The 329th Infantry Division (German: 329. Infanterie-Division) was an infantry division of the German army during World War II. It existed between 1941 and 1945.
| 329th Infantry Division | |
|---|---|
| German: 329. Infanterie-Division | |
 | |
| Active | 17 December 1941 – 1945 |
| Country |  Nazi Germany |
| Branch |  Heer (Wehrmacht) |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | Division |
| Nickname(s) | Hammer-Division |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Commanders | |
| Commanders |
|
Operational history
editThe 329th Infantry Division was formed on 17 December 1941 as a valkyrie division of the 17th wave of deployment. Initially assembled at Groß-Born in Wehrkreis II, its staff personnel was drawn from the staff of the 526th Infantry Division, which had been formed in October 1939 from frontier guard units.[1] Its initial commander was Helmuth Castorf.[2]
The division initially consisted of three infantry regiments (551, 552, 554), with Infantry Regiment 551 consisting of three battalions and the other two regiments of two battalions each, for a total of seven infantry battalions. Additionally, the division possessed the Artillery Regiment 329 with two detachments and the Division Units 329.[1]
The division was deployed near Lyck and marched to the Eastern Front on foot. There, it began fighting in the Staraya Russa sector around March 1942.[1] On 7 March 1942, Bruno Hippler took command of the division. Hippler was in turn replaced by Johannes Mayer on 23 March.[2] The 1st Bn Inf Regt 551 had to be dissolved as a result of casualties on 8 May 1942; 3rd Bn was later redesignated 1st Bn.[1]
Until 1943, the Artillery Regiment 329 was strengthened from two up to four detachments, and a Fusilier Battalion was formed on divisional level. As a result, the 329th Infantry Division now approximated a division following the Division neuer Art 44 archetype.[1] Paul Winter briefly took command of the division on 9 August 1943, before Mayer returned to his post in September.[2]
On 18 July 1944, Werner Schulze took command of the 329th Infantry Division. He was succeeded by Konrad Menkel on 20 October before returning to his post on 1 January 1945. Menkel again took command of the division later in early 1945, and served as the final divisional commander.[2]
Unit insignia
editThe unit symbol of the 329th Infantry Division showed a hammer, giving it the nickname hammer division,[2] or hammer infantry division.[3]
Legacy
editFormer members of the division formed a tradition association after the war, publishing a divisional history in 1968.[3]
A memorial to the division was erected in Münster at Lauheide cemetery. The memorial gained public attention in 2019, when a neonazi group used the memorial as a venue for one of their rallies.[4]
Notable individuals
edit- Helmuth Castorf: Commander of the 329th Infantry Division between 19 December 1941 and 7 March 1942.[2]
- Bruno Hippler: Commander of the 329th Infantry Division between 7 March 1942 and 23 March 1942.[2]
- Johannes Mayer: Commander of the 329th Infantry Division between 23 March 1942 and 9 August 1943 and again between September 1943 and 18 July 1944.[2]
- Paul Winter: Commander of the 329th Infantry Division between 9 August 1943 and September 1943.[2]
- Werner Schulze: Commander of the 329th Infantry Division between 18 July 1944 and 20 October 1944 and again between 1 January 1945 until somewhen later that year.[2]
- Konrad Menkel: Commander of the 329th Infantry Division between 20 October 1944 and 1 January 1945 and again starting in early 1945.[2]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Tessin, Georg (1974). "329". Die Landstreitkräfte 281–370. Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939-1945 (in German). Vol. 9. Osnabrück: Biblio Verlag. pp. 172–175. ISBN 3764808721.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Mitcham, Samuel W. (2007). "329th Infantry Division". German Order of Battle: 291st-999th Infantry Divisions, Named Infantry Divisions, and Special Divisions in World War II. German Order of Battle. Vol. 2. Stackpole Books. ISBN 9780811734370.
- ^ a b Traditionsverband der ehem. 329. (Hammer)-Inf.Div. (1968). 329. (Hammer-)Inf.-Division: Erinnerungen aus dem Kriegsgeschehen 1942–1945 (in German). Düsseldorf: Diederichs.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Kalitschke, Martin. "Nazi-Aufmarsch in Lauheide". www.wn.de (in German). Retrieved 2022-10-13.