292nd Infantry Division (Germany)
Encyclopedia
The 292nd Infantry Division was a German
infantry
formation which fought during World War II
.
), with the following organisation:
It spent most of its subsequent existence with Army Group Centre
, on the Eastern Front
. In 1941, subordinated to Fourth Army
, it took part in the German advance on Moscow
, and in 1943 was involved in Operation Citadel
.
Late 1944 saw the division with Ninth Army
in the area of the Pripet Marshes, but the successful Soviet liberation of territory during their summer offensives, Operation Bagration and the Lvov-Sandomierz Operation, saw German forces steadily retreating; after a series of fierce defensive battles, the 292nd Infantry Division finally crossed the defence line of the River Narew
on 5 September 1944.
Facing the 2nd Belorussian Front
on the Narew during the Soviet East Prussian Operation, the division was decimated during a series of defensive actions starting on 14 January. In ten days it was forced back over the border of East Prussia
, and cut off from its parent formation, Second Army
; by 2 February it had reached Heilsberg
, where it was nearly surrounded, but continued to conduct a fighting retreat (though reduced to Kampfgruppe
level) along with the remainder of Fourth Army
trapped in the Heiligenbeil pocket
. The division was finally destroyed in the fight for the town of Heiligenbeil
, which fell on 25 March. The survivors were absorbed in the German 170th Infantry Division, a few being evacuated over the Frisches Haff.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
formation which fought during 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...
.
History and organisation
The division was formed on 6 February 1940, in the 8th mobilisation wave, in Wehrkreis II (PomeraniaPomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
), with the following organisation:
- Infanterie-Regiment 507
- Infanterie-Regiment 508
- Infanterie-Regiment 509
- Artillerie-Regiment 292
- Pionier-Bataillon 292
- Panzerjäger-Abteilung 292
- Divisionseinheiten 292
It spent most of its subsequent existence with Army Group Centre
Army Group Centre
Army Group Centre was the name of two distinct German strategic army groups that fought on the Eastern Front in World War II. The first Army Group Centre was created on 22 June 1941, as one of three German Army formations assigned to the invasion of the Soviet Union...
, on the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
. In 1941, subordinated to Fourth Army
German Fourth Army
The 4th Army was a field army of Imperial Germany during World War I and of the Wehrmacht during World War II-World War I:At the outset of war, the Fourth Army, with the Fifth Army, formed the center of the German armies on the Western Front, moving through Luxembourg and Belgium in support of the...
, it took part in the German advance on Moscow
Battle of Moscow
The Battle of Moscow is the name given by Soviet historians to two periods of strategically significant fighting on a sector of the Eastern Front during World War II. It took place between October 1941 and January 1942. The Soviet defensive effort frustrated Hitler's attack on Moscow, capital of...
, and in 1943 was involved in Operation Citadel
Battle of Kursk
The Battle of Kursk took place when German and Soviet forces confronted each other on the Eastern Front during World War II in the vicinity of the city of Kursk, in the Soviet Union in July and August 1943. It remains both the largest series of armored clashes, including the Battle of Prokhorovka,...
.
Late 1944 saw the division with Ninth Army
German Ninth Army
The 9th Army was a World War II field army.The 9th Army was activated on May 15, 1940 with General Johannes Blaskowitz in command.-1940:The 9th Army first saw service along the Siegfried Line when it was involved in the invasion of France...
in the area of the Pripet Marshes, but the successful Soviet liberation of territory during their summer offensives, Operation Bagration and the Lvov-Sandomierz Operation, saw German forces steadily retreating; after a series of fierce defensive battles, the 292nd Infantry Division finally crossed the defence line of the River Narew
Narew
The Narew River , in western Belarus and north-eastern Poland, is a left tributary of the Vistula river...
on 5 September 1944.
Facing the 2nd Belorussian Front
2nd Belorussian Front
The 2nd Belorussian Front was a military formation of Army group size of the Soviet Army during the Second World War...
on the Narew during the Soviet East Prussian Operation, the division was decimated during a series of defensive actions starting on 14 January. In ten days it was forced back over the border of East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
, and cut off from its parent formation, Second Army
German Second Army
The 2nd Army was a World War I and World War II field army.-First World War:The 2nd Army during World War I, fought on the Western Front and took part in the Schlieffen Plan offensive against France and Belgium in August 1914...
; by 2 February it had reached Heilsberg
Heilsberg
Heilsberg:* German name of Lidzbark Warmiński* Battle of Heilsberg* Transmitter Heilsberg- See also :* Lidzbark* Lidzbark * Lidzbarski...
, where it was nearly surrounded, but continued to conduct a fighting retreat (though reduced to Kampfgruppe
Kampfgruppe
In military history and military slang, the German term Kampfgruppe can refer to a combat formation of any kind, but most usually to that employed by the German Wehrmacht and its allies during World War II and, to a lesser extent, in World War I...
level) along with the remainder of Fourth Army
German Fourth Army
The 4th Army was a field army of Imperial Germany during World War I and of the Wehrmacht during World War II-World War I:At the outset of war, the Fourth Army, with the Fifth Army, formed the center of the German armies on the Western Front, moving through Luxembourg and Belgium in support of the...
trapped in the Heiligenbeil pocket
Heiligenbeil Pocket
The Heiligenbeil Pocket or Heiligenbeil Cauldron was the site of a major encirclement battle on the Eastern Front during the closing weeks of World War II, in which the Wehrmacht's 4th Army was almost entirely destroyed during the Soviet Braunsberg Offensive Operation...
. The division was finally destroyed in the fight for the town of Heiligenbeil
Heiligenbeil
The term Heiligenbeil can refer to:*The German name of Mamonovo, Russia*Heiligenbeil concentration camp built near Mamonovo*Heiligenbeil Pocket, part of the Eastern Front of World War II...
, which fell on 25 March. The survivors were absorbed in the German 170th Infantry Division, a few being evacuated over the Frisches Haff.
Commanders
- Lieutenant-General Martin Dehmel (6 February 1940)
- Lieutenant-General Willy Seeger (29 September 1941)
- Lieutenant-General Curt BadinskiCurt BadinskiCurt Badinski was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II who held several divisional commands. 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...
(August 1942) - Lieutenant-General Wolfgang von KlugeWolfgang von KlugeWolfgang von Kluge was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded several divisions. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
(September 1942) - Lieutenant-General Richard JohnRichard John (general)Dipl.-Ing. Richard JohnIn German an engineer's degree is called Diplom-Ingenieur was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded several divisions. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
(20 July 1943) - Major-General Johannes Gittner (30 June 1944)
- Lieutenant-General Rudolf Reichert (October 1944)
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:...