83rd Infantry Division (Germany)

83rd Infantry Division (Germany)

The 83rd Infantry Division, ( _de. 83. Infanterie-Division), was a German military unit that fought in several notable actions during World War II.

History and organisation

Formation

The division was formed December 1, 1939, at Bergen, and consisted of reservists from the north of Germany ("Wehrkreis" II, X, XI and XX).

It had the following organisation:

*Infanterie-Regiment 251
*Infanterie-Regiment 257
*Infanterie-Regiment 277
*Artillerie-Regiment 183
*Radfahrschwadron 183 (bicycle troops)
*Panzerabwehr-Abteilung 183
*Pionier-Bataillon 183
*Nachrichten-Abteilung 183
*Infanterie-Divisions-Nachschubführer 183

1940-1; France

The division took part in the Nazi German invasion of France in 1940 and spent 1941 on occupation duty. In early 1942 it was sent to the Eastern Front, being assigned to the Third Panzer Army of Army Group Centre.

1942; Velikiye Luki

Initially the division was split up and used in various sectors, some elements being employed in anti-partisan operations.

The division was present at Velikiye Luki in late 1942. The town itself was garrisoned by the division's Infantry Regiment 277, along with the divisional artillery and pioneer battalion, under the command of a Lieutenant-Colonel von Saß. This force was encircled by units of Galitsky's 3rd Shock Army in the Battle of Velikiye Luki and destroyed after a siege of almost two months.

1943-4; Nevel, Courland

During 1943-4 the 83rd Division took part in defensive battles of Army Group Centre and Army Group North, having been transferred to the Sixteenth Army in October 1943. By late 1943 it had been reduced to four grenadier battalions.Mitcham, p.140]

Towards the end of 1944 Army Group North had been pushed into the Courland Pocket, where the division was involved in repulsing the first of the Soviet attempts to reduce the encircled force. At the end of the year it was evacuated by sea, and sent to reform at Thorn. It was now assigned to the Second Army of Army Group Vistula, where it would take part in the defence against the Soviet East Prussian Offensive.

1945; Graudenz, Samland

The staff and one regiment, Grenadier Regiment 257, were lost in Graudenz after being ordered to hold the town, which was encircled by the 2nd Belorussian Front on February 18 1945, at all costs. The defenders capitulated on March 5.

The remaining troops were transferred by sea to Samland, where several German divisions were conducting a defence. They were pushed back towards Pillau, where elements of the 83rd Division formed the final rearguard defending the harbour mole on 25 April (the divisional commander was killed at Neutief where the last German position was being held by Major-General Karl Henke).

Other parts of the division surrendered to Soviet forces on the Hela peninsula.

War crimes accusations

In 1946 several captured officers of Infantry Regiment 277, including its former commander von Saß, were executed in Velikiye Luki for crimes committed against the civil population of the city. It should also be noted that the division took part in anti-partisan operations, such as Operation "Greif" at Vitebsk.

See also

* Division (military), Military unit
* Heer, Wehrmacht, List of German divisions in WWII

References

* Mitcham, S. "German Order of Battle, Volume 1", Stackpole, 2007, ISBN 0811734161
* Pipes, J. " [http://www.feldgrau.com/InfDiv.php?ID=73 83. Infanterie-Division] ". Retrieved March 14, 2008.
* " [http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/Infanteriedivisionen/83ID.htm 83 Infanterie-Division] ". German language article at www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de. Retrieved March 14, 2008.

Footnotes


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • 83rd Division — In military terms, 83rd Division or 83rd Infantry Division may refer to:; Infantry divisions :* 83rd Infantry Division (German Empire) * 83rd Infantry Division (Germany) * 83rd Infantry Division (United States) ee also* List of military divisions …   Wikipedia

  • 1st Infantry Division (Romania) — Infobox Military Unit unit name=1st Infantry Division Divizia 1 Infanterie caption=Official emblem of the 1st Infantry Division nickname= motto= colors= march= ceremonial chief= type= branch=Romanian Land Forces dates=16 August 1916 present… …   Wikipedia

  • 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division — Infobox Military Unit unit name= 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division caption= The insignia of the 53rd Division in World War II dates= 1908 1968 country= United Kingdom allegiance= branch= Infantry type= Infantry Division role= size= Approximately… …   Wikipedia

  • 5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom) — Infobox Military Unit unit name= 5th Infantry Division caption=Insignia of the 5th Division dates= 1906 1960 1995 Present country=United Kingdom allegiance= branch=British Army type= Infantry role= size= command structure= Land Command garrison=… …   Wikipedia

  • 18th Army (Germany) — The 18th Army (German: 18. Armee ) was a World War II field army.Formed in November 1939 in Military Region ( Wehrkreis ) VI, the 18th Army was part of the offensive into the Netherlands (Battle of the Netherlands) and Belgium during Fall Gelb… …   Wikipedia

  • 84th Division (United States) — Infobox Military Unit unit name= 84th Division caption= 84th Division shoulder sleeve insignia dates= 5 August 1917 January 1919 1942 present country= United States of America allegiance= branch= Army Reserve type= Infantry role= Training size=… …   Wikipedia

  • 329th Infantry Regiment (United States) — Infobox Military Unit unit name= 329th Infantry Regiment caption= dates= 1942 country= United States allegiance= branch= U.S. Army Reserve type= role= size= command structure= garrison= garrison label= equipment= equipment label= nickname= patron …   Wikipedia

  • British Army Infantry — The British Army s Infantry comprises 51 battalions of Infantry, from 19 Regiments. Of these 37 battalions are part of the Regular army and the remaining 14 a part of the Territorial (reserve) force. The British Infantry forms a highly flexible… …   Wikipedia

  • 3rd Armored Division (United States) — Infobox Military Unit unit name= U.S. 3rd Armored Division caption=3rd Armored Division shoulder sleeve insignia dates=1941 1945 1947 1992 country= United States of America allegiance= United States of America branch= United States Army… …   Wikipedia

  • 8th Armored Division (United States) — Infobox Military Unit unit name=8th Armored Division caption=US 8th Armored Division Patch dates=1942 1945 country=USA branch=Army type=Armored Division command structure=* US Fifteenth Army November 1944 * US Third Army January 1945 * US Ninth… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”