The 344th Infantry Division, (German: ''344. Infanterie-Division'') was an infantry division of the German Army during World War II, active from 1942 to 1945 in two separate instances.

History

The 344th Infantry Division was formed on 25 September 1942 in France from personnel from Wehrkreis V. After her training, she was sent in November 1942 to the Bordeaux sector within

LXXX. Armeekorps The LXXX Army Corps (german: LXXX. Armeekorps) was an army corps of the German Wehrmacht during World War II. Operational history The LXXX Army Corps was created on 27 May 1942 in the Poitiers sector in the west of occupied France. Its staff was ...

of the

1st Army First Army may refer to: China * New 1st Army, Republic of China * First Field Army, a Communist Party of China unit in the Chinese Civil War * 1st Group Army, People's Republic of China Germany * 1st Army (German Empire), a World War I field Army ...

in Heeresgruppe D. One of its regiments was the Indian Infanterie-Regiment 950. In August 1944, the Division was sent to Normandy, without the Infanterie-Regiment 950, where it suffered heavy losses and was disbanded. In September 1944 a new 344th Infantry Division was formed which initially fought in the Hürtgen Forest. In the spring of 1945 it was sent to the Eastern Front.
Parts of the division defended the Oder between

Krappitz Krapkowice (; german: Krappitz; szl, Krapkowicy) is a town in southern Poland with 16,301 inhabitants (2019), situated in the Opole Voivodeship, straddling both banks of the Oder River at the point where it joins with the Osobłoga. It is the reg ...

and Cosel during the Upper Silesian offensive. After the 1st Ukrainian Front had broken through south of Cottbus in mid-April, Hitler demanded from the ''Jolasse Group'' that the 344th Infantry Division near

Drebkau Drebkau ( dsb, Drjowk) is a town in the district of Spree-Neiße, in Lower Lusatia, Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated 14 km southwest of Cottbus. History From 1815 to 1947, Drebkau was part of the Prussian Province of Brandenburg. After ...

, the remnants of the Führerbegleitbrigade (Major General Otto Ernst Remer) and the remnants of the

10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg The 10th SS Panzer Division "Frundsberg" (german: 10. SS-Panzerdivision "Frundsberg") was a German Waffen-SS armoured division during World War II. The division's first battles were in Ukraine in April 1944. Afterwards, the unit was then trans ...

near Spremberg, attacked northwards into the flank of the advancing 1st Ukrainian Front.
This ended in failure, and all German units were surrounded by Soviet troops in the Kausche Pocket and taken prisoner.

Commanding officers

*General of the Infantry Felix Schwalbe : 27 September 1942 - 30 September 1944 *Generalmajor Erich Walther (30 September 1944) *Generalmajor Rudolf Goltzsch : 30 September 1944 - 16 October 1944 *Generalmajor Eugen König : 5 November 1944 - 16 December 1944 *Generalmajor

Georg Koßmala __NOTOC__ Georg Koßmala (22 October 1896 – 18 March 1945) 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 with Oak Leaves. Koßmala was killed on 18 March 1945 in O ...

: 16 December 1944 - 28 February 1945 *Generalmajor

Rolf Scherenberg __NOTOC__ Rolf Scherenberg (27 May 1897 – 10 June 1961) was a German general (Generalmajor) in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. Scherenberg surrendered to the Red Arm ...

: 28 February 1945 – 15 March 1945 *Generalleutnant

Erwin Jollasse Erwin Jollasse (12 December 1892 – 8 March 1987) was a general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II who commanded several divisions. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Jollasse took command of the 9t ...

: 15 March 1945 - 8 May 1945

Sources

Lexikon der WehrmachtAxis History
{{DEFAULTSORT:344th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht) Military units and formations established in 1942 Military units and formations disestablished in 1945 Infantry divisions of Germany during World War II