The 161. Infanterie-Division was formed on 1 December 1939 as a unit of the 7. Aufstellungswelle on the Truppenübungsplatz Arys in Wehrkreis I (East Prussia) from replacement battalions and initially consisted of the Infanterie-Regiment 336, Infanterie-Regiment 364, Infanterie-Regiment 371, Artillerie-Regiment 241 and supporting elements including the Pionier-Bataillon 241 and Panzerjäger-Abteilung 241. After training it took part in the Western Campaign of 1940, advancing through Luxembourg and into France as part of the 16. Armee before returning to East Prussia for border security duties. In June 1941 the division joined Heeresgruppe Mitte for Operation Barbarossa, fighting under the 9. Armee in the battles of Białystok–Minsk, Smolensk and Wjasma, then enduring heavy losses during the winter fighting around Klin north of Moscow before withdrawing into the Rzhev salient. From late 1941 through much of 1942 it conducted costly defensive operations in the Rzhev sector, suffering more than 7,000 casualties by the end of 1941 alone, and in autumn 1942 was withdrawn to the Channel coast in France for rest and refitting under the 15. Armee. In spring 1943 the division returned to the Eastern Front in the southern sector, participating in the Battle of Kursk under the XXXXII. Armeekorps of Armee-Abteilung Kempf and subsequent defensive fighting around Charkow and the Dnjepr bend. By late 1943 its remnants, together with those of the 293. Infanterie-Division and 355. Infanterie-Division, were combined into Korps-Abteilung A. Reformed on 27 July 1944 by redesignation of Korps-Abteilung A as the 161. Infanterie-Division under Generalleutnant Paul Drekmann, it was deployed with the 6. Armee of Heeresgruppe Südukraine along the Dnjestr in Bessarabia. During the Soviet Jassy–Kishinev Offensive beginning 20 August 1944 the division was encircled and almost completely destroyed by early September; its few survivors were absorbed into other formations such as the 15. Infanterie-Division and 76. Infanterie-Division, and the unit was formally disbanded on 9 October 1944.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RITTERKREUZTRÄGER
Generalleutnant Georg-Wilhelm Postel (1896-1953) was born on 25 April 1896 in Zittau and entered military service in 1914 as a Fahnenjunker in the Infanterie-Regiment „Graf Schwerin“ (3. Pommersches) Nr. 14 before transfer to the Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 134, where he was commissioned Leutnant and fought through the First World War, earning both classes of the Iron Cross. After the war he continued in the Reichswehr with successive promotions to Oberleutnant, Hauptmann, Major and Oberstleutnant, serving in various infantry regiments and as an instructor at the Kriegsschule München. At the outbreak of the Second World War he commanded battalions in the Infanterie-Regiment 109 and Infanterie-Regiment 433 before taking over the Infanterie-Regiment 364 of the 161. Infanterie-Division in July 1940. As Oberst and commander of this regiment he distinguished himself in the defensive battles around Rzhev; on 4 February 1942 he assumed command of all German units near a Soviet penetration south of Wosszino and the following day led a successful counter-attack that sealed the gap in the front, actions for which he received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 9 August 1942. After a period in the Führerreserve he took command of the 320. Infanterie-Division in late 1942, was promoted Generalmajor on 1 January 1943, and led the division through the bitter fighting between the Don and Donez rivers in January–February 1943, conducting a nine-day breakout that destroyed several Soviet battlegroups and later participating in successful counter-attacks toward Charkow; these achievements earned him the Eichenlaub on 28 March 1943. Promoted Generalleutnant on 1 September 1943, he continued to command the 320. Infanterie-Division through the summer battles near Belgorod, the autumn fighting around Charkow and the winter defensive operations of 1943–44 near Krementschug and south of Tscherkassy, for which outstanding leadership he was awarded the Schwerter on 26 March 1944. In July 1944 he assumed command of the XXX. Armeekorps in Bessarabia; after the Romanian capitulation and the Soviet offensive of August 1944 he was taken prisoner by the Red Army on 30 August 1944, later sentenced to twenty-five years of forced labour, and died of tuberculosis on 20 September 1953 in the prisoner-of-war camp at Schachty.
Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/161st_Infantry_Division_(Wehrmacht)
No comments:
Post a Comment