The 18th Infantry Division () was formed on 1 October 1934 as Infantry Command III (

Infanterieführer III The 3rd Division was a unit of the ''Reichswehr''. Creation In the Order of 31 July 1920 for the Reduction of the Army (to comply with the upper limits on the size of the military contained in the Treaty of Versailles), it was determined that a d ...

) in

Liegnitz Legnica (; , ; ; ) is a city in southwestern Poland, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the Kaczawa River and the Czarna Woda. As well as being the seat of the county, since 1992 the city has been the seat of the Diocese of Legnica. L ...

and renamed the 18th Infantry Division on 15 October 1935. Mobilized in August 1939, it participated in the

Invasion of Poland The invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign, Polish Campaign, and Polish Defensive War of 1939 (1 September – 6 October 1939), was a joint attack on the Second Polish Republic, Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany, the Slovak R ...

and in 1940 in the

Battle of France The Battle of France (; 10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign (), the French Campaign (, ) and the Fall of France, during the Second World War was the Nazi Germany, German invasion of the Low Countries (Belgium, Luxembour ...

. After the French campaign, the division was motorized and redesignated 18th Motorized Infantry Division on 1 November 1940 serving on the Eastern Front for the remainder of the war. In June 1943, the division was redesignated 18th Panzergrenadier Division.

18th Infantry Division

*From September 1939 until May 1940 the division fought in

and then made up part of the occupation force. * From May 1940 until November 1940 the division fought in the

and then made up part of the occupation force when it was redesignated 18th Motorised Infantry Division.

18th Motorized Infantry Division

Formed 1 November 1940 * Part of the occupation force in France from November 1940 until June 1941. * Fought on the Eastern Front, central sector from June 1941 until January 1942. * Fought on the Eastern front, northern sector from January 1942 until June 1943 when it was redesignated 18th Panzergrenadier Division.

18th Panzergrenadier Division

Formed on 23 June 1943. * Fought on the Eastern front, northern sector from June 1943 until October 1943. * Fought on the Eastern front, central sector from October 1943 until September 1944. It was devastated in the Soviet 1944 summer offensive. * The remnants of the division fought in Eastern Prussia and in the

Battle of Berlin The Battle of Berlin, designated as the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the Soviet Union, and also known as the Fall of Berlin, was one of the last major offensives of the European theatre of World War II. After the Vistula–Od ...

. The survivors tried to fight their way out of Berlin on 2 May 1945 when Berlin surrendered to the Soviets.

Commanding officers

18. Infanterie-Division

* Generalleutnant

Hermann Hoth Hermann Hoth (12 April 1885 – 25 January 1971) was a German army commander, war criminal, and author. He served as a high-ranking panzer commander in the Wehrmacht during World War II, playing a prominent role in the Battle of France and on th ...

, 1 October 1934 – 1 April 1938 * Generalleutnant

Erich von Manstein Fritz Erich Georg Eduard von Manstein (born Fritz Erich Georg Eduard von Lewinski; 24 November 1887 – 9 June 1973) was a Germans, German Officer (armed forces), military officer of Poles (people), Polish descent who served as a ''Generalfeld ...

, 1 April 1938 – 26 August 1939 * Generalleutnant

Friedrich-Carl Cranz __NOTOC__ Friedrich-Carl Cranz (14 November 1886 – 24 March 1941) was a German general during World War II who commanded 18th Infantry Division. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Cranz was killed 24 March 1941 in a tr ...

, 26 August 1939 – 1 November 1940

18. Infanterie-Division (mot.)

* Generalleutnant Friedrich-Carl Cranz, 1 November 1940 – 24 March 1941 * General der Infanterie

Friedrich Herrlein __NOTOC__ Eckner's reception in Lübeck in 1925. Top row far right Friedrich Herrlein (27 April 1889 – 28 July 1974) was a German general ( General der Infanterie) in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the LV Corps. He was a reci ...

, 24 March – 15 December 1941 * General der Infanterie

Werner von Erdmannsdorff __NOTOC__ Werner von Erdmannsdorff (27 July 1891 – 5 June 1945) was a general in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. He was married to Helene ''née'' von Tschirsky und Bögendorff (18 ...

, 15 December 1941 – 23 June 1943

18. Panzergrenadier-Division

* General der Infanterie Werner von Erdmannsdorff, 23 June 1943 – 9 August 1943 * Generalleutnant Karl Zutavern, 9 August 1943 – 14 April 1944 * General der Artillerie

Curt Jahn General Kurt Jahn, aka Curt Jahn, (February 16, 1892 – November 7, 1966) was a German Army general and commander in Lombardy, Italy during World War II. Born in Schmalkalden, Germany, he was captured west of Milan on 1 May 1945 and interned in Br ...

, 14 April 1944 – 24 May 1944 * Generalleutnant Karl Zutavern, 24 May 1944 – 6 July 1944 * Generalleutnant Dr.

Hans Boelsen Hans Boelsen (6 March 1894 – 24 October 1960) 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. During his time in command of the 114th Jäger Division, the unit wa ...

, 6 July 1944 – 1 January 1945 * Generalmajor Josef Rauch, 1 January – 8 May 1945

References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:18th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht) 0*018 Military units and formations established in 1934 1934 establishments in Germany Military units and formations disestablished in 1945