List of German divisions in World War II

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This article lists divisions of the Wehrmacht (German Armed Forces) and Waffen-SS active during World War II, including divisions of the Army, Luftwaffe, and Kriegsmarine.

Upgrades and reorganizations are shown only to identify the variant names for what is notionally a single unit; other upgrades and reorganizations are deferred to the individual articles. Due to the scope of this list, pre-war changes are not shown, nor are upgrades from units smaller than a division. Most of these divisions trained in Berlin, which is also where new military technology was kept and tested.

German unit designations[]

These designations are normally not translated and used in the German form in the unit name or description.[1]

Bodenständige
A static unit. Normally assigned to units who were deficient in transport and unable to move their own artillery. Many of these were divisions that had been mauled on the Eastern Front and were sent west to serve as coastal defence garrisons until sufficient resources were available to rehabilitate the division.
Festung
A non-standard division used to garrison critical sites. Smaller Festung units may have consisted of only two or three battalions.
Grenadier
A traditional term for heavy infantry. Also a morale-building honorific indicative of reduced strength when used alone.
Jäger
A traditional term for light infantry (Translated "Hunter"). Normally provided with horse- or motor transport with (usually) lighter artillery weapons and usually smaller size when compared to normal infantry divisions. In many cases the Jäger divisions were mountain divisions referred to as Gebirsjäger - see below. This Jäger description did not apply to the light divisions deployed in Africa (5th, 90th, 164th, 999th) nor to the five light mechanised divisions.
Gebirgsjäger
Traditional term for mountain and ski troops.
Lehr
A demonstration/training unit (Translated "Teach").
Nummer
Translates to "Number." A "placeholder" name for a division with staff but with few, if any combat assets. Normally there was no initial type description in the name - this was added when the unit had received its designation of combat assets (i.e. Division Nr. 179 became Panzer Division Nr. 179).
Panzer
Armour (Translated "Armoured").
Sicherungs-Division
A Security Division Designed for mopping-up duties in the rear areas; may consist of two reinforced regiments or of a number of independent battalions.
Sturm
"Storm" or "Assault" (Translated "Storm").
Volks
"of the People" (Translated "People's").
Volksgrenadier
A late-war reorganization with reduced size and increased short-range firepower. Many previously destroyed or badly mauled infantry divisions were reconstituted as Volksgrenadier divisions, and new ones were raised as well. Their fighting worth varied widely depending on unit experience and equipment.
Volkssturm
Translated as "Peoples Militia." A national militia in which units were organised by local Nazi Party leaders and trained by the SS. They were placed under Wehrmacht command in battle.
zbV
Abbreviation for "zur besonderen Verwendung" Meaning "Special Purpose" (Translated "For Special Deployment") divisions created to meet special requirements e.g. Division zbV Afrika.

Army (Heer)[]

Panzer divisions[]

See also: Panzer division

Numbered panzer divisions[2][]

  • 1st Panzer Division
  • 2nd Panzer Division
  • 3rd Panzer Division
  • 4th Panzer Division
  • 5th Panzer Division
  • 6th Panzer Division (previously 1st Light Division)
  • 7th Panzer Division (previously 2nd Light Division)
  • 8th Panzer Division (previously 3rd Light Division)
  • 9th Panzer Division (previously 4th Light Division)
  • 10th Panzer Division
  • 11th Panzer Division
  • 12th Panzer Division (previously 2nd Motorized Infantry Division)
  • 13th Panzer Division (previously 13th Infantry Division, 13th Motorized Infantry Division; later Panzer Division Feldherrnhalle 2)
  • 14th Panzer Division (previously 4th Infantry Division)
  • 15th Panzer Division (previously 33rd Infantry Division; later 15th Panzergrenadier Division)
  • 16th Panzer Division (previously 16th Infantry Division)
  • 17th Panzer Division (previously 27th Infantry Division)
  • 18th Panzer Division (later 18th Artillery Division)
  • 19th Panzer Division (previously 19th Infantry Division)
  • 20th Panzer Division
  • 21st Panzer Division (previously 5th Light Division)
  • 22nd Panzer Division
  • 23rd Panzer Division
  • 24th Panzer Division (previously 1st Cavalry Division)
  • 25th Panzer Division
  • 26th Panzer Division (formerly 23rd Infantry Division)
  • 27th Panzer Division
  • 116th Panzer Division Windhund (previously 16th Infantry Division, 16th Motorized Infantry Division, and 16th Panzergrenadier Division)
  • 130th Panzer Division (commonly referred to as Panzer Lehr Division)
  • 155th Reserve Panzer Division (previously Division Nr. 155, Division Nr. 155 (mot.), Panzer Division Nr. 155)
  • Panzer Division Nr. 178 (previously Division Nr. 178)
  • 179th Reserve Panzer Division (previously Division Nr. 179, Division Nr. 179 (mot.), and Panzer Division Nr. 179)
  • 232nd Panzer Division (previously Panzer Division Tatra, Panzer Training Division Tatra)
  • 233rd Reserve Panzer Division (previously Division Nr. 233 (mot.), Panzergrenadier Division Nr. 233, and Panzer Division Nr. 233; later Panzer Division Clausewitz)
  • 273rd Reserve Panzer Division

Named panzer divisions[2][]

  • Panzer Division Clausewitz (previously Division Nr. 233 (mot.), Panzergrenadier Division Nr. 233, and Panzer Division Nr. 233, Reserve Panzer Division 233)
  • Panzer Division Feldherrnhalle 1 (previously 60th Infantry Division, 60th Motorized Infantry Division, and Panzergrenadier Division Feldherrnhalle)
  • Panzer Division Feldherrnhalle 2 (previously 13th Infantry Division, 13th Motorized Infantry Division, and 13th Panzer Division)
  • Panzer Division Holstein
  • Panzer Division Jüterbog
  • Panzer Division Kempf (part Heer, part Waffen-SS)
  • Panzer Division Kurmark
  • Panzer Lehr Division (Officially 130th Panzer Division after April 4, 1944)
  • Panzer Division Müncheberg
  • Panzer Division Döberitz, later renamed Panzer Division Schlesien
  • Panzer Division Tatra (later Panzer Training Division Tatra, 232nd Panzer Division)

Light mechanised divisions[]

The designation "Light" (leichte) had various meanings in the German Army of World War II. There was a series of 5 Light divisions; the first four were pre-war mechanized formations organized for use as mechanized cavalry, and the fifth was an ad hoc collection of mechanized elements rushed to Africa to help the Italians and organized into a division once there. All five were eventually converted to ordinary Panzer divisions.[3]

  • 1st Light Division (later 6th Panzer Division)
  • 2nd Light Division (later 7th Panzer Division)
  • 3rd Light Division (later 8th Panzer Division)
  • 4th Light Division (later 9th Panzer Division)
  • 5th Light Afrika Division (later 21st Panzer Division)

Various other divisions were dubbed "Light" for other reasons, and are listed among the Infantry Series Divisions.

Infantry series divisions[]

Motorized Infantry Division 1941
Motorized Infantry Division 1943

The backbone of the Heer (German Army) was the infantry division. Of the 154 divisions deployed against Soviet Union in 1941, including reserves, there were 100 infantry, 19 panzer, 11 motorised, 9 security, 5 Waffen-SS, 4 "light", 4 mountain, 1 SS police, and 1 cavalry. A typical infantry division in June 1941 had 17,734 men organized into the following sub-units:[4]

  • three infantry regiments with staff and communications units
    • three battalions with:
      • three infantry companies
      • one heavy weapons company
    • one anti-tank company (mot.)
    • one artillery company
    • one reconnaissance unit
  • one tank destroyer battalion with:
    • three companies (each with twelve 3.7 cm guns)
  • one artillery regiment
    • three battalions
      • three batteries
  • one pioneer battalion
  • one communications unit
  • one field replacement battalion
  • Supply, medical, veterinary, mail, and police

Infantry divisions were raised in waves, sets of divisions with a standardized table of organization and equipment. In general the later waves (i.e., the higher-numbered divisions) were of lower quality than the earlier ones.

Numbered divisions[]

Divisions are listed by number and reflect their lineage where names or designations were changed over time.[5]

1st to 99th[6][]

100th to 199th[7][]

  • 100th Light Infantry Division (later 100th Jäger Division)
  • 101st Light Infantry Division (later 101st Jäger Division)
  • 102nd Infantry Division
  • 104th Jäger Division
  • 106th Infantry Division
  • 110th Infantry Division
  • 114th Jäger Division
  • 117th Jäger Division
  • 118th Jäger Division (previously 718th Infantry Division)
  • 121st Infantry Division
  • 122nd Infantry Division
  • 126th Infantry Division
  • 133rd Fortress Division
  • Division zbV 140 (also 9th Mountain Division)
  • 141st Reserve Division
  • 148th Reserve Division redesignated 148th Infantry Division in September 1944
  • (later 151st Reserve Division)
  • Division Nr. 153 (later 153rd Reserve Division, 153rd Field Training Division, 153rd Grenadier Division)
  • Division Nr. 154 (later 154th Reserve Division, 154th Field Training Division, 154th Infantry Division)
  • (later Division Nr. 155 (mot.), Panzer Division Nr. 155, 155th Reserve Panzer Division)
  • 155th Field Training Division (later 155th Infantry Division)
    • Not related to Division Nr. 155.
  • Division Nr. 156 (later 156th Reserve Division, 47th Infantry Division, 47th Volksgrenadier Division)
  • 156th Field Replacement Division (later 156th Infantry Division)
  • 156th Infantry Division
  • Division Nr. 157 (later 157th Reserve Division, 157th Mountain Division, 8th Mountain Division)
  • (later 158th Reserve Division)
  • 158th Infantry Division
    • Not related to Division Nr. 158.
  • Division Nr. 159 (later 159th Reserve Division, 159th Infantry Division)
  • Division Nr. 160 (later 160th Reserve Division, 160th Infantry Division)
  • 162nd Infantry Division (later 162nd Turkoman Division, with foreign troops)
  • 163rd Infantry Division
  • 164th Infantry Division (later Fortress Division Kreta, which split into –)
    • Fortress Brigade Kreta
    • 164th Light Afrika Division
  • 167th Volksgrenadier Division
  • 168th Infantry Division
  • 169th Infantry Division
  • 170th Infantry Division
  • 171st Reserve Division
  • 174th Reserve Division
  • 176th Infantry Division
  • 181st Infantry Division
  • 183rd Volksgrenadier Division
  • 187th Reserve Division (later 42nd Jäger Division)
  • Division Nr. 188 (later 188th Reserve Mountain Division, 188th Mountain Division)
  • 189th Reserve Division (later 189th Infantry Division)
  • 196th Infantry Division
  • 197th Infantry Division
  • 198th Infantry Division
  • 199th Infantry Division

201st to 999th[8][]

Named divisions[10][]

Mountain divisions[11][]

  • 1st Mountain Division (later 1st Volksgebirgs Division)
  • 2nd Mountain Division
  • 3rd Mountain Division
  • 4th Mountain Division
  • 5th Mountain Division
  • 6th Mountain Division
  • 7th Mountain Division (previously 99th Light Infantry Division)
  • 8th Mountain Division (previously Division Nr. 157, 157th Reserve Division, 157th Mountain Division)
  • 9th Mountain Division (previously Shadow Division Steiermark and Division zbV 140)
  • 188th Mountain Division (previously Division Nr. 188, 188th Reserve Mountain Division)

Ski division[]

  • 1st Ski Division

Cavalry divisions[]

According to Davies, the Cavalry divisions were mounted infantry and the Cossack divisions were "true cavalry", modelled on the Russian cavalry divisions.

  • 1st Cavalry Division (later 24th Panzer Division)
  • Cossack Cavalry Division (This unit was transferred to the Waffen-SS, where it was split to form the 1st & 2nd Cossack Cavalry Divisions as part of the XV SS Cossack Cavalry Corps.)

Landwehr divisions[]

  • (later 205th Infantry Division)

Artillery divisions[]

  • 18th Artillery Division (formerly 18th Panzer Division)

Named fortress divisions[]

Named training divisions[]

RAD divisions[]

In 1945 the Reichsarbeitsdienst transferred personnel to the army to form new divisions as part of the 35th Aufstellungswelle, the last of the war.

Field replacement divisions[]

Navy (Kriegsmarine)[]

Main article: Kriegsmarine

Marine divisions[]

Air Force (Luftwaffe)[]

Main article: Luftwaffe

Hermann Göring divisions[]

The Hermann Göring formations grew from a single police detachment to an entire armored corps over the course of the war. The later epithet Fallschirm ("parachute") was purely honorific.

Airborne divisions[10][]

To keep its existence secret, the first German airborne division was named as if a Flieger ("flier") division in the series of Luftwaffe divisions that controlled air assets rather than ground troops-named (often translated 7th Air Division - which see: 1st Parachute Division (Germany)) The division was later reorganized to start a series of nominally airborne divisions. Though named Fallschirmjäger ("paratrooper") divisions, only some of them participated in airdrops in the early part of the war, and in practice most operated as ordinary infantry throughout their existence. The lower-numbered ones earned and maintained an élite status, but quality generally declined among the higher-numbered divisions.

Field divisions[]

Luftwaffe Field Divisions were ordinary infantry divisions organized from Luftwaffe personnel made available after mid-war due to the manpower crunch. They were originally Luftwaffe units but were later handed over to the Army, retaining their numbering but with Luftwaffe attached to distinguish them from similarly numbered divisions already existing in the Heer.[12]

  • 1st Luftwaffe Field Division
  • 2nd Luftwaffe Field Division
  • 3rd Luftwaffe Field Division
  • 4th Luftwaffe Field Division
  • 5th Luftwaffe Field Division
  • 6th Luftwaffe Field Division
  • 9th Luftwaffe Field Division
  • 10th Luftwaffe Field Division
  • 11th Luftwaffe Field Division
  • 12th Luftwaffe Field Division
  • 13th Luftwaffe Field Division
  • 14th Luftwaffe Field Division
    • Eventually transferred to the Heer as 16th Luftwaffe Infantry Division (later 16th Volksgrenadier Division)
  • 18th Luftwaffe Field Division
  • (later 19th Luftwaffe Sturm Division)
    • Eventually transferred to the Heer as 19th Grenadier Division (later 19th Volksgrenadier Division)
  • (later 20th Luftwaffe Sturm Division)
  • (previously the Meindl Division, an ad hoc collection of Luftwaffe resources)
  • (not formed, its sub-units were attached to other divisions as needed)

Training divisions[]

  • Parachute Training and Replacement Division-see

Anti-Aircraft divisions[]

These were headquarters for controlling aggregates of flak ("anti-aircraft artillery") assets rather than ordinary combined arms divisions organized for ground combat.

  • 9th Anti-Aircraft Division (lost entirely at the Battle of Stalingrad)

Waffen-SS (Schutzstaffel)[]

Main article: List of Waffen-SS divisions

All divisions in the Waffen-SS were ordered in a single series up to 38th, regardless of type. Those tagged with nationalities were at least nominally recruited from those nationalities. Many of the higher-numbered units were small battle groups (Kampfgruppen), i.e. divisions in name only.

Also Panzer Division Kempf, a temporary unit of mixed Heer and Waffen-SS components.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Haskew (2011), p. 106.
  2. ^ a b Haskew (2011), p. 74.
  3. ^ Haskew (2011), p. 78.
  4. ^ Mueller-Hillebrand B., Das Heer, 1933-1945. vol. II, E.S. Mittler & Sohn, 1969, pp. 161-162.
  5. ^ Haskew (2011), p. 113-114.
  6. ^ Haskew (2011), p. 102-103.
  7. ^ Haskew (2011), p. 103-104.
  8. ^ Haskew (2011), p. 104-105.
  9. ^ de:298. Infanterie-Division (Wehrmacht)
  10. ^ a b Haskew (2011), p. 114.
  11. ^ Haskew (2011), p. 119.
  12. ^ Haskew (2011), p. 115.
Footnotes
Bibliography
  • Astel, John; Goodwin, A. E.; Long, Jason, Bengtsson, Sven Ake; & Parmenter, James D. (1998). "Orders of Battle". Data booklet from the Europa game Storm Over Scandinavia. Grinnel, Iowa: Game Research/Design. ISBN 1-86010-091-0.
  • Davies, W.J.K. (1981). German Army Handbook 1939-1945. Second U.S. Edition. New York: Arco Publishing. ISBN 0-668-04291-5.
  • Haskew, Michael E. (2011). World War II Data Book: The Wehrmacht 1935-1945. London: Amber Books. ISBN 978-1-907446-95-5.
  • Parada, George (2004). "Panzer Divisions 1940-1945". Retrieved April 1, 2005.
  • Yeide, Harry;(2004). The Tank Killers, A History of America's World War II Tank Destroyer Force. (pg. 209). Casemate Publishers, Havertown, PA. ISBN 1-932033-26-2.
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