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21st Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)
The 21st Infantry Division was a German military unit which fought during World War II. History The 21st Infantry Division (Germany) was formed in 1934 in Elbing, East Prussia, by expanding the 3rd Prussian Infantry Regiment of the 1st Division of the old Reichswehr. As this was a direct breach of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, its existence was initially concealed; it was formally designated as the 21st Infantry Division in October 1935. Its East Prussian origin informed the adoption of the divisional symbol, a figure holding a shield bearing the black cross of the Teutonic Knights. Mobilised in the 1st wave in 1939, the division took part in the German invasion of Poland and the following year's invasion of France. For the next four years, it fought on the Eastern Front, largely as part of Army Group North, assigned to Eighteenth Army. After being involved in series of defensive battles and retreats to Riga as the Soviet army conquered their territory, late 1944 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine infantry. Although disused in modern times, heavy infantry also commonly made up the bulk of many historic armies. Infantry, cavalry, and artillery have traditionally made up the core of the combat arms professions of various armies, with the infantry almost always comprising the largest portion of these forces. Etymology and terminology In English, use of the term ''infantry'' began about the 1570s, describing soldiers who march and fight on foot. The word derives from Middle French ''infanterie'', from older Italian (also Spanish) ''infanteria'' (foot soldiers too inexperienced for cavalry), from Latin '' īnfāns'' (without speech, newborn, foolish), from which English also gets '' infant''. The individual-soldier term ''infantry ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
4th Army (Wehrmacht)
The 4th Army () was a field army of the Wehrmacht during World War II. Invasions of Poland and France The 4th Army was activated on 1 August 1939 with General Günther von Kluge in command. It took part in the Invasion of Poland of September 1939 as part of Army Group North, which was under Field Marshal Feodor von Bock. The 4th Army contained the II Corps and III Corps, each with two infantry divisions, the XIX Corps with two motorized and one panzer divisions, and three other divisions, including two in reserve. Its objective was to capture the Polish Corridor, thus linking mainland Germany with East Prussia. During the attack on the Low Countries and France, the 4th Army, as part of Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt's Army Group A, invaded Belgium from the Rhineland. Along with other German armies, the 4th Army penetrated the Dyle Line and completed the trapping of the Allied forces in France. The then Major-General Erwin Rommel, who was under Kluge, contributed immensely ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wilhelm Bohnstedt
Wilhelm Bohnstedt (5 October 1888 – 11 August 1947) was a German general in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the 32nd Infantry Division. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. Bohnstedt surrendered in 1945 and was interned until 1947. He was the younger brother of Eberhardt Bohnstedt. Awards and decorations * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 13 October 1941 as '' Generalmajor'' and commander of 32. Infanterie-Division References Citations Bibliography * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bohnstedt, Wilhelm 1888 births 1947 deaths German Army personnel of World War I German prisoners of war in World War II Lieutenant generals of the German Army (Wehrmacht) People from the Province of Pomerania People from Sławno County Prussian Army personnel Recipients of the clasp to the Iron Cross, 1st class Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross German Army officers of World War II ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Otto Sponheimer
__NOTOC__ Otto Sponheimer (19 December 1886 – 14 March 1961) was a German general (General of the Infantry) in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded several corps. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. Awards and decorations * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 8 August 1941 as ''Generalleutnant is the Germanic variant of lieutenant general, used in some German speaking countries. Austria Generalleutnant is the second highest general officer rank in the Austrian Armed Forces (''Bundesheer''), roughly equivalent to the NATO rank of O ...'' and commander of 21. Infanterie-Division Fellgiebel 2000, p. 329. References Citations Bibliography * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sponheimer, Otto 1886 births 1961 deaths German Army generals of World War II Generals of Infantry (Wehrmacht) Military personnel from Nuremberg German Army personnel of World War I Recipients of the Gold German Cross Recipients of the K ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kuno-Hans Von Both
__NOTOC__ Kuno-Hans von Both (9 April 1884 – 22 May 1955) was a German general during World War II. He was a recipient of both the Pour le Mérite of the German Empire and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. He was also awarded the Nazi Party Blood Order by Adolf Hitler for his participation in Nazi activities prior to Adolf Hitler's rise to power. Awards and decorations * Order of Franz Joseph (Austria-Hungary, 27 January 1911)Thomas & Wegmann 1992, p. 318. * Lippe House Order, 4th class (18 June 1914) * Iron Cross 2nd Class (22 September 1914) & 1st Class (9 February 1915) * Knight's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern 3rd Class with Swords (23 December 1917) * Military Merit Order, 4th class with Swords (Bavaria) (27 June 1918) * Pour le Mérite (10 April 1918) * Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (20 December 1934) * Clasp to the Iron Cross 2nd Class & 1st Class (September 1939) * German Cross in Gold on 9 September 1942 as ''General de ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Albert Wodrig
__NOTOC__ Albert Wodrig (16 July 1883 – 31 October 1972) was a German general during World War II who commanded the XXVI. Corps. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. Awards and decorations * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 19 July 1940 as ''General der Artillerie General der Artillerie ( en: General of the artillery) may mean: 1. A rank of three-star general, comparable to modern armed forces OF-8 grade, in the Imperial German Army and its contingency armies of Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony and Württembe ...'' and commander of XXVI. Armeekorps Fellgiebel 2000, p. 365. References Citations Bibliography * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wodrig, Albert 1883 births 1972 deaths Military personnel from Berlin German Army generals of World War II Generals of Artillery (Wehrmacht) German Army personnel of World War I Recipients of the clasp to the Iron Cross, 1st class Recipients of the Gold German Cross Recipients of the Knight's ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein (; da, Slesvig-Holsten; nds, Sleswig-Holsteen; frr, Slaswik-Holstiinj) is the northernmost of the 16 states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig. Its capital city is Kiel; other notable cities are Lübeck and Flensburg. The region is called ''Slesvig-Holsten'' in Danish and pronounced . The Low German name is ''Sleswig-Holsteen'', and the North Frisian name is ''Slaswik-Holstiinj''. In more dated English, it is also known as ''Sleswick-Holsatia''. Historically, the name can also refer to a larger region, containing both present-day Schleswig-Holstein and the former South Jutland County (Northern Schleswig; now part of the Region of Southern Denmark) in Denmark. It covers an area of , making it the 5th smallest German federal state by area (including the city-states). Schleswig was under Danish control during the Viking Age, but in the 12th century it escaped full control ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hel, Poland
Hel; german: Hela (; formerly ) is a seaside resort town in Puck County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland, located on the tip of the Hel Peninsula, some from the Polish mainland. History Early developments The territory became part of the emerging Polish state in the 10th century, under its first historic ruler Mieszko I. The Kashubian village of Hel was first mentioned in 1198 as a centre of herring trade area named ''Gellen''. In one of the Danish chronicles of 1219 it is mentioned that a damaged ship of King Valdemar II the Victorious was set ashore on an "Island of Hel". By the 13th century the village became one of the most important trade centres of the area, competing with the nearby city of Gdańsk. It was then that the village was granted town rights by Duke Świętopełk II the Great of Pomerania. The privileges were again confirmed in 1378 when the town came under the rule of the Teutonic Order. Initially the town was some from its present-day centr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frische Nehrung
The Vistula Spit ( pl, Mierzeja Wiślana; russian: Балтийская коса; german: Frische Nehrung) is an aeolian sand spit, or peninsular stretch of land that separates Vistula Lagoon from Gdańsk Bay, in the Baltic Sea, with its tip separated from the mainland by the Strait of Baltiysk. The border between Poland ( Pomeranian Voivodeship) and Kaliningrad Oblast, a semi-exclave of Russia, bisects it, politically dividing the spit in half between the two countries. The westernmost geographical point of Russia is located on the Vistula Spit. The Polish part contains a number of tourist resorts, incorporated administratively as the town of Krynica Morska. Geography Situated in the Gdańsk Bay this narrow headland (spit) is on average only few hundred meters wide (widest point is ) and with the total length of twice as long as the better known and more populous Hel Peninsula in the western part of the Gdańsk Bay. The Vistula Spit stretches in a north-easterly direction an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sambia Peninsula
Sambia (russian: Самбийский полуостров, lit=Sambian Peninsula, translit=Sambiysky poluostrov) or Samland (russian: Земландский полуостров, lit=Zemlandic Peninsula, translit=Zemlandsky poluostrov) or Kaliningrad Peninsula (official name, russian: Калининградский полуостров, ''Kaliningradsky poluostrov'') is a peninsula in the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia, on the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea. The peninsula is bounded by the Curonian Lagoon to the north-east, the Vistula Lagoon in the southwest, the Pregolya River in the south, and the Deyma River in the east. As Sambia is surrounded on all sides by water, it is technically an island. Historically it formed an important part of the historic region of Prussia. Names Sambia is named after the Sambians, an extinct tribe of Old Prussians. ''Samland'' is the name for peninsula in the Germanic languages. Polish and Latin speakers call the area ''Sambia'', while the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pillau
Baltiysk (russian: Балти́йск; german: Pillau; Old Prussian: ''Pillawa''; pl, Piława; lt, Piliava; Yiddish: פּילאַווע, ''Pilave'') is a seaport town and the administrative center of Baltiysky District in Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, located on the northern part of the Vistula Spit, on the shore of the Strait of Baltiysk separating the Vistula Lagoon from Gdańsk Bay. Population: Baltiysk, the westernmost town in Russia, is a major base of the Russian Navy's Baltic Fleet and is connected to St. Petersburg by ferry. History Old Prussian village Baltiysk was originally the site of an Old Prussian fishing village that was established on the coast of the Vistula Spit at some point in the 13th century. The village was named as "Pile" or "Pil" in several documents, possibly taking its name from ''pils'' the Old Prussian language word for fort. It was eventually conquered by the Teutonic Knights, with the name evolving into the German form of Pillau. In 1454 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frisches Haff
The Vistula Lagoon ( pl, Zalew Wiślany; russian: Калининградский залив, transliterated: ''Kaliningradskiy Zaliv''; german: Frisches Haff; lt, Aistmarės) is a brackish water lagoon on the Baltic Sea roughly 56 miles (90 km) long, 6 to 15 miles (10 to 19 km) wide, and up to 17 feet (5 m) deep, separated from the Gdańsk Bay by the Vistula Spit. The modern German name, ''Frisches Haff'', is derived from an earlier form, ''Friesisches Haff''.Erhard Riemann, Alfred Schoenfeldt, Ulrich Tolksdorf, Reinhard Goltz, Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur (Germany), Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur, Mainz, ''Preussisches Wörterbuch: Deutsche Mundarten Ost- und Westpreussens'', 6th edition, Wachholtz, 1974, p.595, Geography The lagoon is a mouth of a few branches of the Vistula River, notably Nogat and Szkarpawa, and of the Pregolya River. The lagoon is split between Poland (including the localities of Elbląg, Tolkmicko, Frombork ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
