329th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)

The 329th Infantry Division (German: 329. Infanterie-Division) was an infantry division of the German army during World War II. It existed between 1941 and 1945.

329th Infantry Division
German: 329. Infanterie-Division
Active17 December 1941 – 1945
Country Nazi Germany
Branch Heer (Wehrmacht)
TypeInfantry
SizeDivision
Nickname(s)Hammer-Division
EngagementsWorld War II
Commanders
Commanders
  • Johannes Mayer (Sept. 1943)
  • Werner Schulze (1/1/1945)
  • Konrad Menkel (early 1945)

Operational history

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The 329th Infantry Division was formed on 17 December 1941 as a valkyrie division of the 17th wave of deployment. Initially assembled at Groß-Born in Wehrkreis II, its staff personnel was drawn from the staff of the 526th Infantry Division, which had been formed in October 1939 from frontier guard units.[1] Its initial commander was Helmuth Castorf.[2]

The division initially consisted of three infantry regiments (551, 552, 554), with Infantry Regiment 551 consisting of three battalions and the other two regiments of two battalions each, for a total of seven infantry battalions. Additionally, the division possessed the Artillery Regiment 329 with two detachments and the Division Units 329.[1]

The division was deployed near Lyck and marched to the Eastern Front on foot. There, it began fighting in the Staraya Russa sector around March 1942.[1] On 7 March 1942, Bruno Hippler took command of the division. Hippler was in turn replaced by Johannes Mayer on 23 March.[2] The 1st Bn Inf Regt 551 had to be dissolved as a result of casualties on 8 May 1942; 3rd Bn was later redesignated 1st Bn.[1]

Until 1943, the Artillery Regiment 329 was strengthened from two up to four detachments, and a Fusilier Battalion was formed on divisional level. As a result, the 329th Infantry Division now approximated a division following the Division neuer Art 44 archetype.[1] Paul Winter briefly took command of the division on 9 August 1943, before Mayer returned to his post in September.[2]

On 18 July 1944, Werner Schulze took command of the 329th Infantry Division. He was succeeded by Konrad Menkel on 20 October before returning to his post on 1 January 1945. Menkel again took command of the division later in early 1945, and served as the final divisional commander.[2]

Unit insignia

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The unit symbol of the 329th Infantry Division showed a hammer, giving it the nickname hammer division,[2] or hammer infantry division.[3]

Legacy

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Former members of the division formed a tradition association after the war, publishing a divisional history in 1968.[3]

A memorial to the division was erected in Münster at Lauheide cemetery. The memorial gained public attention in 2019, when a neonazi group used the memorial as a venue for one of their rallies.[4]

Notable individuals

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  • Helmuth Castorf: Commander of the 329th Infantry Division between 19 December 1941 and 7 March 1942.[2]
  • Bruno Hippler: Commander of the 329th Infantry Division between 7 March 1942 and 23 March 1942.[2]
  • Johannes Mayer: Commander of the 329th Infantry Division between 23 March 1942 and 9 August 1943 and again between September 1943 and 18 July 1944.[2]
  • Paul Winter: Commander of the 329th Infantry Division between 9 August 1943 and September 1943.[2]
  • Werner Schulze: Commander of the 329th Infantry Division between 18 July 1944 and 20 October 1944 and again between 1 January 1945 until somewhen later that year.[2]
  • Konrad Menkel: Commander of the 329th Infantry Division between 20 October 1944 and 1 January 1945 and again starting in early 1945.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Tessin, Georg (1974). "329". Die Landstreitkräfte 281–370. Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939-1945 (in German). Vol. 9. Osnabrück: Biblio Verlag. pp. 172–175. ISBN 3764808721.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Mitcham, Samuel W. (2007). "329th Infantry Division". German Order of Battle: 291st-999th Infantry Divisions, Named Infantry Divisions, and Special Divisions in World War II. German Order of Battle. Vol. 2. Stackpole Books. ISBN 9780811734370.
  3. ^ a b Traditionsverband der ehem. 329. (Hammer)-Inf.Div. (1968). 329. (Hammer-)Inf.-Division: Erinnerungen aus dem Kriegsgeschehen 1942–1945 (in German). Düsseldorf: Diederichs.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ Kalitschke, Martin. "Nazi-Aufmarsch in Lauheide". www.wn.de (in German). Retrieved 2022-10-13.