Country Nazi Germany Type Infantry Size Division | Branch Heer Role Motorized Infantry | |
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Active 1 October 1934 – 8 May 1945 | ||
The German 10th Infantry Division was created in October 1934 under the cover name Wehrgauleitung Regensburg (later Kommandant von Regensburg) to hide its violation of the Treaty of Versailles. It was renamed the 10th Infantry Division when the establishment of the Wehrmacht was announced publicly in October 1935.
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The division participated in the annexation of Austria in March 1938, the invasion of Poland in September 1939, and the invasion of France in May 1940. Thereafter it was upgraded to the 10th Motorized Infantry Division. It was later redesignated 10th Panzergrenadier Division in June 1943.
In August 1944 the division was destroyed in the Battle of Kiev and ensuing defensive actions. It was partially reconstituted in Germany in October, and sent back to the front as an understrength Kampfgruppe ("battlegroup"). It was destroyed again in Poland in January 1945 and again partially reconstituted in February. The division finally surrendered to the Soviets in Czechoslovakia at the end of the war.
War crimes
Elements of the division took part in atrocities against the civilian population during the invasion of Poland. Together with elements of the 17th Infantry Division, they took part in the murder of at least 14 civilians during the Division's advance towards Sieradz and Łask. [1]