96th Infantry Division (Germany)
Encyclopedia
The 96th Infantry
Division (German: 96. Infanterie-Division) was a German
division
in World War II
. It was formed on 25 September 1939 in Bergen
near Celle
.
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...
Division (German: 96. Infanterie-Division) was a German
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...
division
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...
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...
. It was formed on 25 September 1939 in Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
near Celle
Celle
Celle is a town and capital of the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany. The town is situated on the banks of the River Aller, a tributary of the Weser and has a population of about 71,000...
.
Commanding officers
- General der Infanterie Erwin VierowErwin VierowGeneral Erwin Vierow was an infantry General in the German army who was the commander of German forces in northwest France during World War II....
, 15 September 1939 – 5 August 1940 - Generalleutnant Wolf Schede, 7 August 1940 – 10 April 1942
- Generalleutnant Joachim Freiherr von Schleinitz, 10 April 1942 – 6 October 1942
- Generalleutnant Ferdinand NoeldechenFerdinand NoeldechenFerdinand Noeldechen was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the 96. Infanterie-Division. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
, 9 October 1942 – 28 June 1943 - Oberst Noack, June 1943 (deputize)
- Oberst Weber, July 1943 (deputize)
- Generalleutnant Richard Wirtz, 28 July 1943 – 30 November 1943
- Generalmajor von Blücher, 1 December 1943 – January 1944 (deputize)
- Oberst Fischer, January 1944 – August 1944 (deputize)
- Generalleutnant Werner Dürking, 1 September 1944 – 11 September 1944
- Oberst Kobolt, 12 September 1944 – 2 October 1944 (deputize)
- Generalleutnant Richard Wirtz, 3 October 1944 – 10 November 1944
- Generalmajor Hermann HarrendorfHermann HarrendorfHermann Harrendorf was a highly decorated Generalmajor 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...
, 1 December 1944 – 8 May 1945