The 106. Infanterie-Division was established on 22 November 1940 as part of the 13. Aufstellungswelle in Wahn, utilizing personnel from various replacement units across military districts. Under the leadership of high-ranking commanders such as General der Infanterie Ernst Dehner, Generalleutnant Alfons Hitter, Generalleutnant Arthur Kullmer, Generalleutnant Werner Forst, and Generalleutnant Siegfried von Rekowski, the unit was deployed to the Eastern Front. Throughout its active service, the division engaged in intense combat operations across the southern sector of the Soviet Union, participating in major defensive and counter-offensive engagements against the Red Army. As the war progressed and German forces faced mounting pressure, the division suffered severe attrition during relentless Soviet operations. By late August 1944, the 106. Infanterie-Division was effectively destroyed during the devastating Soviet Jassy-Kishinev Offensive. Despite facing overwhelming hostile forces, remnants and subsequent reorganizations attempted to maintain its operational integrity until the division was officially dissolved on 8 April 1945. Throughout its history, officers and soldiers within the division received numerous military decorations, reflecting the heavy combat actions encountered by its infantry regiments and supporting arms across multiple theaters of operation.
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EICHENLAUBTRÄGER
Generalleutnant Werner Forst (1892-1971) was born on 21 December 1892 in Magdeburg and died on 3 February 1971 in Wiesbaden. He entered military service as a Fähnrich in early April 1911 with the 1. Elsässisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 15 in Saarburg, where he was promoted to Leutnant on 18 August 1912. During the First World War he served as battery officer, adjutant, and battery commander, receiving both classes of the Eisernes Kreuz, the Ritterkreuz des Königlich Preußischen Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern, and the Verwundetenabzeichen in Silber; he was advanced to Oberleutnant on 28 November 1917. After the war he was retained in the Reichswehr, serving with Artillerie-Regiment 6 and later rising through successive artillery commands, including the Reitende Artillerie-Abteilung Sagan and Artillerie-Regiment 76, of which he became Kommandeur in October 1936. Promoted to Oberstleutnant on 1 January 1937 and to Oberst on 1 August 1939, he led Artillerie-Regiment 76 through the Polish and Western campaigns, earning the Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz II. und I. Klasse. In early 1941 he became Artillerie-Kommandeur 146, then assumed temporary and later permanent command of the 293. Infanterie-Division on the Eastern Front near Mzensk; he was promoted to Generalmajor on 1 February 1942 (with rank seniority from 1 April) and received the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold on 14 March 1942. Advanced to Generalleutnant on 1 January 1943, he took command of the 106. Infanterie-Division a few days later. At the end of July 1943, during a heavy Soviet attack along the Donez river, Forst personally appeared in the foremost line among his hard-pressed Grenadiere, rallied hastily assembled troops, led a counterthrust that threw the enemy back, and established a new defensive line that defeated all subsequent breakthrough attempts, for which he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 29 August 1943 as Kommandeur of the 106. Infanterie-Division within XI. Armee-Korps of 8. Armee under Heeresgruppe Süd. On 6 November 1943 the Wehrmachtsbericht named him for the outstanding defensive successes of the rheinisch-westfälische 106. Infanterie-Division southeast of Krementschug. Further actions that secured the Eichenlaub included holding a Dnieper crossing site for a week against overwhelming forces at the end of September 1943 to enable the orderly withdrawal of friendly formations, repeatedly leading personal counterthrusts in October that prevented the expansion of a Soviet bridgehead on the west bank southeast of Krementschug, and, after conducting reconnaissance under heavy fire northeast of Kirovograd in mid-December, energetically directing his regiments to recapture two strongly defended villages, nearly closing a dangerous gap in the German front. These achievements earned him the Eichenlaub (407th award) on 22 February 1944 while still commanding the 106. Infanterie-Division within XXXXVII. Panzer-Korps of 8. Armee under Heeresgruppe Süd. From 1 June 1944 until the end of the war he served as Inspekteur der Artillerie beim Befehlshaber des Ersatzheeres; he was taken prisoner at the capitulation and released in June 1947.
Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/106th_Infantry_Division_(Wehrmacht)
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