The 30. Infanterie-Division, often known as the Briesen-Division after its long-serving commander Kurt von Briesen who lost an arm leading it in Poland, was a standard German infantry formation of the Wehrmacht raised on 1 October 1936 in Lübeck within Wehrkreis X and mobilized on 26 August 1939 for the invasion of Poland. Comprising Infanterie-Regimenter 6, 26 and 46 (each with three battalions), Artillerie-Regiment 30, Panzerjäger-Abteilung 30, Aufklärungs-Abteilung 30, Pionier-Bataillon 30 and supporting divisional troops, it advanced with Army Group South's X. Armeekorps, fighting around Kalisz, crossing the Warta and Vistula, and suffering heavy losses in the Battle of Bzura where it helped contain Polish breakout attempts before pursuing remnants north of Łowicz. Transferred west, it participated in the 1940 campaign in Belgium, the Netherlands and France, marching triumphantly through Paris on 16 June 1940 in a victory parade, then occupying Normandy until mid-1941. In June 1941 it joined Operation Barbarossa with Heeresgruppe Nord, crossing the Memel, advancing through Opotschka and Dno, and pushing toward the Valdai Hills and Staraya Russa, where it became heavily engaged in positional fighting north of Demyansk. In the winter of 1941-42 the division was encircled in the Demyansk Pocket alongside other units of II. Armeekorps, enduring months of desperate defensive combat and supply by air until the pocket was evacuated in March 1943; it then defended the Staraya Russa sector before withdrawing in early 1944 under Soviet pressure to the Panther Line east of Ostrov and Pskov. Subsequent fighting saw it conduct rearguard actions through the Baltic states, retreating via Riga into the Courland Pocket, where it took part in the six major battles around Vainode, Prekuln and Libau until finally surrendering to Soviet forces in the Courland peninsula on 8 May 1945. Under a succession of commanders including Carl-Heinrich von Stülpnagel, Kurt von Tippelskirch, Thomas-Emil von Wickede, Wilhelm Hasse and Albert Henze, the 30. Infanterie-Division exemplified the tenacious yet attritional service of Wehrmacht infantry divisions on the Eastern Front, transitioning from mobile offensives in 1939-41 to prolonged defensive struggles and eventual entrapment in the final pockets of the war.
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EICHENLAUBTRÄGER
Oberst im Generalstab Heinrich Borgmann (1912-1945) was a German Army officer who rose through the ranks of the Wehrmacht during World War II, ultimately serving as an adjutant to Adolf Hitler and commander of the Volksgrenadier-Division "Scharnhorst" before his death at age 32. Born in Angermünde, Borgmann joined the 5. (Preußische) Infanterie-Regiment of the Reichswehr in 1932, later transferring to Infanterie-Regiment 46 where he became Chef der 9. Kompanie as an Oberleutnant by the outbreak of war. He participated in the invasion of Poland in 1939 and the subsequent Westfeldzug in France, distinguishing himself particularly during the fighting along the Lys Canal on 26 and 27 May 1940. There, leading elements of his battalion, he executed a bold assault that punched through a much larger enemy force, collapsing Belgian positions in front of the entire IX. Armeekorps, enabling a rapid breakthrough for the 30. Infanterie-Division and contributing to the broader collapse of Belgian resistance; for this decisive action, he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 19 July 1940. Transferred to the Eastern Front with Heeresgruppe Nord, Borgmann commanded the Radfahr-Abteilung 30 and then the III. Bataillon of Infanterie-Regiment 46, later leading the ad-hoc Kampfgruppe Borgmann. On 21 January 1942, despite being encircled, his unit held key villages such as Bol. and Mal. Kalinez, preventing the encirclement of the 290. Infanterie-Division and facilitating a breakout after Borgmann himself was severely wounded on 7 February; these selfless actions earned him the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz on 11 February 1942 as a Hauptmann. Following recovery and Generalstab training, he served in various staff roles as Ib and Ia, rising to Major and then Oberstleutnant while becoming the Heeres adjutant at Hitler's headquarters in October 1943. On 20 July 1944, standing near the briefcase bomb during the assassination attempt at the Wolfsschanze, Borgmann survived with serious injuries while others nearby were killed. Promoted to Oberst after recuperation, he was appointed commander of the newly formed Volksgrenadier-Division "Scharnhorst" on 2 April 1945 but was mortally wounded in a low-level Allied air attack on his staff car en route, dying in a hospital in Magdeburg days later.
Oberstleutnant im Generalstab Ekkehard Kylling-Schmidt (1918-2000) was born on 21 June 1918 in Flensburg, Schleswig, and joined the Heer on 10 October 1938 with Infanterie-Regiment 52, later serving with Infanterie-Regiment 26 of the 30. Infanterie-Division through the Polish and French campaigns before the invasion of the Soviet Union. Promoted to Leutnant on 25 June 1940 and Oberleutnant on 1 November 1941, he received the Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse on 9 November 1940 and I. Klasse on 22 July 1941. As Führer of the 3. Kompanie, I. Bataillon, Infanterie-Regiment 26, he earned the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 20 October 1941 for actions including forcing the Soviets from strong positions near Kudka on 12 July 1941, relieving a reconnaissance unit east of Rwy while personally destroying a tank on 25 July, storming positions west of Gosstjosh on 30 July, enabling seizure of a bridgehead near Lowatj on 12 August, and capturing heavy guns near Iwanowka on 22 August. Later as Chef of the 4. Kompanie, I. Bataillon, Füsilier-Regiment 26, he received the 150th Eichenlaub on 4 December 1942 for closing a gap between III./Grenadier-Regiment 27 and Grenadier-Regiment 6 near Lushno on 27 September 1941 while destroying two tanks in close combat, recapturing the main line west of Aleshenka and capturing forty positions on 2 October before defending Ssloboda against sixteen tanks until wounded, and conducting a lone reconnaissance near Lytschkowo in September 1942 that enabled elimination of a penetration. He also received three Panzervernichtungsabzeichen in Silber, the Demjanskschild, and Nahkampfspange in Bronze, became Kommandeur of I. Bataillon, Fusilier-Regiment 26 in January 1943, was severely wounded near Staraya Russa in October 1943, attended the Kriegsakademie in 1944, served in staff roles, and was promoted to Hauptmann and later Oberstleutnant i.G. before capture in May 1945 and release in August; he died in Koblenz on 28 August 2000.
Generalmajor Georg Koßmala (1896-1945) was born on 22 October 1896 in Myslowitz, Upper Silesia, and entered military service as a Kriegsfreiwilliger in the 4. Oberschlesisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 63 of the Preußische Armee shortly after the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, rising to Leutnant der Reserve by 1917 and earning both classes of the Eisernes Kreuz; after the war he transferred to the police service in 1920, serving in various capacities including in Hamburg and as an instructor before being taken over into the Wehrmacht as Hauptmann on 1 October 1935 with a patent from 1 February 1931, subsequently promoted to Major on 1 January 1936, Oberstleutnant on 1 February 1939 while commanding the III. Bataillon of Infanterie-Regiment 38 of the 8. Infanterie-Division with which he participated in the Polish campaign, and Oberst on 1 January 1942. From March 1941 he commanded Sicherungs-Regiment 3 under the 285. Sicherungs-Division, and it was for his outstanding defensive leadership in the Demjansk pocket that he received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 13 March 1942: beginning on 16 January 1942 he occupied and held the Molwotizy position against repeated Soviet assaults, assumed command of all German formations in the Molwotizy hedgehog on 23 February 1942, and maintained the position with bitter determination until ordered by the Korps to withdraw on 8 March 1942. On 5 July 1942 he took command of Infanterie-Regiment 6 (later Grenadier-Regiment 6) of the 30. Infanterie-Division, fighting in the Demjansk area and before Leningrad, and for his regiment’s distinguished performance in early 1944 he was awarded the Eichenlaub (435th award) to the Ritterkreuz on 26 March 1944 as Oberst: on 23 January 1944 he took over the German Schimsk bridgehead west of Lake Ilmen, where numerous Soviet tanks were destroyed on 17 February; two days later his men began the withdrawal to the Panther Line between Ostrov and Pskov, and from 29 February Grenadier-Regiment 6 distinguished itself in the heavy fighting within the forward German salient between Krasnaja Gorka and Nemojewo, success largely attributable to his personal bravery and leadership. He later led the 32. Infanterie-Division from mid-August 1944, commanded the newly forming 272. Volksgrenadier-Division from mid-September to mid-December 1944, and assumed leadership of the 344. Infanterie-Division in mid-December 1944, being promoted to Generalmajor on 1 January 1945 and confirmed as its Kommandeur; additional awards included the Spange to the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse on 6 October 1939 and 1. Klasse on 22 August 1941, the Verwundetenabzeichen in Silber, and mention in the Wehrmachtbericht on 25 August 1944. Georg Koßmala, last rank Generalmajor and Kommandeur of the 344. Infanterie-Division, was reported missing and later declared dead on 18 March 1945 near Oberglogau in Upper Silesia.
Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30th_Infantry_Division_(Wehrmacht)
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/Infanteriedivisionen/30ID.htm
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