The 87. Infanterie-Division was established on 26 August 1939 in Altenburg within Wehrkreis IV as part of the second mobilization wave, initially led by Generalleutnant Bogislav von Studnitz. Comprising Infanterie-Regiment 185, 187, and 188 alongside Artillerie-Regiment 187, the formation served border security duties before actively engaging in the Western Campaign in May 1940. Assigned to the invasion of Belgium and northern France, the formation earned historical distinction on 14 June 1940 when its vanguard became the first German division to enter Paris after it was declared an open city. Following occupation duties along the coast, the division was transferred to the east to participate in Operation Barbarossa in June 1941 under Heeresgruppe Mitte. Advancing through Belorussia, the division fought intensely in the battles of Bialystok-Minsk, Smolensk, and the Vyazma pocket, pushing directly toward Moscow where it suffered grueling casualties in the harsh winter counteroffensives. Throughout 1942 and 1943, under leadership that included General der Artillerie Walther Lucht, Generalleutnant Werner Richter, and General der Artillerie Walter Hartmann, the division was heavily committed to attritional defensive battles around Rzhev, Vyazma, and Nevel, with its regiments reorganized as Grenadier-Regimenter. As documented by historical archives and award records on TracesOfWar, its soldiers earned numerous decorations such as the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes during fierce local counterattacks. By late 1943 and 1944, under Generalleutnant Mauritz Freiherr von Strachwitz and later Generalmajor Helmuth Walter, the exhausted division retreated northward into the Baltic states under Heeresgruppe Nord, fighting in Vitebsk and Latvia. Cut off by massive Soviet offensives in the autumn of 1944, the division became trapped inside the Courland Pocket, where it endured multiple defensive battles until its final surrender to the Red Army in May 1945.
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EICHENLAUBTRÄGER
General der Artillerie Walter Hartmann (1891-1977) was born on 23 July 1891 in Mülheim an der Ruhr and entered the Saxon Army on 1 October 1910 as Fahnenjunker in the 1. Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 12. Promoted to Leutnant in 1912 and Oberleutnant in 1916, he served on the Eastern Front in the First World War, earning both classes of the Eisernes Kreuz and other decorations before being taken into the Reichswehr as Hauptmann in 1921. Rising through the ranks as Major in 1932, Oberstleutnant in 1936 and Oberst in 1938, he commanded Artillerie-Regiment 24 in the Polish and Western campaigns. Appointed Artilleriekommandeur 140 in November 1940, he took part in the invasion of the Soviet Union. On 15 July 1941, while directing artillery fire from the foremost line under intense enemy fire to support the breakthrough of the 100. (leichte) Infanterie-Division through the Stalin Line at Koserowka, he was severely wounded and lost his left arm and left leg. For this decisive action he received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 10 August 1941 as Oberst and Artilleriekommandeur 140, followed by promotion to Generalmajor on 1 October 1941. After a long recovery he returned to duty at his own request, commanding Division z.b.V. 407 and later the 390. Feldausbildungs-Division, and was promoted to Generalleutnant on 1 February 1943. From April 1943 he led the 87. Infanterie-Division in the Welish sector. Despite his double amputation he personally directed counterattacks to seal Soviet penetrations in September 1943, for which he was awarded the Eichenlaub to the Ritterkreuz on 30 November 1943 as Generalleutnant and Kommandeur of the 87. Infanterie-Division. Promoted to General der Artillerie on 1 May 1944, he commanded the XXXXIX. Gebirgs-Armeekorps in Crimea before taking over the VIII. Armeekorps on 1 September 1944. For his energetic leadership in holding the Oder front from Cosel to Oppeln against strong Soviet assaults in January and February 1945 through repeated local counterthrusts, he received the Schwerter to the Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub on 18 March 1945 as General der Artillerie and Kommandierender General of the VIII. Armeekorps. He briefly commanded the XXIV. Panzerkorps in April 1945, entered American captivity at the end of the war and was released in 1947. Hartmann died in Hameln on 11 March 1977.
Generalmajor Karl Koetz (1908-1977) was born on 8 February 1908 in Berlin-Neukölln and entered military service on 1 November 1925 with the 9. (Preuß.) Infanterie-Regiment for a twelve-year term; upon its completion he was commissioned Leutnant on 1 November 1937, simultaneously promoted Oberleutnant and taken into the active officer corps, then advanced to Hauptmann on 1 March 1938. He successively commanded companies in Infanterie-Regiment 109, Infanterie-Regiment 105 and the 6. Kompanie of Infanterie-Regiment 80 before, as Hauptmann, taking over the 6. Kompanie of Infanterie-Regiment 463 for the Western Campaign of 1940, after which he received the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse on 13 June 1940. On 1 May 1941 he assumed command of the II. Bataillon of Infanterie-Regiment 463 within the 263. Infanterie-Division and led it into the Eastern Campaign; during the fighting in the Yelnya salient from 17 to 28 August 1941 his Bataillon distinguished itself near Jakowlewo around Hill 256.9, known as the “Chimborasso,” by withstanding repeated and overwhelming Soviet assaults, for which action Koetz was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 2 October 1941 as Hauptmann and Kommandeur of that Bataillon, having already received the Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse on 1 July 1941. Promoted Major on 1 January 1942, he took command of Grenadier-Regiment 185 of the 87. Infanterie-Division on 1 July 1943 and was advanced to Oberstleutnant on 1 December 1943; when Soviet forces launched a major offensive against the positions of the 3. Panzerarmee north of Vitebsk on 13 December 1943, the 87. Infanterie-Division was encircled, yet on 16 December it broke out together with the subordinated Grenadier-Regiment 365 in the Choljawki–Karewy–Slyndiki area and reached the main line of the 20. Panzer-Division near Ambrossenki, the success of the breakout being attributed in large measure to the determined fighting of Grenadier-Regiment 185 under Koetz’s leadership and the Sturm-Bataillon Hochgartz, for which he received the Eichenlaub to the Ritterkreuz on 24 January 1944 as the 374th recipient. Further promotions followed to Oberst on 1 June 1944 and Generalmajor on 1 December 1944; after a Divisionsführer-Lehrgang he assumed leadership of the 349. Volksgrenadier-Division from September 1944 and later, on 1 April 1945, command of the 21. Infanterie-Division, his final post, while a Wehrmachtbericht of 25 October 1944 had already praised the Kampfgruppe he led on the East Prussian frontier. Ill from mid-April 1945, he entered British captivity in July and remained a prisoner until 1947; Karl Koetz died on 11 July 1977 in Meran at the rank of Generalmajor.
Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/87th_Infantry_Division_(Wehrmacht)
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