Girish Mahajan (Editor)

305th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)

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Country
  
Germany

Type
  
Infantry

Branch
  
Army

Size
  
Division

305th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)

Active
  
October 1940 – April 1945

Allegiance
  
German Third ReichGerman High Command

The 305th Infantry Division (designated 305. Infanterie-Division in German) was a German Army unit that saw extensive, front-line action during World War II. This division was present at the Battle of Stalingrad, the Battle of Monte Cassino, and surrendered to U.S. Army's 88th Infantry Division in Northern Italy near Trento in late April 1945.

Contents

Formation

The 305th Infantry Division was part of the 13th wave of Wehrmacht mobilizations October through November 1940. As of December 1940, the 305th Infantry Division was based out of Ravensburg, Upper Swabia on the Bodensee. [1]

Battle of Stalingrad

The 305 Infantry Division was under the command of Lieutenant General Kurt Oppenländer during the Battle of Stalingrad. Infanterie-Regiment 578 was disbanded on the 21st of December, due to the Divisions inability to maintain three line regiments, and its constituent Bataillone were redistributed to the Divisions remaining Infanterie Regiments. The remnants of the Division surrendered in the northern kessel on 2 February 1943. Under Construction

Chronology

  • By December 1940, the 305th was as a garrison division absorbing one-third of the 78th Infantry Division and the 296th Infantry Division.
  • On 7 February 1942 the division was converted from garrison division to a field division.
  • In March 1942 divisions received full armaments and was led up to staff infantry division.
  • In July 1942 the division arrived on southern segment front in Russia.
  • From August 1942 the division is engaged with Soviet forces near Stalingrad and in the city of Stalingrad itself.
  • The division was destroyed in the North Sector of Stalingrad in January 1943. Very few survivors and wounded made it out of the city.
  • Last units of the 305th see action on 1 February 1943 near the tractor factory in the North Sector of Stalingrad.

    • Commanding officers

  • Generalleutnant Kurt Pflugradt (15 Dec 1940 – 12 Apr 1942)
  • Generalleutnant Kurt Oppenländer (12 Apr 1942 – 1 Nov 1942)
  • Generalleutnant Bernhard Steinmetz (1 Nov 1942 – 31 Jan 1943)
  • General der Artillerie Friedrich-Wilhelm Hauck (5 Mar 1943 – ? Dec 1944)
  • Oberst Friedrich Trompeter (? Dec 1944 – 29 Dec 1944)
  • Generalmajor Friedrich von Schellwitz (29 Dec 1944 – 8 May 1945)

    • 1942

  • Infanterie-Regiment 576
  • Infanterie-Regiment 577
  • Infanterie-Regiment 578
  • Artillerie-Regiment 305
  • Pionier-Bataillon 305
  • Panzerjäger-Abteilung 305
  • Nachrichten-Abteilung 305
  • Versorgungseinheiten 305

    • 1944

  • Grenadier-Regiment 576
  • Grenadier-Regiment 577
  • Grenadier-Regiment 578
  • Füsilier-Bataillon 305
  • Artillerie-Regiment 305
  • Pionier-Bataillon 305
  • Panzerjäger-Abteilung 305
  • Nachrichten-Abteilung 305
  • Feldersatz-Bataillon 305
  • Versorgungseinheiten 305

    • Knight's Cross Holders

    Wilhelm Braun (20-January-1943)
    Josef Bruetsch (17-February-1945)
    Kurt Oppenländer (25-July-1942)

    References

    305th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht) Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA