| 557th Infantry Division | |
|---|---|
| 557. Infanterie-Division | |
| Active | 15 February 1940 – 31 August 1940 |
| Country |  Nazi Germany |
| Branch |  Heer (Wehrmacht) |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | Division |
| Engagements | Phoney War |
| Commanders | |
| Commander | Hermann Kuprion |
The 557th Infantry Division (German : 557. Infanterie-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 557th Infantry Division was formed on 15 February 1940 as a positional division for defensive duties in the Upper Rhine sector, [1] : 350 during the standoff along the Franco-German border, the Phoney War. Its assembly was implemented by Wehrkreis IV, and its staff was initially formed using personnel from Division Command z.b.V. 427. [2] : 160 The sole commander of 557th Infantry Division throughout its history was Hermann Kuprion. [3]
The division initially consisted of three regiments: Infantry Regiment 632 was formed using personnel of the II./425 battalion of 223rd Infantry Division as well as half of II./412 of 227th Infantry Division; Infantry Regiment 633 was formed using personnel of the II./306 battalion of 211th Infantry Division and the other half of II./412 battalion of 227th Division; Infantry Regiment 634 was formed (in Leoben) using personnel from II./335 battalion of 205th Infantry Division. Additionally, the 557th Infantry Division also contained Artillery Regiment 557 with three detachments, the Observation Detachment 557 and the Division Units 557. [2] : 160
The division served as part of XXV Army Corps from May to June 1940, [2] : 160 along with 555th Infantry Division. [4] : 49–56 It served across the French defensive lines, the Maginot Line. [5] : 290
Following a directive on 19 July, the 557th Infantry Division was formally dissolved on 31 August 1940 in the Zeitz-Weißenfels area, as the June 1940 German victory in the Battle of France had rendered the various positional divisions on the Franco-German border superfluous. The division was split into autonomous home guard battalions, of which eight were sent to Wehrkreis II to guard prisoners of war, whereas battalion III./634 was deployed to the Protectorate of Bohemia-Moravia. The battalions were designated as the Landesschützen Battalions 975 through 983 on 1 January 1941. [2] : 160
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