11th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)

11th Infantry Division de 11. Infanterie-Division 11th Infanterie Division Logo 1.svg 200 Insignia of the 11th Infantry Division 1 October 1934 – 8 May 1945 Nazi Germany Army Infantry Division Allenstein Red moose head MławaOperation BarbarossaNarva BridgeheadNarvaAuvereTannenberg LineCourland Pocket Günther von NiebelschützMax BockHerbert von BöckmannSiegfried ThomaschkiKarl BurdachHellmuth ReymannGerhard Feyerabend 50px Alternate shield 11th Infantry Division 1939 Wehrkreis I Infantry Regiment 2Infantry Regiment 23Infantry Regiment 44Artillery Regiment 11Division Units 11 The 11th Infantry Division (de 11. Infanterie-Division) was an infantry division of the Wehrmacht that was initially founded as a cover formation during the Reichswehr era. It was active from 1934 to 1945. History The 11th Infantry Division was initially known by the cover name "Infantry Leader I" (de Infanterieführer I no), a military formation founded in Allenstein in October 1934.Tessin Georg Die Landstreitkräfte 006–014 Verlag E. S. Mittler & Sohn GmbH 1967 Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939–1945 3 Frankfurt/Main de 198f. Several of the Wehrmacht infantry formation were disguised variously as "infantry leader" or "artillery leader" during the time of the Reichswehr, when military restrictions imposed limitations of size on Germany's military.Tessin Georg Deutsche Verbände und Truppen 1918–1939 Biblio 1974 9783764810009 Osnabrück229f. The Reichswehr-era 2nd Infantry Regiment, also previously headquartered at Allenstein, was used to form the personnel of the subsequent 2nd and 23rd regiments of the 11th Division.237 The formation was officially redesignated "11th Infantry Division" on 15 October 1935.198f. On 18 August 1939, the division was mobilized and equipped with three infantry regiments and an artillery regiment. The infantry regiments were Infantry Regiment 2 (Allenstein), Infantry Regiment 23 (Rastenburg) and Infantry Regiment 44 (Bartenstein); the artillery regiment was Artillery Regiment 11 (Allenstein). Additionally, the division contained the "Division Units 11" for support.198f. The 11th Infantry Division participated in the Invasion of Poland as part of the I Army Corps under 3rd Army. The I Army Corps, next to 11th Infantry Division, also featured the 61st Infantry Division and Panzer Division Kempf.Forczyk, Robert Case White: The Invasion of Poland 1939 Osprey Publishing 2019 9781472834935 Oxford360–363 In the early morning hours of 1 September 1939, the left flank of I Corps swung in a two-pronged assault towards the Polish stronghold at Mława, bringing about the Battle of Mława.Zaloga, Steven J. The Polish Campaign 1939 Madej, Victor Hippocrene Books 1985 9780882549941113 After a minor role in the Battle of France, the 11th Infantry Division was initially transferred to the Atlantic Wall until March 1941. It then returned to East Prussia in preparation of Operation Barbarossa,Mitcham Samuel W. 1st–290th Infantry Divisions in WWII Stackpole Books 2007 9780811746540 German Order of Battle 1 11th Infantry Division in which it participated as part of I Corps (along with 1st and 21st Divisions) under the 18th Army of Army Group North.Kirchubel Robert Operation Barbarossa 1941 (2): Army Group North Osprey Publishing 2005 9781841768571 Oxford26 In January 1940, the Field Replacement Battalion 11 was detached and converted into the II./364 battalion of 161st Infantry Division in January 1940. In the following month, the II./44 battalion was also detached from the 11th Infantry Division and transferred to 291st Infantry Division as I./506; II./44 was subsequently replenished. In October 1940, a third of the division (including the staff of Regiment 2 and III./3, III./23 and III./44 battalions) was passed off to the newly-formed 126th Infantry Division and were subsequently replenished.198f. In summer 1942, III./23 battalion was dissolved.198f.11th Infantry Division 1945 Army Group Courland Grenadier Regiment 2Grenadier Regiment 23Grenadier Regiment 44Division Fusilier Battalion 11Artillery Regiment 11Division Units 11 On 2 October 1943, the division was ordered to be restructured into a "Division neuer Art"-type division. III./2 and II./44 battalions were dissolved in January and September 1944, respectively. This left the division with three infantry regiments (now called "Grenadier Regiments") with the same numbers as before, but with two rather than three battalions. Additionally, the division's reconnaissance battalion had been formed into the Division Fusilier Battalion 11.198f. In 1945, the division was taken prisoner by the Red Army in the Courland Pocket.198f. Commanders Generalleutnant Günther von Niebelschütz: 1 October 1934 – 1 April 1937 Generalleutnant Max Bock: 1 April 1937 – 23 October 1939 Generalleutnant Herbert von Böckmann: 23 October 1939 – 26 January 1942 Generalleutnant Siegfried Thomaschki: 26 January 1942 – 7 September 1943 Generalleutnant Karl Burdach: 7 September 1943 – 1 April 1944 Generalleutnant Hellmuth Reymann: 1 April 1944 – 18 November 1944 Generalmajor Gerhard Feyerabend: 18 November 1944 – 8 May 1945 Subordination and deployment +Superior formations of 11th Infantry Division198f. YearMonth Army Corps Army Army group Location 1939Sep. I 3rd Army Army Group North East Prussia, PolandDec. Army group reserves Army Group B Lower Rhine 1940Jan./May Army reserves 6th Army Lower Rhine, Belgium, LilleJun. I 4th Army Somme, LoireJul./Aug. 7th Army Atlantic coastSep./Oct. Army reservesNov./Dec. XXXI Army Group D1941Jan./Feb.Mar. Army reserves 18th Army Army Group B East PrussiaApr. IMay Army Group CJun./Aug. Army Group North East Prussia–VolkhovSep./Nov. 16th Army Wolchow–LadogaDec. 18th Army1942Jan./Apr.May./Dec. XXVIII1943Jan.Feb./Sep. XXVIOct./Dec. LIV Leningrad1944Jan.Feb. L PskovMar./May XXVI Narva NarvaJun. XXXXIIIJul./Sep. III. SS Narva, Pernau, RigaOct./Nov. I 18th Army Courland PocketDec. X 1945 Jan. IFeb. II Army Group CourlandMar./Apr. L Insignia The 11th Infantry Division used two divisional emblems: one showed a red-and-white head of an elk atop a diagonally-divided red-and-white shield, the other showed a solid blue spot within a white square.Hartmann Theodor Wehrmacht Divisional Signs, 1938–1945 Almark Publications 1970 085524006710 Sources References Literature Müller-Hillebrand Burkhard Der Zweifrontenkrieg. Das Heer vom Beginn des Feldzuges gegen die Sowjetunion bis zum Kriegsende Mittler 1969 Das Heer 1933–1945. Entwicklung des organisatorischen Aufbaues 3 Frankfurt/Main Tessin Georg Die Landstreitkräfte 006–014 Verlag E. S. Mittler & Sohn GmbH 1967 3764809426 Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939–1945 3 Frankfurt/Main June 2017 0*011 Category:Military units and formations established in 1934 Category:1934 establishments in Germany Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1945