German 10th Infantry Division
Encyclopedia
The German 10th Infantry Division was created in October 1934 under the cover name Wehrgauleitung Regensburg (later Kommandant von Regensburg) to hide its violation of the Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...

. It was renamed the 10th Infantry Division when the establishment of the 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:...

 was announced publicly in October 1935.

The division participated in the annexation of Austria
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....

 in March 1938, the invasion of Poland
Invasion of Poland (1939)
The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe...

 in September 1939, and the invasion 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...

 in May 1940. Thereafter it was upgraded to the 10th Motorized Infantry Division. It was later redesignated 10th Panzergrenadier Division in June 1943.

In August 1944 the division was destroyed in the Battle of Kiev
Battle of Kiev (1943)
The 1943 Battle of Kiev describes three strategic operations by the Soviet Red Army, and one operational counterattack by the Wehrmacht which took place in the wake of the failed German offensive at Kursk during World War II...

 and ensuing defensive actions. It was partially reconstituted in Germany in October, and sent back to the front as an understrength Kampfgruppe ("battlegroup"). It was destroyed again in Poland in January 1945 and again partially reconstituted in February. The division finally surrendered to the Soviets in Czechoslovakia at the end of the war.

War crimes

Elements of the division took part in atrocities against the civilian population during the invasion of Poland. Together with elements of the 17th Infantry Division, they took part in the murder of at least 14 civilians during the Division's advance towards Sieradz
Sieradz
Sieradz is a town on the Warta river in central Poland with 44,326 inhabitants . It is situated in the Łódź Voivodship , but was previously the eponymous capital of the Sieradz Voivodship , and historically one of the minor duchies in Greater Poland.It is one of the oldest towns in Poland,...

 and Łask. http://www.ipn.gov.pl/biuletyn8-9_43-44.pdf

Organisation (1939)

  • Infanterie-Regiment 20.
  • Infanterie-Regiment 41.
  • Infanterie-Regiment 85.
  • Artillerie-Regiment 10.
  • I./Artillerie-Regiment 46.
  • 10th Divisional Support Units
  • Beobachtungs-Abteilung 10.
  • Pionier-Bataillon 10.
  • Panzerabwehr-Abteilung 10.
  • Nachrichten-Abteilung 10.
  • Feldersatz-Bataillon 10.
  • Versorgungseinheiten 10.

Commanding officers

  • Generalleutnant Alfred Waeger (October 1933 – March 1938)
  • Generalleutnant Konrad von Cochenhausen (March 1938 – September 1940)
  • Generalleutnant Friedrich-Wilhelm von Loeper
    Friedrich-Wilhelm von Loeper
    Friedrich-Wilhelm von Loeper was a highly decorated Generalleutnant 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...

     (October 1940 – April 1942)
  • Oberst Hans Traut
    Hans Traut
    Hans Karl Emil Julius Ludwig Traut was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the IV. corps. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...

     April 1942 – April 1942
  • Generalleutnant August Schmidt
    August Schmidt
    August Schmidt was a German general who commanded the 10th Panzergrenadier Division. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or...

     (May 1942 – September 1944)
  • Generalmajor Walter Herold
    Walter Herold
    Walter Herold was a highly decorated Generalmajor 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...

     (October 1944 – November 1944)
  • Oberst Alexander Vial (December 1944 – January 1945)
  • Generalmajor Karl-Richard Koßmann
    Karl-Richard Koßmann
    Karl-Richard Koßmann 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...

     (January 1945 – May 1945)

Members (Selection)

  • Josef Lindner (1921–2008), 41st Infantry Regiment 3. Company
  • Ernst Liebl, 41st Infantry Regiment

See also

  • Panzergrenadier
    Panzergrenadier
    is a German term for motorised or mechanized infantry, as introduced during World War II. It is used in the armies of Austria, Chile, Germany and Switzerland.-Forerunners:...

  • 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
  • Heer
    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...

    , 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:...

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