217th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)

Last updated
217th Infantry Division
217. Infanterie-Division
ActiveAugust 1939 – July 1944
CountryFlag of Germany (1935-1945).svg  Nazi Germany
Branch Army (Wehrmacht)
Type Infantry
Size Division
Engagements Oranienbaum Bridgehead
Siege of Leningrad
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 Richard Baltzer
Friedrich Bayer (general)
Otto Lasch
Walter Poppe

The 217th Infantry Division (German : 217. Infanterie-Division) was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II. It later became the Division Group 217. [1] [2] It is also listed as the 217th Volksgrenadier Division. [2]

Contents

Operational history

The 217th Infantry Division, part of the third Aufstellungswelle , was initially formed on 17 August 1939 as a training division in Wehrkreis I (East Prussia) in Allenstein. The division was upgraded to a full division on the day of German mobilization, 26 August 1939. It initially consisted of the Infantry Regiments 311, 346 and 389, as well as Artillery Regiment 217. [1]

At the beginning of the Invasion of Poland that started on 1 September 1939, the 217th Infantry Division served in the reserve of Georg von Küchler's 3rd Army under Fedor von Bock's Army Group North. [3] It did not see heavy combat in the Poland campaign. [2] After the conclusion of the campaign, the division was transferred to XXXV Army Corps on the border to the Soviet-occupied part of Poland. [1]

During the Battle of France 1940, the 217th Infantry Division was part of the OKH reserve, but again did not see significant action. [2] In June 1940, the division was transferred to the I Army Corps under 4th Army. In July, the 217th was moved to the XXVI Army Corps under 18th Army, where it remained until April 1941. After a brief stay at II Army Corps in May 1941, it was transferred to XXVI Corps, where it would remain until early August. [1]

The division was transferred eastwards to its home in East Prussia in July 1940. After that, it participated in the German invasion of the Soviet Union as part of XXVI Corps under Army Group North. It was mainly involved in coastal defense duties in the Baltic. [2] At that time, under 18th Army, at times under XXVI Corps or under XXXXII Army Corps. [1] Subsequently, it took part in the siege of the Red Army's Oranienbaum Bridgehead from October 1941 to April 1942. After that, it joined the Siege of Leningrad in May 1942 and fought there until February 1943. From March 1943 onwards, it held a sector near Volkhov until July 1943. In fall 1943, the 217th Division suffered severe casualties in the Kiev area. [2]

It was downgraded to become Division Group 217 of Corps Detachment C on 2 November 1943. The Division Group 217 was destroyed at Brody in July 1944. [1] [2]

Noteworthy Individuals

Related Research Articles

The 1st Infantry Division was an infantry division that notably served in World War II as part of the Heer of Nazi Germany's Wehrmacht. It had been one of the original infantry divisions of the Reichswehr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">18th Army (Wehrmacht)</span> Military unit

The 18th Army was a World War II field army in the German Wehrmacht.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erich Abraham</span>

Erich Abraham was a general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany who command the 76th Infantry Division then the LXIII Corps on the Western Front during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">6th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)</span> Military unit

The 6th Infantry Division was a unit of the German Army during World War II.

The 320th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the German Wehrmacht. It existed from 1940 to 1944. In late 1944, the division was reassembled as the 320th Volksgrenadier Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">11th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)</span> Military unit

The 11th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Wehrmacht that was initially founded as a cover formation during the Reichswehr era. It was active from 1934 to 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">205th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)</span> Military unit

The 205th Infantry Division was a German infantry division of the Heer during the Second World War. It was initially known as the 14th Landwehr Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">62nd Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)</span> Military unit

The 62nd Infantry Division was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II. It was formed in Wehrkreis VIII (Silesia) in August 1939. After heavy casualties in March 1944, it was first briefly reassembled in August 1944 and then reorganized into the 62nd Volksgrenadier Division, formed from units assembled for the planned 583rd Volksgrenadier Division, on 22 September 1944. The dissolution of 62nd Infantry Division was declared on 9 October 1944. 62nd Volksgrenadier Division remained operational until it was trapped in the Ruhr Pocket and forced to surrender by American forces in April 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">211th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)</span> Military unit

The 211th Infantry Division was a German infantry division of the German Heer during World War II, active from 1939 to 1944.

The 223rd Infantry Division was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II.

The 225th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II.

The 239th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II. The division was activated in 1939 and remained in active duty until December 1941. Its staff was formally dissolved in 1942.

The 245th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II. It was active between 1943 and 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">XXVI Army Corps (Wehrmacht)</span> Nazi-era German army corps

The XXVI Army Corps was a Wehrmacht army corps during World War II. It existed from 1939 to 1945. It was also known as Corps Wodrig during the Invasion of Poland.

The 166th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II. The unit, at times designated Commander of Reserve Troops 2 of Wehrkreis VI (

The 168th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II. It was active between 1939 and 1945.

The 257th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the German Army during World War II.

The 262nd Infantry Division was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II.

The 271st Infantry Division was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II.

The 321st Infantry Division was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II. Between November 1943 and June 1944, it was known as Division Group 321.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Tessin, Georg (1977). "217. Infanterie-Division". Die Landstreitkräfte 201-280. Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939-1945 (in German). Vol. 8. Osnabrück: Biblio Verlag. pp. 82–87. ISBN   3764810971.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Mitcham, Samuel W. (2007). "217th Infantry (later Volksgrenadier) Division". German Order of Battle: 1st-290th Infantry Divisions in WWII. Stackpole Books. ISBN   9780811746540.
  3. ↑ Zaloga, Steven (2003) [2002]. Poland 1939: The Birth of Blitzkrieg. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. p. 35. ISBN   1841764086.
  4. ↑ Bradley, Dermot, ed. (1996). Fleck–Gyldenfeldt. Die Generale des Heeres 1921–1945. Die militärischen Werdegänge der Generale, sowie der Ärzte, Veterinäre, Intendanten, Richter und Ministerialbeamten im Generalsrang (in German). Vol. 4. Osnabrück: Biblio. pp. 81–82. ISBN   3764824883.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.