The 203rd Security Division, was a
rear-security division in the
Wehrmacht of
Nazi Germany. The unit was deployed in German-occupied areas of the
Soviet Union, in the
Army Group Centre Rear Area and was responsible for large-scale war crimes and atrocities.
Operational history
The division was formed in June 1942 on the basis of the 203rd Security Brigade that was itself formed in December 1941. It operated in the
Army Group Centre Rear Area, of the occupied regions of the
Soviet Union behind
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 fo ...
's front lines. Its duties included security of
communications and
supply lines
Military supply-chain management is a cross-functional approach to procuring, producing and delivering products and services for military materiel applications. Military supply chain management includes sub-suppliers, suppliers, internal inf ...
, economic exploitation and combatting irregular fighters (
partisans) in Wehrmacht's rear areas.
The so-called anti-partisan operations in "bandit-infested" areas amounted to destruction of villages, plunder and enslavement of civilian population. In July 1942, the division took part in '"Operation Peter". The unit received specific instructions regarding the villages deemed "bandit-friendly" (those failing to meet agricultural quotas). The division was to appropriate livestock, deport the population for slave labour to Germany and burn the villages down.
The unit suffered heavy losses during the Soviet
Red Army summer offensive
Operation Bagration in 1944. In October 1944 it was designated the 203rd Infantry Division, and continued to fight on the Eastern Front until Germany's surrender.
Commanders
* Generalleutnant
Rudolf Pilz (January 1943 – 19 August 1944)
* Generalleutnant
Max Horn
Max or MAX may refer to:
Animals
* Max (dog) (1983–2013), at one time purported to be the world's oldest living dog
* Max (English Springer Spaniel), the first pet dog to win the PDSA Order of Merit (animal equivalent of OBE)
* Max (gorilla) ...
(19 August 1944 – 18 November 1944)
* Generalleutnant
Wilhelm Thomas __NOTOC__
Wilhelm Thomas (8 October 1892 – 24 August 1976) was a general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II who commanded several divisions. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
Awards and decoration ...
(18 November 1944 – 26 December 1944)
* Generalmajor
Fritz Gädicke
Fritz originated as a German nickname for Friedrich, or Frederick (''Der Alte Fritz'', and ''Stary Fryc'' were common nicknames for King Frederick II of Prussia and Frederick III, German Emperor) as well as for similar names including Fridolin ...
(26 December 1944 – April 1945)
See also
*
War crimes of the Wehrmacht
References
Citations
Bibliography
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Further reading
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{{DEFAULTSORT:203rd Security Division (Wehrmacht)
Military units and formations established in 1941
Security units of Nazi Germany established in 1941
1942 establishments in Germany
Military units and formations disestablished in 1945
Security divisions of Germany during World War II
War crimes of the Wehrmacht