The 263rd Infantry Division () was an

infantry division A division is a large military unit or Formation (military), formation, usually consisting of between 10,000 and 25,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades; in turn, several divisions typically mak ...

of the German Heer during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Operational history

The 263rd Infantry division was formed on 26 August 1939 with reserve unit personnel in Wehrkreis XII at

Idar Oberstein Idar-Oberstein () is a town in the Birkenfeld district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. As a ''Große kreisangehörige Stadt'' (large city belonging to a district), it assumes some of the responsibilities that for smaller municipalities in ...

as part of the 4. Welle (4th wave of mobilization). It participated in operations on the Western Front in May 1940, advancing from the Eifel through Belgium with the 4th Army. Then it fought in France in June 1940 first under the 6th Army and later under the 7th Army with which it advanced towards Bordeaux, where it remained until April 1941, before being moved in Poland. In June 1941, it participated in

Operation Barbarossa Operation Barbarossa was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and several of its European Axis allies starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during World War II. More than 3.8 million Axis troops invaded the western Soviet Union along ...

in the 4th Army under

Army Group Centre Army Group Centre () 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 during the planning of Operation Barbarossa, Germany's invasion of the So ...

and advanced to the gates of Moscow. Throughout 1942, it fought defensive battles in the

Yukhnov Yukhnov () is a town and the administrative center of Yukhnovsky District in Kaluga Oblast, Russia, located on the Kunava River ( Oka's basin) northwest of Kaluga, the administrative center of the oblast. Population: History It has been known ...

Spas-Demensk Spas-Demensk (А. М. Прохоров. "Большой энциклопедический словарь". Москва, 1997, p. 1135.) is a town and the administrative center of Spas-Demensky District in Kaluga Oblast, Russia, located on ...

and

Velizh Velizh () is a town and the administrative center of Velizhsky District in Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the bank of the Western Dvina, from Smolensk, the administrative center of the oblast. Population: History In the late 14th cen ...

areas until August 1943, when the division was transferred to

Army Group North Army Group North () was the name of three separate army groups of the Wehrmacht during World War II. Its rear area operations were organized by the Army Group North Rear Area. The first Army Group North was deployed during the invasion of Pol ...

in the sector around Nevel under the 16th Army. The division suffered serious casualties in the Battle of Nevel in Autumn 1943. It retreated from Leningrad and throughout the Baltics to be cut off in the

Courland Pocket The Courland Pocket was a Pocket (military), pocket located on the Courland Peninsula in Latvia on the Eastern Front (World War II), Eastern Front of World War II from 9 October 1944 to 10 May 1945. Army Group North of the ''Wehrmacht'' were ...

, resisting attacks by the Red Army. It remained there for the rest of the war and surrendered to the Soviets on 9 May 1945.

Commanders

* Generalleutnant Franz Karl (August 1939 - October 1940) * Generalleutnant

Ernst Haeckel Ernst Heinrich Philipp August Haeckel (; ; 16 February 1834 – 9 August 1919) was a German zoologist, natural history, naturalist, eugenics, eugenicist, Philosophy, philosopher, physician, professor, marine biology, marine biologist and artist ...

(October 1940 - March 1942) * Generalleutnant

Hans Traut Hans Traut (25 January 1895 – 9 December 1974) 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. Traut surrendered to the Red Army troops in the course of the ...

(June 1942 - April 1943) * Generalleutnant

Werner Richter __NOTOC__ Werner Richter (21 October 1893 – 3 June 1944) was a German general during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Werner Richter was wounded on 21 May 1944 and died in Riga on 3 June 1944. Awards ...

(April 1943 - May 1944) * Generalmajor Rudolf Sieckenius (May 1944 - September 1944) * Generalleutnant Alfred Hemmann (September 1944 - May 1945)

Sources

263. Infanterie-Division on Lexikon-der-wehrmacht
{Numbered infantry divisions of the Wehrmacht Infantry divisions of Germany during World War II Military units and formations established in 1939 Military units and formations disestablished in 1945