296th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)

The 296th Infantry Division (German: 296. Infanterie-Division) was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II.

History

The 296th Infantry Division was formed on 5 February 1940 as a division of the eighth Aufstellungswelle in the Passau-Deggendorf area in Wehrkreis XIII. Its initial regiments were the Infantry Regiment 519, 520, 521, as well as Artillery Regiment 296 "Reichsgründung".[1] The initial commander of the 296th Infantry Division was Wilhelm Stemmermann, appointed on 1 January 1941.[2]

Between the summer of 1940 and the spring of 1941, the 296th Infantry Division was stationed in the Lille area.[2]

Between June 1941 and July 1944, the 296th Infantry Division fought on the Eastern Front.[2] Between June and September 1941, the division served under Army Group South, and was then transferred to Army Group Center, where it remained until its destruction in 1944.[2] The division fought at the Battle of Kiev between August and September 1941 and then advanced via Tula towards Oryol, where it remained through the year 1942 and into August 1943. Until June 1944, it was driven back to Babruysk via Gomel.[1]

The division was destroyed at Babruysk during Operation Bagration. The division was formally dissolved on 3 August 1944.[2]

Superior formations
Organizational chart of the 296th Infantry Division[1]
Year Month Army Corps Army Army Group Area
1940 June OKH reserves.
July XIII 9th Army Army Group A Belgium
August V 16th Army Lille
September – December XXIII
1941 January
February Army reserves.
March 17th Army Army Group B Poland
April IX
May IV Army Group A
June Army Group South Rava-Ruska
July Army Group reserves. Zhytomyr
August XXXIV 6th Army Kiev
September XVII
October XXXV 2nd Panzer Group Army Group Center Oryol
November 2nd Army Tula
December Army Group reserves. Belyov
1942 January – December LIII 2nd Panzer Army Oryol
1943 January – April
May – August LV
September – December XXIII 9th Army Gomel, Babruysk
1944 January – June XXXV Babruysk
July "Status unknown", division dissolved 3 August 1944.

Noteworthy individuals
  • Wilhelm Stemmermann, divisional commander between 1 January 1941 and 8 January 1942.
  • Friedrich Krischer, divisional commander between 8 January 1942 and 3 April 1943.
  • Karl Faulenbach, divisional commander between 3 April 1943 and 1 January 1944.
  • Arthur Kullmer, divisional commander between 1 January 1944 and 19 June 1944.

References
  1. Tessin, Georg (1974). "296". 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. 51–54. ISBN 3764808721.
  2. Mitcham, Samuel W. (2007). German Order of Battle. Volume Two: 291st-999th Infantry Divisions, Named Infantry Divisions, and Special Divisions in WWII. Stackpole Books. pp. 22–23. ISBN 9780811734165.
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