The 251. Infanterie-Division was a combat formation of the German Heer that saw extensive action across the European battlefields of World War II. Mobilized on 26 August 1939 in Wehrkreis IX as part of the 4. Welle, the division initially comprised Infanterie-Regiment 451, Infanterie-Regiment 459, Infanterie-Regiment 471, Artillerie-Regiment 251, and support units under Generalleutnant Hans Kratzert. Stationed along the Western Wall during the Phoney War, it took part in Fall Gelb and Fall Rot in May and June 1940, advancing through Belgium and northern France toward Brittany before undertaking occupation duties. In June 1941, under Generalleutnant Karl Sachs, the division participated in Unternehmen Barbarossa, attached to Heeresgruppe Nord and advancing through Lithuania toward Daugavpils. Transferred to Heeresgruppe Mitte, it fought in Unternehmen Taifun toward Kalinin and Moscow. Throughout 1942 and early 1943, under Generalleutnant Karl Burdach, the division endured brutal attrition in the Rzhev salient, repelling Soviet winter offensives before executing the planned withdrawal in Unternehmen Büffel. Following fierce combat in the Orel salient during Unternehmen Zitadelle and subsequent defensive withdrawals toward the Dnieper and Gomel under Generalleutnant Maximilian Felzmann and Oberst Eugen König, the exhausted division suffered catastrophic losses and was disbanded on 15 November 1943. Its remnants formed Divisionsgruppe 251 within Korps-Abteilung E. On 27 September 1944, the 251. Infanterie-Division was reformed in Poland under Generalmajor Werner Heucke, absorbing Korps-Abteilung E with Grenadier-Regiment 184, Grenadier-Regiment 448, and Grenadier-Regiment 451. Deployed to the Vistula front, it was shattered by the Soviet Vistula-Oder offensive in January 1945 at the Warka bridgehead. Its encircled survivors retreated into West Prussia, where the division was destroyed near Danzig and officially dissolved in March 1945, its cadre merged into Infanterie-Division Friedrich Ludwig Jahn.
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EICHENLAUBTRÄGER
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/251st_Infantry_Division
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