German 9th Parachute Division
Encyclopedia
The German 9th Parachute Division (German
: 9.Fallschirmjäger-Division) was one of the final parachute divisions to be raised by Germany during World War II
. The division was destroyed during the Battle of Berlin
in April 1945.
The 9th Division was formed in December 1944 under the command of General Bruno Bräuer
with many Luftwaffe personnel transferred to combat duties for which they had no experience; it was thus a parachute in name only, Wehrmacht Heer paratrooper training having ceased in mid-1944. Essentially, by that time Wehrmacht Heer "paratroopers" were ordinary (and often little-trained and underequipped) infantry units under Air Force command. In January 1945 two of his battalions were encircled by the 1st Ukrainian Front
in Breslau where they were destroyed.
In the Battle of the Seelow Heights
the 9th Division was positioned between Seelow
and Neuhardenberg
, they received the full force of the first days artillery bombardment by Marshal Georgi Zhukov's 1st Belorussian Front
on 16 April. Under this bombardment the 9th Division buckled. It rallied briefly on the morning of 17 April, when it was given some armoured support, but collapsed again shortly afterwards. Bräuer suffered a nervous breakdown and was relieved of his command at the request of Goering, angry at the collapse of one of his Luftwaffe divisions.Beevor pp. 223 236-237, 243, 246-247 Bräuer was followed in command by Colonel Herrmann. The SS Nordland Division
rounded up some elements of the 9th Division and managed a temporarily successful counter attack.
By the 19 April, the remnants of the 9th Division along with what remained of the rest of the LVI Panzer Corps
were within the Berlin U-Bahn outer defensive ring
. During the attempted breakout on the night of 1 May– 2 May a small group of the 9th Division stormed the tower of Spandau
Rathaus
(Town Hall) from which Soviet machine-gunners were decimating Germans attempting to break out of Berlin over the Havel using the Charlottenbrücke ('Charlotte Bridge'). By the end of 2 May the 9th Parachute Division had ceased to exist.
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
: 9.Fallschirmjäger-Division) was one of the final parachute divisions to be raised by Germany 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...
. The division was destroyed during the Battle of Berlin
Battle of Berlin
The Battle of Berlin, designated the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the Soviet Union, was the final major offensive of the European Theatre of World War II....
in April 1945.
The 9th Division was formed in December 1944 under the command of General Bruno Bräuer
Bruno Bräuer
Bruno Bräuer was a German paratrooper from Willmannsdorf, Prussian Silesia. In 1905 he joined the army cadets and started his military career. In World War I he received the Iron Cross first and second class whilst serving in the 7th West Prussian Infantry regiment...
with many Luftwaffe personnel transferred to combat duties for which they had no experience; it was thus a parachute in name only, Wehrmacht Heer paratrooper training having ceased in mid-1944. Essentially, by that time Wehrmacht Heer "paratroopers" were ordinary (and often little-trained and underequipped) infantry units under Air Force command. In January 1945 two of his battalions were encircled by the 1st Ukrainian Front
1st Ukrainian Front
The 1st Ukrainian Front was a front—a force the size of a Western Army group—of the Soviet Union's Red Army during the Second World War.-Wartime:...
in Breslau where they were destroyed.
In the Battle of the Seelow Heights
Battle of the Seelow Heights
The Battle of the Seelow Heights , was a part of the Seelow-Berlin Offensive Operation ; one of the last assaults on large entrenched defensive positions of World War II. It was fought over three days, from 16–19 April 1945...
the 9th Division was positioned between Seelow
Seelow
Seelow is a German town, seat of the Märkisch-Oderland, a district of Brandenburg.-Geography:It is situated in the extreme east of Germany, 70 km east of Berlin, 16 km west of the boundary with Poland.-History:...
and Neuhardenberg
Neuhardenberg
Neuhardenberg is a municipality in the district Märkisch-Oderland, in Brandenburg, Germany. It is the site of Neuhardenberg Palace, residence of the Prussian statesman Prince Karl August von Hardenberg. The municipal area comprises the villages of Altfriedland, Quappendorf and Wulkow...
, they received the full force of the first days artillery bombardment by Marshal Georgi Zhukov's 1st Belorussian Front
1st Belorussian Front
The 1st Belorussian Front was a Front of the Soviet Army during World War II...
on 16 April. Under this bombardment the 9th Division buckled. It rallied briefly on the morning of 17 April, when it was given some armoured support, but collapsed again shortly afterwards. Bräuer suffered a nervous breakdown and was relieved of his command at the request of Goering, angry at the collapse of one of his Luftwaffe divisions.Beevor pp. 223 236-237, 243, 246-247 Bräuer was followed in command by Colonel Herrmann. The SS Nordland Division
11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland
The 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland, also known as Kampfverband Waräger, Germanische-Freiwilligen-Division, SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 11 or 11. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division Nordland, was a Waffen SS, Panzergrenadier division recruited from foreign volunteers...
rounded up some elements of the 9th Division and managed a temporarily successful counter attack.
By the 19 April, the remnants of the 9th Division along with what remained of the rest of the LVI Panzer Corps
LVI Panzer Corps
LVI Panzer Corps was a tank corps in the German Army during World War II.This corps was activated in February 1941 for the German invasion of the Soviet Union, which commenced on June 22, 1941...
were within the Berlin U-Bahn outer defensive ring
Battle in Berlin
The Battle in Berlin was an end phase of the Battle of Berlin. While the Battle of Berlin encompassed the attack by three Soviet Army Groups to capture not only Berlin but the territory of Germany east of the River Elbe still under German control, the Battle in Berlin details the fighting, and...
. During the attempted breakout on the night of 1 May– 2 May a small group of the 9th Division stormed the tower of Spandau
Spandau
Spandau is the fifth of the twelve boroughs of Berlin. It is the fourth largest and westernmost borough, situated at the confluence of the Havel and Spree rivers and along the western bank of the Havel, but the least populated.-Overview:...
Rathaus
Rathaus
Rathaus is a German word literally translating as “council house”, meaning “city hall” or “town hall”. Many specific buildings are referred to as Rathaus even when spoken about in English.Some important Rathäuser are:* Rathaus Schöneberg...
(Town Hall) from which Soviet machine-gunners were decimating Germans attempting to break out of Berlin over the Havel using the Charlottenbrücke ('Charlotte Bridge'). By the end of 2 May the 9th Parachute Division had ceased to exist.
Organization
9. Fallschirmjäger-Division- Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 25 (infantry)
- Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 26 (infantry)
- Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 27 (infantry)
- Fallschirm-Panzerjäger-Abteilung 9 (anti-tank artillery)
- Fallschirm-Artillerie-Regiment 9 (field artillery)
- Fallschirm-Flak-Abteilung 9 (anti-aircraft artillery)
- Fallschirm-Pionier-Bataillon 9 (combat engineer)
- Fallschirm-Luftnachrichten-Abteilung 9 (signals)
- Fallschirm-Feldersatz-Bataillon 9
- Kommandeur der Fallschirm-Jäger-Division Nachschubtruppen 9 (division support & supply troops)
Subordination
- Stellv. II Corps, 11th SS Panzer Army11th SS Panzer ArmyThe 11th SS Panzer Army was not much more than a paper army formed between November 1944 and February 1945 by Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler while he was commander of Army Group Vistula....
, Army Group VistulaArmy Group VistulaArmy Group Vistula was an Army Group of the Wehrmacht, formed on January 24, 1945. It was put together from elements of Army Group A , Army Group Centre , and a variety of new or ad-hoc formations...
- February 1945 - Stellv. II Corps, 3rd Panzer Army, Army Group Vistula - March 1945
- XI SS Corps, 11th Army, Army Group Vistula - April 1945
- LVI Panzer Corps - May 1945
Commanding officers
- Generalleutnant Gustav Wilke (December 1944 - 2 March 1945)
- General der Fallschirmtruppe Bruno BräuerBruno BräuerBruno Bräuer was a German paratrooper from Willmannsdorf, Prussian Silesia. In 1905 he joined the army cadets and started his military career. In World War I he received the Iron Cross first and second class whilst serving in the 7th West Prussian Infantry regiment...
(2 March 1945 - 18 April 1945) - Oberst Harry HerrmannHarry HerrmannHarry Herrmann was a highly decorated Oberstleutnant in the Fallschirmjäger during World War II and in the Bundeswehr. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, which was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
(19 April 1945 - 2 May 1945)
External links
- 9. Fallschirm-Jäger-Division - at Lexikon der Wehrmacht (German)
- 9.Fallschrim-Jäger-Division at Feldgrau (English)