The 29. Infanterie-Division (motorisiert), later redesignated the 29. Panzergrenadier-Division, was a premier motorized formation of the German Army, formed on 1 October 1936 in Erfurt, Wehrkreis IX, from elements of the Reichswehr's 15. Infanterie-Regiment and drawing recruits primarily from Thuringia, earning the nickname Falke-Division (Falcon Division). Mobilized in August 1939, it joined the XIV. Armeekorps of the 10. Armee for the invasion of Poland, participating in the encirclement at Radom and advancing through central Poland before transfer to the West in late 1939. In the 1940 Westfeldzug it served initially with the 16. Armee as a strategic reserve during the drive to the English Channel and Dunkirk, then joined Heinz Guderian's Panzergruppe for the rapid thrust through eastern France to the Swiss border, distinguishing itself in fast-moving operations before occupation duties in France until early 1941. Committed to Operation Barbarossa in June 1941 with 2. Panzergruppe (later 2. Panzerarmee) under Army Group Center, the division fought in the encirclements at Bialystok-Minsk, Smolensk, and Bryansk, supported advances toward Tula during Operation Typhoon, and suffered heavy vehicle losses and casualties during the winter retreat from Moscow near Mordves south of Kashira; it then held defensive positions around Orel through the first half of 1942. Transferred south in July 1942 to the 6. Armee and later 4. Panzerarmee as part of Army Group South for Case Blue, it engaged in bitter fighting on the approaches to and within Stalingrad itself - most notably the costly assault on the grain silo - before serving as mobile reserve behind the IV. Armeekorps on the southern flank; when the Soviet counteroffensive closed the pocket in November 1942, the division, still at roughly 90 percent combat strength after being held in reserve, was pushed into the southwest corner and largely destroyed by the Soviet 21. Armee on 21 January 1943. Reconstituted in France in March 1943 from the 345. Infanterie-Division and redesignated 29. Panzergrenadier-Division on 23 June 1943, it transferred to Sicily to defend the northern route to Messina against the Allied invasion, then fought tenaciously in the Italian campaign at Salerno, the Gustav Line, Anzio-Nettuno (including failed counterattacks), Monte Cassino area, and subsequent delaying actions along the Apennines through Florence, Rimini, and Bologna, before its final destruction by British forces in northern Italy in the spring of 1945, with elements implicated in the San Martino di Lupari massacre on 29 April. Throughout its existence the division combined high mobility with aggressive infantry tactics, transitioning effectively from early Blitzkrieg triumphs to grueling defensive battles on both the Eastern and Italian fronts.
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EICHENLAUBTRÄGER
Generalleutnant Walter Wessel (1892-1943), born on 21 April 1892 in Lautenthal in the Harz and died on 19 or 20 July 1943 near Morano Calabro in Italy, was a German officer who rose to the rank of Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during the Second World War. Having joined the army as a Fahnenjunker in 1911 and serving as Leutnant in the Maschinengewehr-Kompanie of Infanterie-Regiment 165 during the First World War, he commanded Infanterie-Regiment 15 (mot.) of the 29. Infanterie-Division "Falke" in the Second World War. As Oberst and Kommandeur of this regiment he earned the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 15 August 1940 for his outstanding leadership in the Western Campaign, where his unit distinguished itself particularly during the crossing of the Aisne, the Rhine-Marne Canal, and the advance onto the Langres Plateau; in a race against the 1. and 2. Panzer-Division his forces were the first to reach the Swiss border and captured Fort de Joux near Pontarlier, thereby helping to close the encirclement of French troops in the Maginot Line. He was awarded the Eichenlaub (76th recipient) on 17 February 1942 as Oberst and Kommandeur of the same regiment under 2. Panzerarmee / Heeresgruppe Mitte for the successful offensive operations of his regiment during the summer and autumn of 1941 in Operation Barbarossa, notably the advance across the Desna river: on 31 August 1941 his regiment reached the river near Murawij at noon, two Kompanien crossed in inflatable boats to establish and expand a bridgehead, and two days later captured Novo Vasilevsky while reaching the lower Snobovka stream. Later appointed commander of the 12. Panzer-Division on the Eastern Front, Wessel was killed in a car accident during an inspection tour in Italy; he is also noted as the commanding officer responsible for the Ciepielów massacre in Poland on 8 September 1939.
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RITTERKREUZTRÄGER
General der Panzertruppe Willibald Freiherr von Langermann und Erlencamp (1890-1942), born on 29 March 1890 in Karlsruhe in the Grand Duchy of Baden, was a German general who rose to the rank of General der Panzertruppe during the Second World War and fell in action on 3 October 1942 at Storozhevoye on the Middle Don. Joining the Prussian Army in 1910 with the 5. Dragoner-Regiment, he served through the First World War and remained in the Reichswehr, later commanding Kavallerie-Regiment 4, acting as Höherer Kavallerie-Offizier I, and serving as Inspekteur des Reit- und Fahrwesens. In December 1939 he took charge of Divisionsstab z.b.V. 410; on 1 March 1940 he was promoted Generalmajor and on 7 May 1940 assumed command of the 29. Infanterie-Division (motorisiert). Leading this division in the Westfeldzug as part of Gruppe Guderian, he distinguished himself particularly in the rapid breakthrough across the Rhein-Marne-Kanal and the swift advance to the Swiss border, including the capture of the Châlons depot and operations in the Swiss Jura; for these achievements he received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 15 August 1940 as the 178th recipient. On 8 September 1940 he was transferred to command the 4. Panzer-Division, which he led from the opening of Operation Barbarossa through the battles for Brest-Litovsk, the Dnieper crossing, the Ssosh position, the capture of bridges at Propoisk and the bridgehead at Krichev, the taking of Roslavl and Bachmatsch, and on into the closing stages of Operation Typhoon. For the outstanding successes of the 4. Panzer-Division in these early Eastern Front operations he was awarded the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz (75th recipient) on 17 February 1942 while still listed as its commander. In early January 1942 he assumed command of the XXIV. Armeekorps (mot.), later redesignated XXIV. Panzerkorps, was promoted Generalleutnant and then General der Panzertruppe on 1 June 1942, and led the corps during the summer offensive toward Voronezh and the Don River. While conducting a personal reconnaissance in the foremost line on 3 October 1942 he was killed by artillery fire together with Hungarian commanders; his death was prominently mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht four days later.
Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/29th_Infantry_Division_(Wehrmacht)
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/Infanteriedivisionen/29ID.htm
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