The 13. Luftwaffen-Feld-Division was established on 15 October 1942 at Truppenübungsplatz Fallingbostel as part of the second wave of ground combat formations raised by the Luftwaffe to alleviate severe Wehrmacht manpower shortages on the Eastern Front. Formed under the supervision of the Aufstellungsstab of XIII. Fliegerkorps and utilizing surplus ground personnel from Flieger-Regiment 13, the division originally comprised Luftwaffen-Jäger-Regiment 25, Luftwaffen-Jäger-Regiment 26, Luftwaffen-Artillerie-Regiment 13, Panzerjäger-Abteilung der Luftwaffen-Feld-Division 13, a Pionier-Bataillon, a Radfahr-Kompanie, and administrative support troops. Initially commanded by Generalleutnant Herbert Olbrich and subsequently by Generalmajor Hans Korte, the division deployed in early 1943 to northern Russia, where it was attached to 18. Armee under Heeresgruppe Nord. Positioned along the Volkhov front in the Tschudowo–Dymno–Spasskaja Polist sector, the troops endured static trench warfare, localized counterattacks, and harsh climatic conditions while defending river lines south of the Kirishi bridgehead. Like many sister units formed from air force ground crews, it suffered from a persistent shortage of seasoned infantry leaders, heavy anti-tank weapons, and formal infantry tactics. In accordance with high command restructuring, the unit was transferred from air branch control to the Heer on 1 November 1943, officially entering army administration as Feld-Division 13 (L), while Generalleutnant Hellmuth Reymann assumed leadership. During this transition, its heavy anti-aircraft detachment, IV./Luftwaffen-Artillerie-Regiment 13, remained under air force authority as I./Flak-Regiment 54, and the division’s core ground units were redesignated as Jäger-Regiment 25 (L), Jäger-Regiment 26 (L), and Artillerie-Regiment 13 (L). In January 1944, the Red Army launched the decisive Leningrad–Novgorod offensive, delivering a devastating blow against Heeresgruppe Nord that forced the division into an exhausting series of defensive withdrawals. Facing intense artillery barrages and deep armored breakthroughs, its battalions conducted fighting retreats across Kriwino, Tessowo, Sapolje, and Oredesh toward the defensive barriers along the Luga and Pljussa rivers before falling back to the defensive perimeter around Pleskau. Following brief defensive actions along the southern shoreline of Lake Pskov and south of Ostrow, the heavily depleted remnants conducted desperate rearguard combat along the vital Opotschka–Pleskau railway line throughout late March 1944 under the tactical umbrella of L. Armeekorps and 16. Armee. Having incurred devastating casualties that reduced its combat effectiveness to a fraction of divisional strength, the unit was officially dissolved by high command order on 1 April 1944, and its surviving personnel were absorbed into 12. Luftwaffen-Feld-Division.
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EICHENLAUBTRÄGER
Oberst Kilian Weimer (1904-1979) was born on 12 May 1904 in Kembach and entered police service in 1924, receiving promotion to Leutnant in 1930 before transferring to the Heer on 1 October 1936 as Chef of the 1. Kompanie of Infanterie-Regiment 109, where he advanced to Hauptmann on 1 April 1937; after initial wartime duties as a tactics instructor he assumed command of the I. Bataillon of Infanterie-Regiment 109 in the 35. Infanterie-Division on 1 September 1940 and led it into the Soviet Union from June 1941, earning the Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse on 25 June and I. Klasse on 20 July together with the Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen, and on 31 August 1941 he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes as Hauptmann und Kommandeur of that battalion for his decisive contribution to crushing a Soviet bridgehead over the Beresina river north of Gussino near Smolensk, where his men smashed two Soviet battalions, seized the fortified heights on the east bank, and stormed the Gussino train station with Weimer personally at their head, thereby collapsing the enemy hold on the position and throwing back a dangerous counter-attack in late July. Severely wounded early in 1942 during the heavy fighting around Ghatsk in the Battles of Rzhev, he recovered to serve as a tactics instructor at the Infanterieschule Wiener-Neustadt from 1 March 1942, was promoted to Oberstleutnant on 1 March 1943, and briefly commanded Grenadier-Bataillon z.b.V. 560 (or Infanterie-Bataillon z.b.V. 560) from May 1943 until another serious wound in late May forced further recovery. On 1 December 1943 he took command of Luftwaffen-Jäger-Regiment 25 (later Jäger-Regiment 25 (L)) of the 13. Feld-Division (L), and in the spring of 1944 around Pleskau and southeast of Ostrov his distinguished leadership of the regiment, especially of its I. Bataillon, repeatedly demonstrated personal bravery and tactical skill that stabilized critical sectors, for which he received the Eichenlaub to the Ritterkreuz (the 478th award) on 14 May 1944 while still a Major. Promoted to Oberst on 1 July 1944, he continued to lead the regiment through the Riga Offensive and into the Courland Pocket, earned mention in the Wehrmachtbericht on 17 September 1944, and was decorated with the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold on 8 February 1945 as Oberst und Kommandeur of Jäger-Regiment 25 (L); he also received the Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz, Silber, and finally Gold, as well as the Ostmedaille. Captured by Soviet forces at the end of March 1945 while serving with Heeresgruppe Nord, he remained a prisoner until December 1949 and died on 21 September 1979 in Trunkelsberg, Bavaria, having risen from police officer to highly decorated Oberst through consistent front-line leadership that repeatedly turned local crises into successful defensive or counter-offensive actions on the Eastern Front.
Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/13th_Luftwaffe_Field_Division
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