The 1st Infantry Division, (german: 1. Infanterie-Division) was one of the original

infantry division A division is a large military unit or formation, usually consisting of between 6,000 and 25,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades; in turn, several divisions typically make up a corps. Histo ...

s of the

Reichswehr ''Reichswehr'' () was the official name of the German armed forces during the Weimar Republic and the first years of the Third Reich. After Germany was defeated in World War I, the Imperial German Army () was dissolved in order to be reshape ...

and

Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...

that served throughout

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

History

Before World War II

Originally formed as the beginning of Germany's first wave of rearmament, the division was first given the title of ''Artillerieführer I'' and only later called ''Wehrgauleitung Königsberg''. These names were an effort to cover Germany's expansion of infantry divisions from seven to twenty-one. The division's infantry regiments were built up from the ''1.(Preussisches) Infanterie-Regiment'' of the ''1.Division'' of the Reichswehr and originally consisted of recruits from

East Prussia East Prussia ; german: Ostpreißen, label= Low Prussian; pl, Prusy Wschodnie; lt, Rytų Prūsija was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1773 to 1829 and again from 1878 (with the Kingdom itself being part of the German Empire from 187 ...

.Samuel W. Mitcham, Jr, ''Hitler's Legions, The German Army Order of Battle, World War II Dorset Press, New York, 1985 '' The unit's Prussian heritage is represented by the

Hohenzollern The House of Hohenzollern (, also , german: Haus Hohenzollern, , ro, Casa de Hohenzollern) is a German royal (and from 1871 to 1918, imperial) dynasty whose members were variously princes, electors, kings and emperors of Hohenzollern, Brandenb ...

coat of arms that served as the divisional insignia. Upon the official revelation of the Wehrmacht in October 1935, the unit received its title of ''1.Infanterie-Division''. In February 1936, the headquarters of the division was moved from

Insterburg Chernyakhovsk (russian: Черняхо́вск) – known prior to 1946 by its German name of (Old Prussian: Instrāpils, lt, Įsrutis; pl, Wystruć) – is a town in the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia, where it is the administrative center of C ...

Königsberg Königsberg (, ) was the historic Prussian city that is now Kaliningrad, Russia. Königsberg was founded in 1255 on the site of the ancient Old Prussian settlement ''Twangste'' by the Teutonic Knights during the Northern Crusades, and was ...

World War II

Invasion of Poland

With the German

invasion of Poland The invasion of Poland (1 September – 6 October 1939) was a joint attack on the Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union which marked the beginning of World War II. The German invasion began on 1 September 1939, one week af ...

in September 1939, the 1st Infantry Division advanced toward

Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officiall ...

as a component of the XXVI Army Corps in von Küchler's 3rd Army. It engaged Polish forces near the heavily defended town of

Mława Mława (; yi, מלאווע ''Mlave'') is a town in north-east Poland with 30,403 inhabitants in 2020. It is the capital of Mława County. It is situated in the Masovian Voivodeship. During the invasion of Poland in 1939, the battle of Mława was ...

(see

Battle of Mława The Battle of Mława, otherwise known as the Defence of the Mława position, took place to the north of the town of Mława in northern Poland between 1 and 3 September 1939. It was one of the opening battles of the Invasion of Poland and World Wa ...

) for several days, then crossed over the Bug and

Narew The Narew (; be, Нараў, translit=Naraŭ; or ; Sudovian: ''Naura''; Old German: ''Nare''; uk, Нарва, translit=Narva) is a 499-kilometre (310 mi) river primarily in north-eastern Poland, which is also a tributary of the river Vi ...

Rivers. It fought again near

Węgrów Węgrów is a town in eastern Poland with 12,561 inhabitants (31 December 2003). Situated in the Masovian Voivodeship (since 1999), it is the capital of Węgrów County. History First mentioned in historical records in 1414, Węgrów receiv ...

and

Garwolin Garwolin is a town on the Wilga river in eastern Poland, capital of Garwolin County, situated in the southeast part of the Garwolin plateau in Masovian Voivodeship, 62 km southeast of Warsaw, 100 km northwest of Lublin. As of December ...

and ended the campaign east of Warsaw.

Battle of France

Playing a minor role in the

invasion of France France has been invaded on numerous occasions, by foreign powers or rival French governments; there have also been unimplemented invasion plans. * the 1746 War of the Austrian Succession, Austria-Italian forces supported by the British navy attemp ...

, the division returned to East Prussia in the autumn of 1940.

Eastern Front

With the launch of

Operation Barbarossa Operation Barbarossa (german: link=no, Unternehmen Barbarossa; ) was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and many of its Axis allies, starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during the Second World War. The operation, code-named afte ...

, the 1st Infantry Division participated in the Baltic Operation as part of the 18th Army with

Army Group North Army Group North (german: Heeresgruppe Nord) was a German strategic formation, commanding a grouping of field armies during World War II. The German Army Group was subordinated to the ''Oberkommando des Heeres'' (OKH), the German army high comman ...

, advancing on

Leningrad Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...

. It remained and fought in the area of Leningrad and

Lake Ladoga Lake Ladoga (; rus, Ла́дожское о́зеро, r=Ladozhskoye ozero, p=ˈladəʂskəjə ˈozʲɪrə or rus, Ла́дога, r=Ladoga, p=ˈladəɡə, fi, Laatokka arlier in Finnish ''Nevajärvi'' ; vep, Ladog, Ladoganjärv) is a fresh ...

through December 1943. (See

Siege of Leningrad The siege of Leningrad (russian: links=no, translit=Blokada Leningrada, Блокада Ленинграда; german: links=no, Leningrader Blockade; ) was a prolonged military blockade undertaken by the Axis powers against the Soviet city of ...

.) Transferred to the

1st Panzer Army The 1st Panzer Army (german: 1. Panzerarmee) was a German tank army that was a large armoured formation of the Wehrmacht during World War II. When originally formed on 1 March 1940, the predecessor of the 1st Panzer Army was named Panzer Group ...

, the division fought at

Krivoy Rog Kryvyi Rih ( uk, Криви́й Ріг , lit. "Curved Bend" or "Crooked Horn"), also known as Krivoy Rog (Russian: Кривой Рог) is the largest city in central Ukraine, the 7th most populous city in Ukraine and the 2nd largest by area. Kr ...

and broke out of an encirclement in March 1944.

Defence of East Prussia

The 1st Infantry Division returned to its native East Prussia in the summer 1944. Except for participating in the urgent and temporary link-up with the now-isolated Army Group North in Lithuania (

Operation Doppelkopf Operation Doppelkopf (german: Unternehmen Doppelkopf) and the following Operation Cäsar were German counter-offensives on the Eastern Front in the late summer of 1944 in the aftermath of the major Soviet advance in Operation Bagration with the a ...

), the unit remained to defend the easternmost German province from the advancing

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian language, Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist R ...

. Alternating between 3rd Panzer and 4th Armies, the division was trapped in the Königsberg/ Samland area after it was cut off from the rest of Germany by end January 1945. At 0400 hours on 19 February 1945, elements of the 1st Infantry, led by a captured Soviet

T-34 tank The T-34 is a Soviet medium tank introduced in 1940. When introduced its 76.2 mm (3 in) tank gun was less powerful than its contemporaries while its 60-degree sloped armour provided good protection against anti-tank weapons. The Chri ...

, spearheaded a westward offensive from Königsberg intended to link with General Hans Gollnick's XXVIII Corps, which held parts of the Samland peninsula, including the vital port of

Pillau Baltiysk (russian: Балти́йск; german: Pillau; Old Prussian: ''Pillawa''; pl, Piława; lt, Piliava; Yiddish: פּילאַווע, ''Pilave'') is a seaport town and the administrative center of Baltiysky District in Kaliningrad Oblast, Ru ...

. Capturing the town of Metgethen, the unit opened the way for the 5th Panzer Division to join with Gollnick's forces near the town of Gross Heydekrug the next day. This action re-opened the land route from Königsberg to Pillau, allowing for the evacuation of civilian refugees via the port and solidifying the German defense of the area until April. With the capitulation of Königsberg on 9 April 1945, the surviving elements of the division retreated to Pillau where most later surrendered to the Soviets and parts of the division where evacuated by sea and surrendered to the British in Schleswig-Holstein at the end of the war.

Organization

The 1st Infantry Division was a "Wave 1" division, meaning it existed prior to the outbreak of the war. It was equipped and organized along standard lines for a German infantry division. Its original form in 1934 consisted of two infantry regiments, an artillery regiment, a pioneer battalion, and a signals unit. The division invaded Poland with the following units under command: *1st Infantry Regiment *22nd Infantry Regiment *43rd Infantry Regiment *1st Artillery Regiment *37th Artillery Regiment *31st Machine-gun Battalion *1st Anti-tank Battalion *1st Reconnaissance Battalion *1st Engineer Battalion *1st Signals Battalion *1st Medical Battalion

Commanders

The following officers commanded the 1st Infantry Division: * Oct 1, 1934, to Apr 1, 1935: Generalmajor

Georg von Küchler Georg Carl Wilhelm Friedrich von Küchler (30 May 1881 – 25 May 1968) was a German field marshal and war criminal during World War II. He commanded the 18th Army and Army Group North during the Soviet-German war of 1941–1945. After the en ...

* Apr 1, 1935, to Jan 1, 1938: Generalleutnant

Walther Schroth __NOTOC__ Walther Schroth (3 June 1882 – 6 October 1944) was a general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Schroth served on the "Court of Military Honour," a drumh ...

* Jan 1, 1938 to Apr 14, 1940: Generalleutnant

Joachim von Kortzfleisch Joachim Otto August Achatius von Kortzfleisch (3 January 1890 – 20 April 1945) was a German general in the Wehrmacht during World War II. As the commander of the Military District III (Berlin), he played a role in the failure of the attempte ...

* Apr 14, 1940, to Jul 12, 1941: Generalleutnant

Philipp Kleffel __NOTOC__ Philipp Kleffel (9 December 1887 – 10 October 1964) was a German general during World War II who commanded several corps. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. For 10 days, Kleffel served as th ...

* Jul 12, 1941, to Sept 4, 1941: Generalmajor Dr.

Friedrich Altrichter Friedrich Altrichter (3 September 1890 – 10 December 1948) was a German officer, last in the rank of ''Generalleutnant'' of the Wehrmacht. He was also an influential military writer and military instructor at the Dresden military academy from 1 ...

* Sept 4, 1941, to Jan 16, 1942: Generalleutnant

* Jan 16, 1942 to Jun 30, 1943: Generalleutnant

Martin Grase __NOTOC__ Martin Grase (3 May 1891 – 3 August 1963) was a German general during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of Nazi Germany. Awards and decorations * Iron Cross (1914) 2nd Class ...

* Jul 1, 1943, to May 10, 1944: Generalleutnant

Ernst-Anton von Krosigk __NOTOC__ Ernst-Anton von Krosigk (5 March 1898 – 16 March 1945) was a German general in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the 16th Army. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of Nazi Germany ...

* May 10, 1944, to Jun 8, 1944: Oberst Hans-Joachim Baurmeister * Jun 8, 1944 to Sept 30, 1944: Generalleutnant

* Oct 1, 1944, to Feb 28, 1945: Generalleutnant Hans Schittnig * Feb 28, 1945 to Apr 26, 1945: Generalleutnant Henning von Thadden

Operational history

* Invasion of Poland, as part of Army Group North: ** Sept. 1939: Fought in Poland under 3.''Armee'' of

German Army Group North Army Group North (german: Heeresgruppe Nord) was a German strategic formation, commanding a grouping of field armies during World War II. The German Army Group was subordinated to the ''Oberkommando des Heeres'' (OKH), the German army high comman ...

* Invasion of France as part of Army Group B: ** May 1940: Reserve division of 6.''Armee'' of

German Army Group B Army Group B (German: ') was the title of three German Army Groups that saw action during World War II. Operational history Army Group B first took part in the Battle of France in 1940 in Belgium and the Netherlands. The second formation of ...

in Belgium ** June 1940: Fought in France under I.''Armeekorps'' of 4.''Armee'' ** Jul–Aug. 1940: Part of I.''Armeekorps'' of 7.''Armee'' along the Atlantic coast ** Sept 1940: Transferred to East Prussia under 18.''Armee'' with ''Army Group B'' * Invasion of the Soviet Union as part of Army Group North: ** June 1941: Attached to 18.''Armee'' under ''Army Group North'' ** July 1941: Transferred to XXVI.''Armeekorps'' under 18.''Armee'' ** Aug. 1941: Transferred to XXXXI.''Armeekorps'' of 4.''Panzergruppe'' ** Sept 1941: Transferred to XXXVIII.''Armeekorps'' of 18.''Armee'' near Peterhof ** Nov 1941: Reserve division of 18.''Armee'' near Leningrad ** Dec 1941: Joined XXVIII.''Armeekorps'' near Leningrad ** May 1942: Rejoined XXVI.''Armeekorps'' near Volkhov ** June 1942: Rejoined I.''Armeekorps'' near Volkhov ** Jan 1943: Rejoined XXVI.''Armeekorps'' near Ladoga ** Feb 1943: Joined LIV.''Armeekorps'' near Ladoga ** Apr 1943: Rejoined XXVI.''Armeekorps'' near Ladoga ** Sept 1943: Rejoined XXVIII.''Armeekorps'' near Tigoda * Summer 1942 campaign as part of Army Group South: ** Jan 1944: Transferred to reserves of 1.''Panzer-Armee'' under

Army Group South Army Group South (german: Heeresgruppe Süd) was the name of three German Army Groups during World War II. It was first used in the 1939 September Campaign, along with Army Group North to invade Poland. In the invasion of Poland Army Group So ...

at Winnizia ** Feb 1944: Joined XXXXVI.''Armeekorps'' in the Hube pocket * Retreat through Ukraine as part of Army Group North Ukraine: ** Apr 1944: Joined III.''Armeekorps'' under

Army Group North Ukraine The Army Group North Ukraine (german: Heeresgruppe Nordukraine) was a major formation of the German army in World War II. History It was created on 5 April 1944 by renaming Army Group South under Generalfeldmarschall Walter Model. In April 1944 i ...

** May 1944: Rejoined XXVI.''Armeekorps'' under 1.''Panzer-Armee'' at Stanislau ** Jul 1944: Joined LIX.''Armeekorps'' at Brody * Retreat into Germany: ** Aug 1944: Rejoined XXVI.''Armeekorps'' under 3.''Panzer-Armee'' of ''

Army Group Centre Army Group Centre (german: Heeresgruppe Mitte) was the name of two distinct strategic German Army Groups that fought on the Eastern Front in World War II. The first Army Group Centre was created on 22 June 1941, as one of three German Army for ...

'' at Schlossberg ** Feb 1945: Rejoined XXXXI.''Armeekorps'' under 4.''Armee'' at Königsberg ** Mar 1945: Reserve division of '' Armee-Abteilung Samland'' at Samland ** Apr 1945: Rejoined XXVI.''Armeekorps'' under ''Armee Ostpreussen'' at Pillau

References

Citations

Bibliography

* Christopher Duffy. ''Red Storm on the Reich: The Soviet March on Germany, 1945''. New York: Atheneum, 1991. pp 164,165,207 * Samuel W. Mitcham: ''Crumbling Empire: The German Defeat in the East, 1944''. Westport: Praeger, 2001. pp 66,141 * Burkhard Müller-Hillebrand: ''Das Heer 1933–1945. Entwicklung des organisatorischen Aufbaues.'' Vol.III: ''Der Zweifrontenkrieg. Das Heer vom Beginn des Feldzuges gegen die Sowjetunion bis zum Kriegsende''. Mittler: Frankfurt am Main 1969, p. 285. * Georg Tessin: ''Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg, 1939 – 1945''. Vol. II: ''Die Landstreitkräfte 1 – 5''. Mittler: Frankfurt am Main 1966. {{DEFAULTSORT:1st Infantry Division (Wehrmacht) 0*001 Military units and formations established in 1934 1934 establishments in Germany Military units and formations disestablished in 1945 de:1. Division (Militär)#Infanterie-Verbände