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344th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)

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344th Infantry Division
German: 344. Infanterie-Division
Active25 September 1942 - 8 May 1945
Country Nazi Germany
BranchArmy
TypeInfantry
SizeDivision
EngagementsWorld War II
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Felix Schwalbe
Erwin Jollasse
Military unit

The 344th Infantry Division, (German: 344. Infanterie-Division) was an infantry division of the German Army during World War II, active from 1942 to 1945 in two separate instances.

History

The 344th Infantry Division was formed on 25 September 1942 in France from personnel from Wehrkreis V.

After her training, she was sent in November 1942 to the Bordeaux sector within LXXX. Armeekorps of the 1st Army in Heeresgruppe D. One of its regiments was the Indian Infanterie-Regiment 950. In August 1944, the Division was sent to Normandy, without the Infanterie-Regiment 950, where it suffered heavy losses and was disbanded.

In September 1944 a new 344th Infantry Division was formed which initially fought in the Hürtgen Forest. In the spring of 1945 it was sent to the Eastern Front.
Parts of the division defended the Oder between Krappitz and Cosel during the Upper Silesian offensive. After the 1st Ukrainian Front had broken through south of Cottbus in mid-April, Hitler demanded from the Jolasse Group that the 344th Infantry Division near Drebkau, the remnants of the Führerbegleitbrigade (Major General Otto Ernst Remer) and the remnants of the 10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg near Spremberg, attacked northwards into the flank of the advancing 1st Ukrainian Front.
This ended in failure, and all German units were surrounded by Soviet troops in the Kausche Pocket and taken prisoner.

Commanding officers

  • General of the Infantry Felix Schwalbe : 27 September 1942 - 30 September 1944
  • Generalmajor Erich Walther (30 September 1944)
  • Generalmajor Rudolf Goltzsch : 30 September 1944 - 16 October 1944
  • Generalmajor Eugen König : 5 November 1944 - 16 December 1944
  • Generalmajor Georg Koßmala : 16 December 1944 - 28 February 1945
  • Generalmajor Rolf Scherenberg : 28 February 1945 – 15 March 1945
  • Generalleutnant Erwin Jollasse : 15 March 1945 - 8 May 1945

Sources

Numbered infantry divisions of the German Army (1935–1945)
1st – 99th
1st – 9th
10th – 19th
20th – 29th
30th – 39th
40th – 49th
50th – 59th
60th – 69th
70th – 79th
80th – 89th
90th – 99th
100th – 199th
100th – 119th
121st – 129th
130th – 149th
150th – 159th
160th – 169th
170th – 189th
190th – 199th
200th – 299th
200th – 209th
210th – 219th
220th – 229th
230th – 239th
240th – 249th
250th – 259th
260th – 269th
270th – 279th
280th – 289th
290th – 299th
300th – 399th
300th – 309th
310th – 329th
330th – 339th
340th – 349th
350th – 359th
360th – 369th
370th – 379th
380th – 389th
390th – 399th
400th – 719th
400th – 499th
500th – 599th
600th – 699th
700th – 709th
710th – 719th
See also: List of German divisions in World War II, Aufstellungswelle
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