6th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)
The 6th Infantry Division was a major unit of the Army of the German Wehrmacht.
- 6.1 See also
- 6.2 Literature
History
In the course of armament of the Armed Forces of the division headquarters under the codename infantry leader VI was formed on October 1, 1934 in Bielefeld in the military district VI. On 15 October 1935, the official name change to the 6th Infantry Division. The infantry regiments were formed among others from the Infantry Regiment 16 of the 6th Division of the Reichswehr.
On August 26, 1939, the Division was mobilized as part of the first wave formation, secured on both sides of the Assemblies Valley and the western border was moved as a reserve in the rear area of operations between the Nahe and Moselle in the Hunsrück. In the western campaign of 1940 the Division marched through Luxembourg and Belgium to the Somme, took part in the Breakthrough Battle of the Somme part, which is particularly distinguished the Division, and came to his front, where the Mounted Reconnaissance Battalion under Lieutenant George of Boese camp at les Andelys be the first troops of the Wehrmacht overcame the river. After further advance battles over the Eure, the Division pursued the retreating enemy to the Loire at Ingrandes and Mont Jean.
1941 during an attack on the Soviet Union, the Division eastward Goldap broke through the Soviet border fortifications, went in Prienai over the Memel, moved up to the Dvina at Polotsk before and there broke through the Stalin Line. After fighting on the Mjesha the Division participated in the battles at Wjasma and the Ossotnja in part, conquered Ssytschewka and pursued the elusive Soviet troops Rzhev, Subzow, Pogoreloje after Staritza. There, the Division broke through on the Volga in the room and on to Glebowo Tma at Eremkino to. Before Moscow, the division had to hold a nearly 30 km wide front section, from which they had to go back to the Konigsberg position before the Soviet counter-offensive after heavy losses at Tma.
1942 was followed by defensive battles in space Rzhev and 1943 battles on the south bank of the Volga and the successful evacuation of the front projection at Rzhev, in which 12 German divisions escaped the enclosure.
This was followed by struggles on the position Wopjez, the gangs company "Buffalo " and " Freischütz" for anti-partisan northwest Bryansk, the defensive battles in space Dorogobush, fighting in the area Yasnaya Polyana, Podoljan and Kutyrki. In July 1943, the Division took the Association of XLVII. Panzer Corps part in Operation Citadel.
In the fighting retreat to the " Hagen " position, the division took, used as a rear guard, took part in the defensive battle at Ssewsk, at the Dessna, on Ssosh, in the Gomel area and on the Dnieper. Then she sat down onto the Dessna and on to Ssosh, where she participated in the defensive battles with Sherebnaja and Nekrasov.
1944 was followed by the withdrawal of fighting in the room Zhlobin on the Dnieper, on the Dobyssna to Ola. After the collapse of Army Group Centre and the Soviet breakthrough on the road Rogachev - Bobruisk, the division was encircled and destroyed in June 1944, then officially disbanded on 18 July 1944.
From residues, and the 552 Grenadier Division of the 6th Infantry Division was reorganized and renamed on October 9, 1944 in 6 people Grenadier Division on 25 July 1944 but reached no more starch division. It was used as a battle group on the Vistula River and destroyed in January 1945.
On March 10, 1945, the 6th Infantry Division of the radicals of 6 people Grenadier Division of the 291st Infantry Division and the Shadow Division Dresden ( Gneisenau ) was re-erected.
Structure
September 1939
December 1943
- Grenadier Regiment 18
- Grenadier Regiment 37
- Grenadier Regiment 58
- Artillery Regiment 6
- I. / Artillery Regiment 42
- Fusilier Battalion 6
- Tank Destroyer Division 6
- Engineer Battalion 6
- Commander of the infantry division supplies troops 6
September 1944
- Grenadier - Regiment 18
- Grenadier - Regiment 37
- Grenadier - Regiment 58
- Artillery Regiment 6
- I. / Artillery Regiment 42
- Divisional Supply Regiment 6
October 1944
- People's Grenadier Regiment 18
- People's Grenadier Regiment 37
- People's Grenadier Regiment 58
- Fusilier Battalion 6
- Artillery Regiment 6
- I. / Artillery Regiment 42
- Divisional Supply Regiment 6
April 1945
- Grenadier - Regiment 18
- Grenadier - Regiment 37
- Grenadier - Regiment 58
- Fusilier Battalion 6
- Artillery Regiment 6
- Engineer Battalion 6
- Divisional Supply Regiment 6
Commanders
General Staff officers Ia
Within the Division, two resistance fighters of 20 July 1944 Georg Freiherr von Boese camps served († 1944 fallen) in the cavalry regiment 15 and Günther Smend († 1944 in Berlin- Plotzensee ) in the 18th Infantry Regiment