24th Infantry Division (Germany)
Encyclopedia
The 24th Infantry Division (German: 24. Infanteriedivision) was a German Army
infantry division in World War II
.
, and was placed under the command of Lieutenant General Werner Kienitz
until April 1938, when command was passed to Lieutenant General Sigisimund von Förster, and passed again in November to Lieutenant General Friedrich Olbricht.
The division was first deployed into action in September 1939 during the Soviet-German invasion of Poland, as part of X corps in the newly-formed 8th Army. The division attacked through Silesia in south-west Poland, encountering fierce Polish resistance along the Bzura
before turning northwards to the river Vistula
. Remaining in occupied Poland until December, the division was then sent back to Eifel
as a reserve division for the 12th Army for the duration of the eastern campaign. The following February, Lieutenant General Friedrich Olbricht was replaced by Obernitz.
; the 24th Division took part as a component of VI Corps, crossing through Neuerburg
. In June, it was transferred to VII Corps of the 16th Army, and sent across the Meuse under its replacement commander, General of the Infantry Hans von Tettau
. In July, with the Battle of France
over, the positioning of divisions was relaxed and the 24th, now part of the 9th Army's IV Corps, continued to police the country, being moved to the Scheldt
estuary along the Belgium-Netherlands border. The division continued to police the estuary in April 1941, albeit now with the XXXVII Corps.
. The following month the Wehrmacht made a major assault on the Soviet Union, with the 17th Army, part of Army Group South, occupying the Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia
until August. August saw the 24th Division's temporary assignment to XXXXIV Corps of the 1st Panzergruppe as it took part in the Mass-encirclement of Soviet troops
south of Uman
; the next month saw the division's return to IV Corps as it took Kiev
. During the Battle of Kiev
, the 24th Infantry Division attacked from Kremenchuk in the south-east along the Dnieper, assisting in the encirclement of the Ukrainian capital. The the division remained as an occupying force until the end of October; Army Group South, meanwhile continued onwards to the black sea without it.
Rejoining Army Group South in the Crimea
, the division was moved to the 11th Army
's LIV Corps. With the Soviet forces in the region too well-defended for Erich von Manstein
's army to defeat, the axis forces instead besieged the city-turned-fortress of Sevastopol
until June of 1942, when they finally made an assault on the port.
with Army Group North
, going through a command change in February 1943 with General of the Mountain troops Kurt Versock
taking over. The division continued to attack Leningrad from its encampment in the town of Chudovo
along the Volkhov
until the end of the siege in January 1944 as part of the 18th Army. With the immediate area around Leningrad re-captured by the Soviets, the 18th Army was pushed westward to Pskov
, under the new commander, Lieutenant General Hans Freiherr von Falkenstein, with the division moving southward to the 16th Army's position in Polotsk in April. The division went through yet another command change as the situation became dire: General der Gebirgstruppen Kurt Versock
retook command in June.
August saw a brief return to the 18th Army, who remained in Latvia, before being sent back to the 16th Army in October under Major General Harald Schultz, when it and the 18th Army were encircled within the Courland Pocket
; both armies continued to resist the Soviet advancement until their surrenders at the end of the war in May 1945.
1942
1943
Heer (1935-1945)
The Heer was the Army land forces component of the German armed forces from 1935 to 1945, the latter also included the Navy and the Air Force...
infantry division in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Formation and the Polish Campaign
The 24th Infantry Division was raised on 15 October, 1935 in ChemnitzChemnitz
Chemnitz is the third-largest city of the Free State of Saxony, Germany. Chemnitz is an independent city which is not part of any county and seat of the government region Direktionsbezirk Chemnitz. Located in the northern foothills of the Ore Mountains, it is a part of the Saxon triangle...
, and was placed under the command of Lieutenant General Werner Kienitz
Werner Kienitz
Werner Kienitz was a highly decorated General der Infanterie in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the XVII. Corps. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful...
until April 1938, when command was passed to Lieutenant General Sigisimund von Förster, and passed again in November to Lieutenant General Friedrich Olbricht.
The division was first deployed into action in September 1939 during the Soviet-German invasion of Poland, as part of X corps in the newly-formed 8th Army. The division attacked through Silesia in south-west Poland, encountering fierce Polish resistance along the Bzura
Battle of the Bzura
The Battle of the Bzura was a battle in the opening campaign of World War II during the 1939 German invasion of Poland, fought between 9 and 19 September, 1939, between Polish and German forces...
before turning northwards to the river Vistula
Vistula
The Vistula is the longest and the most important river in Poland, at 1,047 km in length. The watershed area of the Vistula is , of which lies within Poland ....
. Remaining in occupied Poland until December, the division was then sent back to Eifel
Eifel
The Eifel is a low mountain range in western Germany and eastern Belgium. It occupies parts of southwestern North Rhine-Westphalia, northwestern Rhineland-Palatinate and the south of the German-speaking Community of Belgium....
as a reserve division for the 12th Army for the duration of the eastern campaign. The following February, Lieutenant General Friedrich Olbricht was replaced by Obernitz.
The French Campaign
In May 1940, the 12th Army attacked France by entering via LuxembourgLuxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
; the 24th Division took part as a component of VI Corps, crossing through Neuerburg
Neuerburg
Neuerburg is a town in the district Bitburg-Prüm, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.It is situated in the Eifel, near the border with Luxembourg, approx. 20 km north-west of Bitburg and 20 km north-east of Diekirch....
. In June, it was transferred to VII Corps of the 16th Army, and sent across the Meuse under its replacement commander, General of the Infantry Hans von Tettau
Hans von Tettau
Hans Bernhard Carl Otto von Tettau was a highly decorated General der Infanterie in the Wehrmacht during World War II who held commands at the division and corps level. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
. In July, with the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
over, the positioning of divisions was relaxed and the 24th, now part of the 9th Army's IV Corps, continued to police the country, being moved to the Scheldt
Scheldt
The Scheldt is a 350 km long river in northern France, western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands...
estuary along the Belgium-Netherlands border. The division continued to police the estuary in April 1941, albeit now with the XXXVII Corps.
Barbarossa and the Crimea
In May 1941, the division was moved back to occupied Poland, being stationed in Galicia with IV Corps, which was now part of the 17th Army17th Army (Germany)
The German Seventeenth Army was a World War II field army.-Commanding officers:* General der Infanterie Carl-Heinrich von Stülpnagel * Generaloberst Hermann Hoth...
. The following month the Wehrmacht made a major assault on the Soviet Union, with the 17th Army, part of Army Group South, occupying the Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia
Vinnytsia
Vinnytsia is a city located on the banks of the Southern Bug, in central Ukraine. It is the administrative center of Vinnytsia Oblast.-Names:...
until August. August saw the 24th Division's temporary assignment to XXXXIV Corps of the 1st Panzergruppe as it took part in the Mass-encirclement of Soviet troops
Battle of Uman
The Battle of Uman was the German and allied encirclement of the 6th and 12th The Battle of Uman (15 July–8 August 1941) was the German and allied encirclement of the 6th (General Lieutenant I.N. Muzyrchenko) and 12th The Battle of Uman (15 July–8 August 1941) was the German and allied...
south of Uman
Uman
Uman is a city located in the Cherkasy Oblast in central Ukraine, to the east of Vinnytsia. The city rests on the banks of the Umanka River at around , and serves as the self-governing administrative center of the Umanskyi Raion ....
; the next month saw the division's return to IV Corps as it took Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
. During the Battle of Kiev
Battle of Kiev
The Battle of Kiev may refer to one of two battles of World War II:* Battle of Kiev , when two German Panzer Groups encircled a Soviet army in the city* Battle of Kiev , when the city was liberated by the Soviet 1st Ukrainian Front...
, the 24th Infantry Division attacked from Kremenchuk in the south-east along the Dnieper, assisting in the encirclement of the Ukrainian capital. The the division remained as an occupying force until the end of October; Army Group South, meanwhile continued onwards to the black sea without it.
Rejoining Army Group South in the Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
, the division was moved to the 11th Army
11th Army (Germany)
The 11th Army was a World War I and a World War II field army.-World War I:The 11th Army was formed in early 1915. It briefly fought on the Western Front during the Battle of Ypres, holding the line against the allied attack...
's LIV Corps. With the Soviet forces in the region too well-defended for Erich von Manstein
Erich von Manstein
Erich von Manstein was a field marshal in World War II. He became one of the most prominent commanders of Germany's World War II armed forces...
's army to defeat, the axis forces instead besieged the city-turned-fortress of Sevastopol
Sevastopol
Sevastopol is a city on rights of administrative division of Ukraine, located on the Black Sea coast of the Crimea peninsula. It has a population of 342,451 . Sevastopol is the second largest port in Ukraine, after the Port of Odessa....
until June of 1942, when they finally made an assault on the port.
Leningrad and the Courland Pocket
In October, the 24th Infantry Division was returned to the 11th Army, serving with XXX Corps as it assaulted LeningradSiege of Leningrad
The Siege of Leningrad, also known as the Leningrad Blockade was a prolonged military operation resulting from the failure of the German Army Group North to capture Leningrad, now known as Saint Petersburg, in the Eastern Front theatre of World War II. It started on 8 September 1941, when the last...
with Army Group North
Army Group North
Army Group North was a German strategic echelon formation commanding a grouping of Field Armies subordinated to the OKH during World War II. The army group coordinated the operations of attached separate army corps, reserve formations, rear services and logistics.- Formation :The Army Group North...
, going through a command change in February 1943 with General of the Mountain troops Kurt Versock
Kurt Versock
General Kurt Versock was a German General of the Mountain Troops who was awarded the Knight's Cross during World War II.From 1913 to 1914 he studied Law and Economics...
taking over. The division continued to attack Leningrad from its encampment in the town of Chudovo
Chudovo
Chudovo is a town and the administrative center of Chudovsky District of Novgorod Oblast, Russia, located on the Kerest River . It lies on the M10 federal highway connecting Moscow and St. Petersburg, north of Veliky Novgorod and south of St. Petersburg...
along the Volkhov
Volkhov
Volkhov is an industrial town in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated east of St. Petersburg, on the Volkhov River. Population: -History:...
until the end of the siege in January 1944 as part of the 18th Army. With the immediate area around Leningrad re-captured by the Soviets, the 18th Army was pushed westward to Pskov
Pskov
Pskov is an ancient city and the administrative center of Pskov Oblast, Russia, located in the northwest of Russia about east from the Estonian border, on the Velikaya River. Population: -Early history:...
, under the new commander, Lieutenant General Hans Freiherr von Falkenstein, with the division moving southward to the 16th Army's position in Polotsk in April. The division went through yet another command change as the situation became dire: General der Gebirgstruppen Kurt Versock
Kurt Versock
General Kurt Versock was a German General of the Mountain Troops who was awarded the Knight's Cross during World War II.From 1913 to 1914 he studied Law and Economics...
retook command in June.
August saw a brief return to the 18th Army, who remained in Latvia, before being sent back to the 16th Army in October under Major General Harald Schultz, when it and the 18th Army were encircled within the Courland Pocket
Courland Pocket
The Courland Pocket referred to the Red Army's blockade or encirclement of Axis forces on the Courland peninsula during the closing months of World War II...
; both armies continued to resist the Soviet advancement until their surrenders at the end of the war in May 1945.
Components
1939- 31st Grenadier Regiment
- 32nd Grenadier Regiment
- 102nd Grenadier Regiment
- 24th Reconnaissance detachment
- 24th Artillery Regiment
- 24th Monitoring detachment
- 24th Engineer Battalion
- 24th Tank-defence detachment
- 24th News detachment
- 24th Reserve Battalion
- 24th Supply unit
1942
- 31st Grenadier Regiment
- 32nd Grenadier Regiment
- 102nd Grenadier Regiment
- 24th Motorcycle detachment
- 24th Artillery Regiment
- 24th Engineer Battalion
- 24th Anti-tank detachment
- 24th News detachment
- 24th Supply unit
1943
- 31st Grenadier Regiment
- 32nd Grenadier Regiment
- 102nd Grenadier Regiment
- 24th Fusilier Battalion
- 24th Artillery Regiment
- 24th Engineer Battalion
- 24th Anti-tank detachment
- 24th News detachment
- 24th Reserve Battalion
- 24th Supply unit
Commanders
- Generalleutnant Werner KienitzWerner KienitzWerner Kienitz was a highly decorated General der Infanterie in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the XVII. Corps. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful...
(15 Oct 1935 - 1 Apr 1938) - Generalleutnant Sigisimund von Förster (1 Apr - 10 Nov 1938)
- Generalleutnant Friedrich OlbrichtFriedrich OlbrichtGeneral Friedrich Olbricht was a German general and one of the plotters involved in the attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler at the Wolfsschanze in East Prussia on 20 July 1944.-Early life:...
(10 Nov 1938 - 15 Feb 1940) - Generalleutnant Justin von Obernitz (15 Feb - 14 June 1940)
- General der Infanterie Hans von TettauHans von TettauHans Bernhard Carl Otto von Tettau was a highly decorated General der Infanterie in the Wehrmacht during World War II who held commands at the division and corps level. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
(14 June 1940 - 23 Feb 1943) - General der Gebirgstruppen Kurt Versock (23 Feb 1943 - 24 Feb 1944)
- Generalleutnant Hans Freiherr von Falkenstein (24 Feb - 3 June 1944)
- General der Gebirgstruppen Kurt VersockKurt VersockGeneral Kurt Versock was a German General of the Mountain Troops who was awarded the Knight's Cross during World War II.From 1913 to 1914 he studied Law and Economics...
(3 June - 2 Sep 1944) - Generalmajor Harald Schultz (3 Sep 1944 - 8 May 1945)
See also
- Division (military)Division (military)A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
, Military unit, List of German divisions in WWII - HeerGerman ArmyThe German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
, WehrmachtWehrmachtThe Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...