The 82nd Infantry Division (German: ''82. Infanteriedivision'') was a

German Army The German Army (, 'army') is the land component of the armed forces of Federal Republic of Germany, Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German together with the German Navy, ''Marine'' (G ...

infantry division in

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 ...

. The 82nd was part of the sixth '' Aufstellungswelle'' of German infantry divisions.

Operational history

The 82nd Infantry Division was raised in December 1939 and was first deployed into action the following May during the invasion of France and the low countries. Returning to Germany in December 1940, they were redeployed into the Netherlands the following month. In May, the division was separated - elements of the 82nd were to remain as an occupational force in the Netherlands, while the rest were to invade the Soviet Union. In June 1941, in preparation for the then-upcoming invasion, ''Major General'' Josef Lehmann was promoted to ''Lieutenant General''. In December 1942, the occupational elements would move to the Eastern front. In mid-January 1943, the Red Army launched a counteroffensive targeted on the city of Voronezh. During the Battle of Voronezh, ''Lieutenant General'' Alfred Bäntsch was killed; he was replaced by ''Lieutenant General'' Karl Faulenbach. In July 1943, the division took part in the Battle of Kursk as a component of ''General of the Infantry'' Erich Straube's XIII Corps, which in itself was a portion of the 2nd Army. In December, ''Major General'' Hans-Walter Heyne was promoted to ''Lieutenant General''. In early 1944, the division was encircled by Soviet Armed Forces near

Kiev Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...

during the Battle of the Korsun-Cherkassy Pocket. Although it managed to escape from the Soviets, it sustained such heavy casualties that it was reduced to being a designated "Division Group", absorbed by the 254th Infantry Division.

Components

*158th Infantry Regiment *166th Infantry Regiment *168th Infantry Regiment *182nd Artillery Regiment *182nd Bicycle Squadron *182nd Tank Destroyer Battalion *182nd Engineer Battalion *182nd Signals Battalion *182nd Divisional Supply Troops

Commanders

;note: All Generals are listed with the rank they had when assigned to divisional command. *''Major General'' Josef Lehmann (1 December 1939 – 1 April 1942) *''Major General'' Friedrich Hoßbach (1 April – 6 July 1942) *''Lieutenant General'' Alfred Bäntsch (6 July 1942 – 31 January 1943) *''Lieutenant General'' Karl Faulenbach (31 January – 15 Mar 1943) *''Major General'' Hans-Walter Heyne (15 March – April 1943) *''Colonel'' Friedrich-August Weinknecht (April – May 1943) *''Lieutenant General'' Hans-Walter Heyne (May 1943 – 10 May 1944)

Sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:82nd Infantry Division (Wehrmacht) Military units and formations established in 1939 Military units and formations disestablished in 1944 0*082 1939 establishments in Germany