The 50th

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: 50. Infanterie-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 **Ger ...

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 formed on 26 August 1939 from the Grenzkommandantur Küstrin. It was initially a 2nd

wave In physics, mathematics, and related fields, a wave is a propagating dynamic disturbance (change from equilibrium) of one or more quantities. Waves can be periodic, in which case those quantities oscillate repeatedly about an equilibrium (res ...

division but it was later reorganized as a 1st wave division on 15 November 1939. The Division fought many campaigns including the

invasion of Poland The invasion of Poland (1 September – 6 October 1939) was a joint attack on the Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union which marked the beginning of World War II. The German invasion began on 1 September 1939, one week aft ...

Fall Gelb The Manstein Plan or Case Yellow (german: Fall Gelb) also known as Operation Sichelschnitt (german: Sichelschnittplan, from the English language, English term sickle cut), was the Military operation plan, war plan of the German Army (Wehrmacht), ...

and the invasion of Greece. it later took part in

Operation Barbarossa Operation Barbarossa (german: link=no, Unternehmen Barbarossa; ) was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and many of its Axis allies, starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during the Second World War. The operation, code-named after ...

, fighting on the southern sector under the 11th Army. It was later destroyed 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 ...

Order of battle

1939

*Infantry Regiment 121 *Infantry Regiment 122 *Infantry Regiment 123 *Artillery Regiment 150 (2) *Engineer Battalion 71 *Anti-Tank Detachment 150 *Signal Detachment 71 *Supply Units 354 (3)

1940

*Infantry Regiment 121 *Infantry Regiment 122 *Infantry Regiment 123 *Artillery Regiment 150 *Engineer Battalion 71 *Anti-Tank Detachment 150 *Cycling Squadron 150 *Signal Detachment 71 *Supply Leader 150

1944

* Grenadier Regiment 121 * Grenadier Regiment 122 * Grenadier Regiment 123 * Fusilier Battalion 50 * Artillery Regiment 150 * Panzerjäger Detachment 150 * Field Replacement Battalion 150 * Supply Regiment 150 * Signal Detachment 150

Commanding officers

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 ...

Konrad Sorsche (1 September 1939 – 25 October 1940) *

Generaloberst A ("colonel general") was the second-highest general officer rank in the German ''Reichswehr'' and ''Wehrmacht'', the Austro-Hungarian Common Army, the East Germany, East German National People's Army and in their respective police services. ...

Karl-Adolf Hollidt Karl-Adolf Hollidt (25 April 1891 – 22 May 1985) was a German army commander and war criminal during World War II. He was a general (''Generaloberst'') in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany who commanded the 6th Army. Career Hollidt enlisted in th ...

(25 October 1940 – 23 January 1942) *Generalleutnant

August Schmidt August Schmidt may refer to: * August Schmidt (Wehrmacht) (1892–1972), German general * August Schmidt (Luftwaffe) August Schmidt (1 February 1883 – 23 November 1955) was a highly decorated General der Flakartillerie in the Luftwaffe during ...

(31 January 1942 – 1 March 1942) *Generalleutnant Friedrich Schmidt (1 Mar 1942 – 26 June 1943) *Generalleutnant

Friedrich Sixt __NOTOC__ Friedrich Sixt (28 October 1895 – 4 August 1976) was a German general during World War II who commanded several divisions. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of Nazi Germany. Awards and deco ...

(26 June 1943 – 30 April 1944) *Generalleutnant

Paul Betz Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) *Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity * Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...

(30 Apr 1944 – 9 May 1944) *

Generalmajor is the Germanic variant of major general, used in a number of Central and Northern European countries. Austria Belgium Denmark is the second lowest general officer rank in the Royal Danish Army and Royal Danish Air Force. As a two-star ...

Georg Haus Georg may refer to: * ''Georg'' (film), 1997 *Georg (musical), Estonian musical * Georg (given name) * Georg (surname) George is a surname of Irish, English, Welsh, South Indian Christian, Middle Eastern Christian (usually Lebanese), French, or ...

(5 June 1944 – 18 April 1945) *Generalmajor Kurt Domansky (18 April 1945 – 28 April 1945) *

Oberst ''Oberst'' () is a senior field officer rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway. The Swedish ...

Ribbert (28 April 1945 – ? May 1945)

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:50th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht) 0*050 Military units and formations established in 1939 1939 establishments in Germany Military units and formations disestablished in 1945