72nd_Infantry_Division_(Wehrmacht)

72nd Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)

72nd Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)

Military unit

The 72nd Infantry Division (German: 72. Infanterie-Division) was formed on 19 September 1939 in Trier from Grenz-Division Trier, a border security unit.

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It was later refitted in Poland in March 1944 as part of the 24th wave (Aufstellungswelle).

On 1 January 1945, the division, then under command of the 4th Panzer Army of Army Group A, had a strength of 10,493 men.[1]: 504 

The division surrendered to the Red Army in May 1945, after which Generalmajor Karl Arning was convicted of war crimes in the Soviet Union.

Breakout to Lisyanka.

Commanding officers

  • General der Infanterie Franz Mattenklott (19 September 1939 – 25 July 1940)
  • General der Infanterie Helge Auleb (25 July 1940 – 4 September 1940)
  • General der Infanterie Franz Mattenklott (4 September 1940 – 6 November 1940)
  • Generalleutnant Philipp Müller-Gebhard (6 November 1940 – 10 July 1942)
  • Generalmajor Curt Souchay (10 July 1942 – 24 November 1942)
  • Generalleutnant Philipp Müller-Gebhard (24 November 1942 – 17 February 1943)
  • Generalleutnant Ralph Graf von d'Oriola (17 February 1943 – 3 May 1943)
  • Generalleutnant Philipp Müller-Gebhard (3 May 1943 – 1 November 1943)
  • Generalleutnant Erwin Menny (1 November 1943 – 20 November 1943)
  • Generalleutnant Dr. Hermann Hohn (20 November 1943 – 25 March 1944)
  • Generalmajor Karl Arning (10 June 1944 – 19 June 1944)
  • General der Kavallerie Gustav Harteneck (19 June 1944 – 1 July 1944)
  • Generalleutnant Dr. Hermann Hohn (1 July 1944 – 20 April 1945)
  • Generalleutnant Hugo Beißwänger (20 April 1945 – 8 May 1945)

See also

References

Citations
  1. [1]
    Lakowski, Richard (2008). "Der Zusammenbruch der deutschen Verteidigung zwischen Ostsee und Karpaten". In Müller, Rolf-Dieter (ed.). Die Militärische Niederwerfung der Wehrmacht. Das Deutsche Reich und der Zweite Weltkrieg (in German). Vol. 10/1. München: Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt. pp. 491–681. ISBN 9783421062376.
Bibliography


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