The 121st

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 i ...

Division (german: 121. Infanterie-Division) was a

German Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previous ...

division Division or divider may refer to: Mathematics *Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication *Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division Military *Division (military), a formation typically consisting ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. It was a part of the German XXVIII Army Corps. In September 1941 the formation, on arriving in

Pavlovsk, Saint Petersburg Pavlovsk (russian: Па́вловск "he townof Pavel" after Emperor Pavel (Paul) of Russia) is a municipal town in Pushkinsky District in the suburban part of the federal city of St. Petersburg, Russia, located south from St. Peter ...

; engaged in the

siege of Leningrad The siege of Leningrad (russian: links=no, translit=Blokada Leningrada, Блокада Ленинграда; german: links=no, Leningrader Blockade; ) was a prolonged military blockade undertaken by the Axis powers against the Soviet city of L ...

. By October 1941 it was down to 40% of its authorized strength and 3 infantry battalions had to be disbanded due to high casualties. In 1944 it was involved in the retreat from Leningrad through the Baltic states wherein it fought in the Battle of Pskov. It remained in the

Courland pocket The Courland Pocket (Blockade of the Courland army group), (german: Kurland-Kessel)/german: Kurland-Brückenkopf (Courland Bridgehead), lv, Kurzemes katls (Courland Cauldron) or ''Kurzemes cietoksnis'' (Courland Fortress)., group=lower-alpha ...

until the end of the war.

Commanding officers

*General der Artillerie

Curt Jahn General Kurt Jahn, aka Curt Jahn, (February 16, 1892 – November 7, 1966) was a German Army general and commander in Lombardy, Italy during World War II. Born in Schmalkalden, Germany, he was captured west of Milan on 1 May 1945 and interned in ...

, 5 October 1940 – 6 May 1941 *Generalleutnant

Otto Lancelle __NOTOC__ Otto Lancelle (27 March 1885 – 3 July 1941) was a German general in the Wehrmacht during World War II and a recipient of both the Pour le Mérite and Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, the highest military awards of German Empire and ...

, 6 May 1941 – 8 July 1941 *General der Artillerie

Martin Wandel __NOTOC__ Martin Wandel (15 April 1892 – 14 January 1943) was a German general in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. Wandel was killed on 14 January 1943 when his comm ...

, 8 July 1941 – 11 Nov 1942 *General der Infanterie Helmuth Prieß, 11 November 1942 – March 1944 *Generalmajor Ernst Pauer von Arlau, March 1944 – 1 June 1944 *Generalleutnant

Rudolf Bamler Rudolf Bamler (6 May 1896 – 13 March 1972) was a German general during World War II. Although Bamler was a member of the Nazi Party he would later serve as a leading member of the East German security forces. Early life Bamler was born in Oster ...

, 1 June 1944 – 27 June 1944 *General der Infanterie Helmuth Prieß, 27 June 1944 – 10 July 1944 *General der Infanterie

Theodor Busse Ernst Hermann August Theodor Busse (15 December 1897 – 21 October 1986) was a German officer during World War I and World War II. Early life and career Busse, a native of Frankfurt (Oder), joined the Imperial German Army as an officer cade ...

, 10 July 1944 – 1 August 1944 *Generalleutnant

Werner Ranck __NOTOC__ Werner Ranck (25 October 1904 – 7 December 1989) was a general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, awarded by for successful military leadership. Ranck surr ...

, 1 August 1944 – 30 April 1945 *Generalmajor Ottomar Hansen, 30 April 1945 – 8 May 1945

Composition

*405th Infantry Regiment *407th Infantry Regiment *408th Infantry Regiment *121st Artillerie Regiment *121st Reconnaissance Battalion *121st Tank Destroyer Battalion *121st Engineer Battalion *121st Signal Battalion *121st Divisional Supply Troops

References

Bibliography

* * Infantry divisions of Germany during World War II Military units and formations established in 1941 Military units and formations disestablished in 1945 {{Germany-mil-unit-stub