The 246. Infanterie-Division was established on 26 August 1939 in Wehrkreis XII (Wiesbaden/Darmstadt) as part of the 3. Welle (third mobilization wave), drawing its core personnel largely from older reservists. Initially comprising Infanterie-Regiment 313, Infanterie-Regiment 352, Infanterie-Regiment 404, and Artillerie-Regiment 246, the formation spent the Phoney War and the opening phase of the Western Campaign securing frontier fortifications along the Westwall before conducting occupation and coastal defense duties in southwestern and western France. Following the severe German crisis in the East during the winter of 1941–1942, the division was transferred to Heeresgruppe Mitte, arriving in January 1942 to reinforce the hard-pressed sector around Rzhev, Bely, and Vyazma. Under commanders such as Generalleutnant Erich Denecke and Generalleutnant Maximilian Siry, the division engaged in brutal winter defensive battles, containment operations, and fierce attritional combat throughout the protracted Battles of Rzhev. In early 1943, following the German evacuation of the Rzhev Salient during Unternehmen Büffel, the division fell back to defensive lines around Smolensk and subsequently Vitebsk, reorganizing its infantry into Grenadier-Regiment 352 and Grenadier-Regiment 404 alongside Divisions-Füsilier-Bataillon 246. Subordinated to LIII. Armeekorps under 3. Panzerarmee, it held fortified sectors east of Vitebsk throughout late 1943 and early 1944 under Generalleutnant Wilhelm Falley and Generalmajor Claus Müller-Bülow. The division met its catastrophe during the Soviet summer offensive, Operation Bagration, in June 1944; encircled within the designated Festung Vitebsk, the division was shattered, its commander captured, and the bulk of its personnel killed or taken prisoner. Officially dissolved on 3 August 1944, its traditions were later inherited by 246. Volksgrenadier-Division formed in autumn 1944.
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RITTERKREUZTRÄGER
Generalleutnant Eugen König (1896-1985) was born on 19 September 1896 in Trier. He enlisted as a Kriegsfreiwilliger on 19 June 1915 in the Ersatz-Bataillon of Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 69 and later served with Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 189 on the Western Front, earning promotion to Leutnant der Reserve on 12 July 1917 and both classes of the Eisernes Kreuz. Leaving the army in 1920, he worked as a civil servant before rejoining as Oberleutnant der Reserve in 1936. At the outbreak of war he served as Regiments-Adjutant of Infanterie-Regiment 352, receiving the Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz 2. Klasse on 19 June 1940 and 1. Klasse on 9 September 1940. Promoted to Major on 1 September 1940, he commanded the II. Bataillon of Infanterie-Regiment 352 in the 246. Infanterie-Division. During the heavy fighting southwest of Rzhev in July 1942, Major König distinguished himself as Kommandeur of the II. Bataillon; his independent decision to attack and capture Hill 228.4, four kilometres northeast of Belyj, proved decisive in eliminating a Soviet pocket further south and enabled a link-up with the 1. Panzer-Division attacking from the north. For this leadership he received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 1 August 1942 and was promoted to Oberstleutnant. He later took command of Infanterie-Regiment 352 and was promoted to Oberst on 1 March 1943. On 1 April 1943 he became Kommandeur of Grenadier-Regiment 451 in the 251. Infanterie-Division. For the outstanding successes of his regiment during the autumn defensive battles of 1943 he was awarded the Eichenlaub to the Ritterkreuz on 4 November 1943 as the 318th recipient. He subsequently commanded Divisionsgruppe 251, attended a Divisionsführer-Lehrgang, and from June 1944 led the 91. Luftlande-Infanterie-Division. Promoted to Generalmajor on 1 September 1944 and Generalleutnant on 16 March 1945, he commanded the 272. Volksgrenadier-Division from December 1944 until his capture on 18 April 1945. He died on 8 April 1985 in Bitburg.
Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/246th_Volksgrenadier_Division
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