154th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)

Last updated
154. Division
Division No. 154
154th Reserve Division
154th Infantry Division
154th Division
Division Nr. 154
154. Reserve-Division
154. Infanterie-Division
Active1941
CountryFlag of Germany (1935-1945).svg  Nazi Germany
Branch Army
Type Infantry
Size Division

The 154th Infantry Division (German : 154. Infanterie-Division), also known as Commander of the Replacement Troops IV (German : Kommandeur der Ersatztruppen IV), Division No. 154 (German: Division Nr. 154), 154th Reserve Division (German: 154. Reserve-Division), 154th Division (German: 154. Division) and 154th Field Training Division (German: 154. Feldausbildungs-Division) was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II. [1]

Contents

Operational history

154th Division originally served as the reserve division for recruits from the fourth Military district (Wehrkeis), headquartered in Dresden. Wehrkreis IV.jpg
154th Division originally served as the reserve division for recruits from the fourth Military district (Wehrkeis), headquartered in Dresden.

During German mobilization on 26 August 1939, each Wehrkreis (military district) was assigned a division to organize the reserves and training of recruits. The Wehrkreis IV (Saxony) was assigned the Kommandeur der Ersatztruppen IV. The division was redesignated 154. Division on 10 November 1939 and Division Nr. 154 on 27 December 1939. [1] The commander, starting on 27 September 1939, was Arthur Boltze. [2] The division served as the administrative body and the training divisions for all recruits of Wehrkreis IV. [1] As a result, its main trainees were Saxons and Sudeten Germans. [2] The formation of 174th Division on 10 June 1940 only left the division with Infantry Reserve Regiment 4 Dresden , Infantry Reserve Regiment 223 Bautzen , Infantry Reserve Regiment 255 Löbau , Infantry Reserve Regiment 256 Teplitz and Artillery Reserve Regiment 4 Dresden, in addition to several small reserve detachments. [1]

The division was commanded by Franz Landgraf starting on 1 May 1942 and by Friedrich Altrichter starting in June. [2] It was reequipped on 15 June 1942 and redesignated 154. Reserve-Division. It was redeployed to Landshut in the General Government in occupied Poland. [1] At this point, it consisted of Infantry Reserve Grenadier Regiments 56 Jaroslau , 223 Krakau , and 255 Lemberg , as well Reserve Artillery Detachmanet 24 Reichshof . [2]

The division was reorganized on 5 March 1944 after the dissolution of the staffs used for Infantry Division Generalgouvernment. [1] It was now commanded by Alfried Thielmann. [2] The Intervention Group Zimmer (German: Eingreifgruppe Zimmer) was formed from elements of the 154th Division, deployed to the Namslau area and integrated into the 68th Infantry Division. The 154th Reserve Division served under 17th Army from August 1944, and then under 1st Panzer Army starting in September 1944. [1] Parts of the division saw combat as early as March 1944, and the entire division was called into combat after the collapse of Army Group Centre that started in July as a result of the Red Army's Operation Bagration. [2]

The remainders of the 154th were then merged with parts of the 174th Division to form a new iteration of the 154th on 1 October 1944, dubbed the 154. Feldausbildungs-Division, or just 154. Division. This division consisted of the Field Training Grenadier Regiments 562 through 564 as well as Artillery Field Training Detachment 1054, along with Heavy Battalion 1054 and Engineer Field Training Battalion 1054. The 154th Field Training Division remained in service under the 1st Panzer Army for its entire lifespawn. [1] The division was again commanded by Friedrich Altrichter starting 19 December 1944. Altrichter would remain in command until the end of the war. [2]

In March 1945, following an order on 11 February, the division was redesignated a final time and became 154. Infanterie-Division. which consisted of all segments of the previous 154th Field Training Division as well as the Panzerjäger Detachment 1054. The division continued to serve under 1st Panzer Army. [1] It was overrun by Soviet forces at Oderberg on 17 April 1945 and destroyed. Its commander, Friedrich Altrichter, was captured along with most of his surviving subordinates and died in a Soviet prison in 1949. [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">334th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)</span> Military unit

The 334th Infantry Division was a German Army infantry division in World War II. Originally formed in November 1942, it surrendered to the Allies at the conclusion of the Tunisian Campaign in May 1943. The division was reconstituted on 3 June 1943 in France within the 1st Army, with the staff of the 80th Infantry Division as well as remnants of the old division and replacement units. It spent the remainder of the war serving on the Italian Front.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">6th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)</span> German army division during World War II

The 6th Panzer Division was an armoured division in the German Army, the Heer, during World War II, established in October 1939.

The 141st Reserve Division, was a German infantry division during World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">197th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)</span> Military unit

The 197th Infantry Division was a Wehrmacht division in World War II. It was activated on 1 December 1939.

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

IV Corps was a corps level command of the German Army (Wehrmacht) before and during World War II.

The 153rd Grenadier Division, sometimes referred to as 153rd Infantry Division in Wehrmacht documents, was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II. It was founded under the name Division No. 153, and also carried the names Commander of Reserve Troops III, 153rd Reserve Division, and 153rd Field Training Division. It was first deployed in August 1939, received its first redesignation in December 1939, was renamed twice more in 1942, was destroyed by forces of the Soviet Union twice and then redeployed, and was redesignated a final time in 1945.

Friedrich Altrichter was a German officer, last in the rank of Generalleutnant of the Wehrmacht. He was also an influential military writer and military instructor at the Dresden military academy from 1936 to 1939. He was a divisional commander during World War II. Notable divisional command posts held by Altrichter included the 1st, 58th and 154th Infantry Divisions.

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

The 159th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II. The unit, at times designated Commander of Reserve Troops IX, 159th Division, Division No. 159, and 159th Reserve Division, was active between 1939 and 1945.

The 160th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II. The unit, at times designated Commander of Reserve Troops X, Commander of Reserve Troops X/I, 160th Division, Division No. 160, and 160th Reserve Division, was active between 1939 and 1945.

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 180th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II. The unit, at times designated Commander of Reserve Troops X/II, 180th Division, Division No. 180, and Operation Division No. 180, was active between 1939 and 1945.

The 182nd Infantry Division was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II. The unit, at times designated Commander of Reserve Troops XII/II, 182nd Division, Division No. 182, 182nd Replacement Division, Division Nancy,Division Gümbel, Division Karl, and 182nd Reserve Division, was active between 1939 and 1945.

The 190th Infantry Division, initially known as Division No. 190, was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II.

The 196th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II.

The 254th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II.

The 351st Infantry Division was an infantry division of the German army during World War II. It was active between March and August 1940.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Infantry Division Kurland</span> German military unit during World War II

The Infantry Division Courland was an infantry division of the German army during World War II.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Tessin, Georg (1977). Die Landstreitkräfte 131-200. Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939-1945 (in German). Vol. 7. Osnabrück: Biblio Verlag. pp. 89–91. ISBN   3764810971.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Mitcham, Samuel W. (2007). "154th Reserve (Later Infantry) Division". German Order of Battle: 1st-290th Infantry Divisions in World War II. Stackpole Books. ISBN   9780811734165.
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.