The 305th Infantry Division (designated 305. Infanterie-Division in German) was a German Army

German Army

The 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...

 unit that saw extensive, front-line action during World War II. This division was present at the Battle of Stalingrad

Battle of Stalingrad

The Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in southwestern Russia. The battle took place between 23 August 1942 and 2 February 1943...

, the Battle of Monte Cassino

Battle of Monte Cassino

The Battle of Monte Cassino was a costly series of four battles during World War II, fought by the Allies against Germans and Italians with the intention of breaking through the Winter Line and seizing Rome.In the beginning of 1944, the western half of the Winter Line was being anchored by Germans...

, and surrendered to U.S. Army's 88th Infantry Division in Northern Italy

Northern Italy

Northern Italy is a wide cultural, historical and geographical definition, without any administrative usage, used to indicate the northern part of the Italian state, also referred as Settentrione or Alta Italia...

 near Trento

Trento

Trento is an Italian city located in the Adige River valley in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It is the capital of Trentino...

 in late April 1945.

Formation

The 305th Infantry Division was part of the 13th wave of Wehrmacht

Wehrmacht

The 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:...

mobilizations October through November 1940. As of December 1940, the 305th Infantry Division was based out of Ravensburg

Ravensburg

Ravensburg is a town in Upper Swabia in Southern Germany, capital of the district of Ravensburg, Baden-Württemberg.Ravensburg was first mentioned in 1088. In the Middle Ages, it was an Imperial Free City and an important trading centre...

, Upper Swabia

Upper Swabia

Upper Swabia is a region in Germany in the federal states of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. The name refers to the area between the Swabian Alb, Lake Constance and the Lech...

 on the Bodensee. http://www.feldgrau.com/InfDiv2.php?emblem=305&type=Infanteriedivision

Battle of Stalingrad

The 305 Infantry Division was under the command of Lieutenant General Kurt Oppenländer during the Battle of Stalingrad.
Infanterie-Regiment 578 was disbanded on the 21st of December, due to the Divisions inability to maintain three line regiments, and its constituent Bataillone were redistributed to the Divisions remaining Infanterie Regiments. The remnants of the Division surrendered in the northern kessel on the 2nd of February, 1943.
Under Construction

Chronology

The Road into Russia

• By December 1940, the 305th was as a garrison division absorbing one-third of the 78th Infantry Division and the 296th Infantry Division.
• On 7 February 1942 the division was converted from garrison division to a field division.
• In March 1942 divisions received full armaments and was led up to staff infantry division.
• In July 1942 the division arrived on southern segment front in Russia
  Russia
  Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
  
  .
• From August 1942 the division is engaged with Soviet forces near Stalingrad and in the city of Stalingrad itself. 305th Infantry Division was intended to become a garrison division in Stalingrad after the fall of city, but these plans are not realized.
• The division was destroyed in the North Sector of Stalingrad in January 1943. Very few survivors and wounded made it out of the city.
• Last units of the 305th see action on 1 February 1943 near the tractor factory in the North Sector of Stalingrad.

Reconstitution and Service in Italy

Incomplete. More to come.

Commanding officers

• Generalleutnant Kurt Pflugradt (15 Dec 1940 – 12 Apr 1942)
• Generalleutnant Kurt Oppenländer
  Kurt Oppenländer
  Kurt Oppenländer 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. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful...
  
   (12 Apr 1942 – 1 Nov 1942)
• Generalleutnant Bernhard Steinmetz (1 Nov 1942 – 31 Jan 1943)
• General der Artillerie Friedrich-Wilhelm Hauck
  Friedrich-Wilhelm Hauck
  Friedrich-Wilhelm Hauck was a highly decorated General der Artillerie in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded several 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...
  
   (5 Mar 1943 – ? Dec 1944)
• Oberst Friedrich Trompeter (? Dec 1944 – 29 Dec 1944)
• Generalmajor Friedrich von Schellwitz (29 Dec 1944 – 8 May 1945)

1942

• Infanterie-Regiment 576
• Infanterie-Regiment 577
• Infanterie-Regiment 578
• Artillerie-Regiment 305
• Pionier-Bataillon 305
• Panzerjäger-Abteilung 305
• Nachrichten-Abteilung 305
• Versorgungseinheiten 305

1944

• Grenadier-Regiment 576
• Grenadier-Regiment 577
• Grenadier-Regiment 578
• Füsilier-Bataillon 305
• Artillerie-Regiment 305
• Pionier-Bataillon 305
• Panzerjäger-Abteilung 305
• Nachrichten-Abteilung 305
• Feldersatz-Bataillon 305
• Versorgungseinheiten 305

Knight's Cross Holders

Hans-Georg Brandt (22-January-1943)
Wilhelm Braun

Wilhelm Braun

Wilhelm Braun was a highly decorated Oberstleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II. 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 military leadership...

 (20-January-1943)
Josef Bruetsch (17-February-1945)
Alfred Gorski (21-January-1945)
Friedrich-Wilhelm Hauck (11-June-1944)
Martin Kordemann (11-May-1945)
Franz Mader (12-December-1944)
Erich Michalski (6-February-1944)
Kurt Oppenländer

Kurt Oppenländer

Kurt Oppenländer 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. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful...

(25-July-1942)
Ernst Rath (15-July-1944)
Otto Trinko (30-April-1945)
Friedrich Trompeter (21-January-1945)
Anton Wehinger (9-January-1945)
Willy Winzer (3-November-1942)

External links

• Feldgrau.com