31st Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)
The 31st Infantry Division, from July 21, 1944 31 Grenadier Division and from October 9, 1944 31 Volksgrenadier Divion, was a military major unit of the Wehrmacht.
History
The Division was established on October 1, 1936 in Braunschweig and mobilized in August 1939 as part of the first wave. The designation "Lions Division " derives from the fact that the symbol of the city of Brunswick is the Lion of Braunschweig.
In the winter of 1941/42, the Division took part in the attack on Moscow and Tula. In July 1943, granted by the pioneers Höxteraner Engineer Battalion 31 minefields for a tank attack in the front arc of Kursk. The Division replaced the spring of 1944, the section of the right wing of the 4th Army and at the interface to the 9th Army, where it was used in confusing forest positions, with the 260th Infantry Division. The command post was located in Judino. In addition to expanding the main battle line shock troops have been used successfully continue. The thaw set in and made major moves impossible. In July 1944, east of Minsk, the division was completely destroyed during the Soviet summer offensive. Lieutenant General Ochsner came here in captivity. On 21 July 1944, the 31st Infantry Division was reorganized by the located in the lineup 550th Grenadier Division and the remnants of the 31 Infantry Division. Already on October 9, 1944, the Division for 31 people Grenadier Division was reclassified.
People
Commanders
First General Staff Officer
Structure
Awards
A total of 25 members of the Division with the Knight's Cross, and 118 were awarded the German Cross in Gold.