562nd Grenadier Division

The 562nd Grenadier Division (German: 562. Grenadier-Division) was an infantry division of Nazi Germany's Wehrmacht.

562nd Grenadier Division
562. Grenadier-Division
Active1944–1945
Country Nazi Germany
BranchWehrmacht

2nd Grenadier Division East Prussia

edit

The division was formed on 24 July 1944 at Stablack in Wehrkreis I (East Prussia) as the 2nd Grenadier Division East Prussia (German: Grenadier-Division Ostpreußen 2).[1] The division had a mere four grenadier battalions.[2] It had the following organisation:[1]

562nd Grenadier Division

edit

On 27 July, the division was renamed the 562nd Grenadier Division.[1][2] All of its subordinate units were also renamed:[1]

  • 1144th Grenadier Regiment
  • 1145th Grenadier Regiment
  • 1562nd Artillery Regiment
  • 562nd Fusilier Company
  • 1562nd Tank Destroyer Battalion
  • 1562nd Engineer Company
  • 1562nd Signal Company

562nd Volksgrenadier Division

edit

On October 9, the division was upgraded to a Volksgrenadier division.[2] By then, the division was already part of the Army Group Centre's 4th Army's LV Corps.[2] The division fought at Augustavas and Narew.[2]

Finally, it fought on its home territory opposing the Red Army's East Prussian offensive.[2] Most of the division was destroyed in the Heiligenbeil Pocket in March 1945.[2] Only a small part of the division evacuated via the sea to the Hel peninsula together with the 4th Army.[2] The division was disbanded on 16 April 1945 and its survivors were captured by the Soviets.[2] The division's staff was later used as the staff of the 4th Reich Labour Service Division.[3]

Commanders

edit
No. Portrait Commander Took office Left office Time in office
1Brauer, Johannes OskarGeneralmajor
Johannes Oskar Brauer[2][3]
(1895–1980)
9 October 194422 January 1945105 days
2Hufenbach, HelmuthOberst
Helmuth Hufenbach[2][3]
(1908–1945)
22 January 194527 March 194564 days

References

edit

Bibliography

edit
  • Mitcham, Samuel W. (2007a). German Order of Battle: 1st-290th Infantry divisions in World War II. Stackpole Books. ISBN 9780811734165.
  • Mitcham, Samuel W. (2007b). German Order of Battle: 291st-999th Infantry divisions, named infantry divisions, and special divisions in World War II. Stackpole Books. ISBN 9780811734370.
  • Lexikon, der Wehrmacht (2012). "562. Volks-Grenadier-Division" (in German). Archived from the original on 2 March 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2021.