The 349th Infantry Division was a

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

military unit which fought during

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 World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

History

The division was originally formed on 25 November 1943 in St. Omer near Calais, France, and fought mostly on the Eastern Front, being effectively destroyed near Zolochiv by the Soviet Army's Lvov-Sandomierz Offensive in July 1944, and disbanded in August 1944. Its commander was Infantry General

Otto Lasch Otto Lasch (25 June 1893 in Pleß, Oberschlesien – 29 April 1971) was a German general in the ''Wehrmacht'' during World War II who commanded the LXIV Corps. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. Car ...

. The

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 ...

was reformed in September 1944 to the

Volksgrenadier ''Volksgrenadier'' was the name given to a type of German Army division formed in the Autumn of 1944 after the double loss of Army Group Center to the Soviets in Operation Bagration and the Fifth Panzer Army to the Allies in Normandy. The na ...

standard as 349th Volks-Grenadier-Division, commanded by Major-General

Karl Koetz __NOTOC__ Karl Koetz (8 February 1908 – 11 June 1977) 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.Fellgiebel 2003, p. 219. Awards and decorati ...

. During the East Prussian Offensive in January 1945, it was encircled in the

Heiligenbeil pocket The Heiligenbeil Pocket or Heiligenbeil Cauldron (german: Kessel von Heiligenbeil) was the site of a major encirclement battle on the Eastern Front during the closing weeks of World War II, in which the Wehrmacht's 4th Army was almost entirely ...

near Mehlsack and destroyed.

Source

Lexikon der Wehrmacht
Military units and formations established in 1943 Military units and formations disestablished in 1945 Infantry divisions of Germany during World War II {{Germany-WWII-stub