fallingbostel Training Area (near Neubiburg) using 'Flieger-Regiment 13'. The core of the division was formed around six 'Jager' battalions split into two regiments. In early 1943, the division was transferred to Army Group North on the Eastern Front and assigned to the 18th Army. The division took over a position section on the Volkhov River in the area of Chudovo - Dymno- Spasskaya Polist. It took part in the Third Battle of Lake Ladoga. Whilst not at the centre of the fighting, and South of the Kirishi Bridgehead and Pogoste Pocket. The Division held its positions on the river line throughout 1943.

On 1 November 1943, the division was taken over by the Wehrmacht and renamed FeldDivision 13 (L). In January 1944, the division was struck by the major Soviet Leningrad–Novgorod offensive. In heavy rearguard action, it had to retreat to the Luga sector and from here further to the Pskow area. After a temporary deployment on the southern edge of Lake Pskov, the division moved to the area south of Ostrov.

At the end of March 1944 the division fought on the Opochka - Pskow railway line, and suffered so many casualties that it was dissolved on 1 April 1944. What remained of the Division was incorporated into the Felddivision 12 (L) . ^{[1] [2]}

Commanders

• Generalleutnant Herbert Olbrich, (November 1942 - 25 January 1943)
• Generalmajor Hans Korte, (25 January 1943 - 1 October 1943)
• Generalleutnant Hellmuth Reymann, (1 October 1943 - 1 April 1944)

Sources

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht Luftwaffen-Felddivision 13

Notes

Footnotes

1. The I Battalion was transferred to Felddivision 12 (L) in April 1944 as I Battalion 25th Field Jager Regiment.
2. The II Battalion was transferred to Felddivision 12 (L) in April 1944 as II Battalion 25th Field Jager Regiment.
3. In November 1943 This battalion was removed from the division and became I Flak-Abteilung of Flak Regiment 54 (motorisiert).

Citations

1. Munoz 2025, pp. 138–147.
2. Glantz 2002, pp. 359–393.
3. Mitcham 2007a, pp. 307–308.
4. Munoz 2025, pp. 145.
5. Munoz 2025, pp. 140.

References

• Conley Ruffner, Kevin; Volstad, Ron (ill.) (2012). Luftwaffe Field Divisions 1941–45. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN   978-1-85532-100-7.
• Peter Schmitz / Klaus -Jürgen Thies / Günter Wegmann / Christian Zweng: The German divisions 1941–1945, Bd. 3, Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück 1996. ISBN   3-7648-2458-1.
• Mitcham, Samuel W. (2007a). German Order of Battle, Volume Two: 291st–999th Infantry Divisions, Named Infantry Divisions, and Special Divisions in WWII. Mechanicsburg, PA, United States: Stackpole Books. ISBN   978-0-8117-3437-0.
• Mitcham, Samuel W. (2007b). German Order of Battle, Volume Three: Panzer, Panzer Grenadier, and Waffen SS Divisions in WWII. Mechanicsburg, PA, United States: Stackpole Books. ISBN   978-0-8117-3438-7.
• Mitcham, Samuel W. (1985). German Order of Battle World War II. Trowbridge, Wiltshire: Leo Cooper in association with Secker & Warburg Limited, London. ISBN   0-436-28200-3.
• Munoz, Antonio J. (2025). Hitler's Luftwaffe Infantry, The German Air Force Field Divisions 1942 - 1945. Frontline Books. ISBN   978-1-03613-033-6.
• Glantz, David M. (2002). The Battle for Leningrad 1941-1944. Kansas State University, The United States of America: University Press of Kansas. ISBN   0-7006-1208-4.