5th Parachute Division (Germany)

The '''5. Fallschirmjäger-Division (5th Parachute Division''') was a fallschirmjäger (airborne) division of the German military during the Second World War, active from 1944 to 1945.

The division was formed in France in early 1944, commanded by Gustav Wilke. It contained the 13th, 14th and 15th Fallschirmjäger Regiments, and the 5th Fallschirmjäger Artillery Regiment.

The 13th Regiment was attached to 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division in the early stages of the Battle of Normandy, with the rest of the division committed in July. It took heavy losses, and was withdrawn to the Netherlands to rebuild. After withdrawing through Germany, it was trapped in the Ruhr pocket in April 1945 and destroyed.

Commanding officer

 * Generalleutnant Gustav Wilke, 1 April 1944 - 23 September 1944
 * Generalmajor Sebastian-Ludwig Heilmann, 23 September 1944 - 12 March 1945
 * Oberst Kurt Gröschke, 12 March 1945 - April 1945