231st Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)

Last updated
231st Infantry Division
231. Infanterie-Division
ActiveAugust 1939 - July 1940
CountryFlag of Germany (1935-1945).svg  Nazi Germany
Branch Heer - decal for helmet 1942.svg Heer (Wehrmacht)
Type Infantry
Size Division

The 231st Infantry Division (German : 231. Infanterie-Division) was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II.

Contents

Operational history

The 231st Infantry Division was created on 26 August 1939 as part of the third Aufstellungswelle in Nuremberg in Wehrkreis XIII. It initially consisted of the Infantry Regiments 302 (Amberg), 319 (Regensburg) and 342 (Bayreuth), as well as the Artillery Regiment 231. [1] The division's first and only commander was Hans Schönhärl. [2]

The division operated in the Saar region as part of the 1st Army reserves. [1] After the German capture of Warsaw it was transferred to occupied Poland, where it served as a frontier guard in the south of the German-Soviet demarcation line to prevent Soviet attacks during the timespan in which the main German forces were pinned down in the west. [2] On 8 June 1940, it was organizationally part of the Oberost group (Grenzabschnittskommando Süd), along with the 228th and 311th Infantry Divisions. [3] It served as part of XXXIV Army Corps. [1] By 25 June 1940, it had been moved to Gen. z.b.V. II in Hanover to prepare for dissolution. [4]

The 231st Infantry Division was disbanded on 31 July 1940, [2] at Ohrdruf, Thuringia. [1] During its entire lifespan, it had not once seen combat. [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">6th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)</span> Military unit

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

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Army Group E</span> Military unit

Army Group E was a German Army Group active during World War II.

The 79th Infantry Division(79. Infanterie-Division) was an infantry division of Nazi Germany's Wehrmacht during World War II.

Army Norway was a German army operating in Norway and Finland during World War II. It was one of the two army echelon headquarters controlling German troops in the far north. Army Norway was directly subordinate to OKH, the high command headquarters of the Wehrmacht. It was created from Army Group XXI in December 1940, itself a successor of the XXI Army Corps, and disbanded in December 1944, with its tasks and assets taken over by the 20th Mountain Army.

X Army Corps was a corps in the German Army during World War II. It was formed in mid-May 1935 from the Cavalry Division.

XII Army Corps was a corps in the German Army during World War II. It was formed in the Wehrkreis XII recruitment and training district in Wiesbaden in October 1936 and was mobilized before the outbreak of war at the end of August 1939.

XIII Army Corps was a corps of the German Army during World War II. Made up of several divisions, which varied from time to time, it was formed in Nuremberg on 1 October 1937.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">XXIV Army Corps (Wehrmacht)</span> German WW2 unit

The XXIV Army Corps was a unit of the German Army during World War II. The unit was re-designated several times; originally being Generalkommando der Grenztruppen Saarpfalz, later Generalkommando XXIV. Armeekorps, then XXIV. Armeekorps (mot.) and finally XXIV. Panzerkorps.

The LIII Army Corps was a corps of the German Army during World War II. It was first deployed in 1941 and was active as part of various armies under Army Group Centre until 1944, when it was destroyed during the Soviet Red Army operations Bagration and Kutuzov in June and July 1944. The corps suffered enormous casualties as a result of the Soviet attacks. All of its divisions were destroyed and all but a few of the soldiers were killed or captured by the Soviet Union. A new formation named LIII Army Corps was subsequently deployed in December 1944, when it was assigned to Seventh Army and fought on the western front until surrendering to United States Army forces in April 1945.

The 209th Infantry Division was a German infantry division of the German Heer during World War II.

<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 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 XXV Army Corps was an army corps of Germany's Wehrmacht during World War II.

The 253rd Infantry Division was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II.

The 358th Infantry Division, also alternatively dubbed 358th Landesschützen Division, was an infantry division of the Heer, the ground forces of Nazi Germany, during World War II. It was active between March and August 1940.

The 395th Infantry Division, initially known as the 521st Infantry Division, was an infantry division of the German army during World War II. It existed as the 521st Division from November 1939 until March 1940 and as the 395th Division from March until August 1940.

The 399th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Heer, the ground forces of the German Wehrmacht, during World War II. The division was active from March to August 1940.

The 556th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Heer, the ground forces of Nazi Germany's Wehrmacht. It was active for several months in the year 1940.

The 554th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Heer, the ground forces of Nazi Germany's Wehrmacht. It was active for several months in the year 1940.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Tessin, Georg (1977). "231. 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. 142–146. ISBN   3764810971.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Mitcham, Samuel W. (2007). "231ST INFANTRY DIVISION". German Order of Battle: 1st-290th Infantry Divisions in WWII. Stackpole Books. p. 296. ISBN   9780811746540.
  3. Schramm, Percy E. (2005) [2003]. Kriegstagebuch des OKW. Vol. 1 (Studienausgabe ed.). Augsburg: Verlagsgruppe Weltbild GmbH. p. 1123.
  4. Schramm, Percy E. (2005) [2003]. Kriegstagebuch des OKW. Vol. 1 (Studienausgabe ed.). Augsburg: Verlagsgruppe Weltbild GmbH. p. 1125.