The 267. Infanterie-Division was a military formation of the German Wehrmacht during World War II, officially established on August 26, 1939, in Hanover as part of the mobilization wave. Recognized for its distinctive horsehead emblem, the division initially deployed to the Westwall along the French border following its creation. During the Western Campaign of 1940, the 267. Infanterie-Division advanced through Belgium and participated in combat operations in France, subsequently undertaking coastal defense duties along the English Channel from July 1940 until May 1941. In June 1941, the formation transitioned to the Eastern Front to take part in Operation Barbarossa as part of Heeresgruppe Mitte, engaging in heavy fighting across the Soviet Union. Throughout its operational history, the division was led by several notable commanders, including General der Panzertruppe Ernst Feßmann, Generalleutnant Friedrich-Karl von Wachter, General der Artillerie Robert Martinek, Generalmajor Karl Fischer, Generalleutnant Friedrich Stephan, and Generalleutnant Otto Drescher, who commanded the unit until its destruction. Under the pressure of the Soviet summer offensive, known as Operation Bagration, the 267. Infanterie-Division was eventually encircled and effectively destroyed in July 1944. Following these catastrophic losses, the division was formally dissolved in August 1944, bringing an end to its active service history across both the Western and Eastern theaters of the Second World War.
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RITTERKREUZTRÄGER
General der Artillerie Robert Martinek (1889-1944) was born on 2 February 1889 in Gratzen, Bohemia, into the family of a brewmaster and entered the Austro-Hungarian Army in 1907 after training at the artillery cadet school in Vienna, receiving promotion to Leutnant in 1910, Oberleutnant in 1914, and Hauptmann in 1917 for distinguished service on the Russian and Italian fronts during the First World War. After the war he continued in the Austrian Bundesheer, rising to Oberst and serving as commandant of the artillery schools and later as Artillerie-Inspekteur before the Anschluss transferred him into the Wehrmacht. In November 1941, as Generalmajor and Kommandeur of the 267. Infanterie-Division, he earned the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 26 December 1941 for decisive actions near Hewelowo on 12–13 December: personally organizing a new defensive front under intense pressure, fighting alongside his troops, and blocking a Soviet breakthrough toward Rusa that threatened the southern flank and rear of the IX. Armee-Korps, thereby gaining critical time for a German counterattack that forced the enemy to pause operations for at least forty-eight hours. Promoted to Generalleutnant, he briefly led the 7. Gebirgs-Division and directed heavy artillery concentrations during the siege of Sevastopol as Höherer Artilleriekommandeur z.b.V. of the 11. Armee. On 1 December 1942 he assumed command of the XXXIX. Panzerkorps, becoming General der Artillerie on 1 January 1943 and receiving the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold on 21 March 1943. For his skillful conduct of prolonged defensive battles in the Newel–Orsha–Mogilev sector during the winter of 1943–44, in which his expert employment of artillery repeatedly frustrated superior Soviet forces, he was awarded the Eichenlaub to the Ritterkreuz on 10 February 1944 as the 388th recipient. Named in the Wehrmachtbericht for these successes, Martinek was killed on 28 June 1944 near the Beresina by a Soviet air attack while leading his corps during the opening phase of Operation Bagration.
Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/267th_Infantry_Division
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