The 21st Infantry Division was a German military unit which fought during World War II.

History

The 21st Infantry Division (Germany) was formed in 1934 in Elbing,

East Prussia East Prussia was a Provinces of Prussia, province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1772 to 1829 and again from 1878 (with the Kingdom itself being part of the German Empire from 1871); following World War I it formed part of the Weimar Republic's ...

, by expanding the 3rd Prussian Infantry Regiment of the 1st Division of the old

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

. As this was a direct breach of the terms of the

Treaty of Versailles The Treaty of Versailles was a peace treaty signed on 28 June 1919. As the most important treaty of World War I, it ended the state of war between Germany and most of the Allies of World War I, Allied Powers. It was signed in the Palace ...

, its existence was initially concealed; it was formally designated as the 21st Infantry Division in October 1935. Its East Prussian origin informed the adoption of the divisional symbol, a figure holding a shield bearing the black cross of the

Teutonic Knights The Teutonic Order is a Catholic religious institution founded as a military society in Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem was formed to aid Christians on their pilgrimages to t ...

. Mobilised in the 1st wave in 1939, the division took part in the German

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 the following year's

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 978 German invasion during the Franco-German war of 978–980 * The 1230 English invasion of ...

. For the next four years, it fought on the Eastern Front, largely as part of

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 ...

, assigned to Eighteenth Army. After being involved in series of defensive battles and retreats to

Riga Riga ( ) is the capital, Primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Latvia, largest city of Latvia. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025), the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga Planni ...

as the Soviet army conquered their territory, late 1944 saw the 21st Infantry Division again in East Prussia, assigned to Third Panzer Army in the area of

Tilsit Sovetsk (; ) is a town in Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, located on the south bank of the Neman River which forms the border with Lithuania. History Early history Tilsit, which received civic rights from Albert, Duke of Prussia in 1552,''Sło ...

before being reallocated to Fourth Army and deployed in the area of

Insterburg Chernyakhovsk (; German language, German: Insterburg) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, town in Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, and the administrative center of Chernyakhovsky District. Located at the confluence of the Instruch and Angrap ...

, facing the Soviet East Prussian Offensive. Along with the bulk of Fourth Army it was encircled and largely destroyed in the

Heiligenbeil pocket The Heiligenbeil Pocket or Heiligenbeil Cauldron () was the site of a major encirclement battle on the Eastern Front during the closing weeks of World War II, in which the Wehrmacht's 4th Army was almost entirely destroyed during the Soviet B ...

in the closing weeks of the war. Remnants of the division's forces were transported over the

Frisches Haff The Vistula Lagoon is a brackish water lagoon on the Baltic Sea roughly 56 miles (90 km) long, 6 to 15 miles (10 to 19 km) wide, and up to 17 feet (5 m) deep, separated from the Gdańsk Bay by the Vistula Spit. Geography The lag ...

Pillau Baltiysk ( ); ; Old Prussian: ''Pillawa''; ; ; is a seaport town and the administrative center of Baltiysky District in Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, located on the northern part of the Vistula Spit, on the shore of the Strait of Baltiysk separ ...

and Samland, where the unit was eventually dispersed in battle with Soviet troops, while some elements escaped along the

Frische Nehrung The Vistula Spit (; ; ; ) is an aeolian sand spit, or peninsular stretch of land, separating Vistula Lagoon from Gdańsk Bay, in the Baltic Sea, with its tip separated from the mainland by the Strait of Baltiysk. The border between Poland (Pomera ...

Hela HeLa () is an immortalized cell line used in scientific research. It is the oldest human cell line and one of the most commonly used. HeLa cells are durable and prolific, allowing for extensive applications in scientific study. The line is ...

and eventually by sea to

Schleswig-Holstein Schleswig-Holstein (; ; ; ; ; occasionally in English ''Sleswick-Holsatia'') is the Northern Germany, northernmost of the 16 states of Germany, comprising most of the historical Duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of S ...

Commanding officers

*Generalleutnant

Albert Wodrig __NOTOC__ Albert Wodrig (16 July 1883 – 31 October 1972) was a German general during World War II who commanded the XXVI Army Corps, which was initially briefly his namesake ("Corps Wodrig"). He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iro ...

, 1 October 1934 – 10 November 1938 *Generalleutnant

Kuno-Hans von Both __NOTOC__ Kuno-Hans von Both (9 April 1884 – 22 May 1955) was a German general during World War II. He was a recipient of both the Pour le Mérite of the German Empire and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. He was also award ...

, 10 November 1938 – 20 October 1939 *Generalleutnant

Otto Sponheimer __NOTOC__ Otto Sponheimer (19 December 1886 – 14 March 1961) was a German general (General of the Infantry) in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded several corps. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of N ...

, 1 November 1939 – April 1942 *Generalleutnant

Wilhelm Bohnstedt Wilhelm Bohnstedt (5 October 1888 – 11 August 1947) was a German general in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the 32nd Infantry Division. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. Bohnstedt surr ...

, April 1942 *Generalleutnant Otto Sponheimer, April 1942 – 10 January 1943 *Generalleutnant

Gerhard Matzky __NOTOC__ Gerhard Matzky (19 March 1894 – 9 June 1983) 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. Matzky joined the Bundeswehr in 1956 and s ...

, 10 January 1943 – 1 October 1943 *Oberst

Hubertus Lamey __NOTOC__ Hubertus Lamey (30 October 1896 – 7 April 1981) was a German general in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. Awards and decorations * German Cross in Gold on ...

, 1 October 1943 – 1 December 1943 *Generalleutnant Gerhard Matzky, 1 December 1943 – 1 March 1944 *Generalmajor

Franz Sensfuß __NOTOC__ Franz Heinrich Otto Sensfuß (21 June 1891 – 11 March 1976) was a German general during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on Nazi Germany. Awards and decorations * Iron Cross (1914) 2nd Class (18 ...

, 1–28 March 1944 *Generalleutnant

Hermann Foertsch Hermann Foertsch (4 April 1895 – 27 December 1961) was a German general during World War II who held commands at the divisional, corps and army levels. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. Foertsch was t ...

, 28 March – 22 August 1944 *Generalmajor

Heinrich Götz __NOTOC__ Heinrich Götz (1 January 1896 – 31 January 1960) 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 ...

, 22 August 1944 – 25 September 1944 *Oberst Hengersdorff, 25 September 1944 – October 1944 *Oberst Eberhard Scharenberg, October 1944 – 12 December 1944 *Oberst Friedrich Beyse, 12 December 1944 – 14 January 1945 *Generalmajor Heinrich Götz, 14 January 1945 – 1 April 1945 *Generalmajor

Karl Koetz __NOTOC__ Karl Koetz (8 February 1908 – 11 June 1977) 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 with Oak Leaves.Fellgiebel 2003, p. 219. Awards and decorat ...

, 1 April 1945 – 8 May 1945

Organisation

*3. Infanterie-Regiment *24. Infanterie-Regiment *45. Infanterie-Regiment *21. Artillerie-Regiment *57. I./Artillerie-Regiment *21. Aufklärungs-Abteilung *21. Panzerjäger-Abteilung *21. Pionier-Battalion *21. Nachrichten-Abteilung *1. Inf.Div.Nachschubführer

References

*
21. Infanterie-Division - Lexikon der Wehrmacht
. German language article at www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de. Retrieved July 3, 2007. *
189.Infanterie-Division
. Article at feldgrau.com. Retrieved July 3, 2007. * * {{DEFAULTSORT:21st Infantry Division (Wehrmacht) Military units and formations established in 1934 1934 establishments in Germany 0*021 Military units and formations disestablished in 1945