6th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)
German 6th Infantry Division 6. Infanterie-Division | |
---|---|
Active |
October 1934 – 25 July 1944 10 March – 8 May 1945 |
Country | Nazi Germany |
Branch | Army |
Type | Infantry |
Size | Division |
The 6th Infantry Division (6. Infanterie-Division) was a unit of the German Army during World War II. Formed in October 1934 from Infanterieführer V in Bielefeld, the division was mobilized on 26 August 1939 for the upcoming invasion of Poland. At that time, it consisted of the usual German infantry division elements: three infantry regiments of three battalions each, one three-battalion regiment of light artillery, one battalion of heavy artillery (from a separate artillery regiment, but attached to the particular division), a Panzerjäger (anti-tank) Battalion, a reconnaissance (Aufklärungs) Battalion, a Signals Battalion, a Pioneer (Engineer) Battalion, and divisional supply, medical, and administrative units. In 1944 the division was first renamed 6. Grenadier-Division (25 July 1944) and again in 6. Volksgrenadier-Division (9 October 1944). The division was destroyed during the Soviet Vistula–Oder Offensive in January 1945 and reestablished as 6. Infanterie-Division (10 March 1945) using elements of Shadow Division Dresden.
Commanding officers
- General der Pioniere Walter Kuntze, 15 May 1935
- Generalleutnant Arnold Freiherr von Biegeleben, 1 March 1938
- Generalleutnant Helge Auleb, 14 October 1940
- Generalleutnant Horst Großmann, 25 January 1942
- Generalleutnant Egon von Neindorff, 16 December 1943
- Oberst Alexander Conrady, 12 January 1944
- Oberst Günther Klammt, 19 January 1944
- Generalleutnant Hans-Walter Heyne, 1 June 1944
- Generalleutnant Otto-Hermann Brücker, until 4 May 1945
- Generalmajor Friedrich-Wilhelm Liegmann, 4 May 1945
References
- Burkhard Müller-Hillebrand: Das Heer 1933–1945. Entwicklung des organisatorischen Aufbaues. Vol.III: Der Zweifrontenkrieg. Das Heer vom Beginn des Feldzuges gegen die Sowjetunion bis zum Kriegsende. Mittler: Frankfurt am Main 1969, p. 285.
- Georg Tessin: Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg, 1939 – 1945. Vol. III: Die Landstreitkräfte 6 – 14. Mittler: Frankfurt am Main 1967.
Coordinates: 52°01′03″N 8°31′29″E / 52.01750°N 8.52472°E