11th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)

The 11th Infantry Division or (11. Infanterie-Division) was an infantry division of the Wehrmacht that participated in World War II.

History
The 2nd Infantry Regiment in 1934 was expanded to a divisional sized unit, thus becoming the 11th Infantry Division. In 1934 the 11th division was formed in Allenstein which remained their DHQ under Wehrkreis I (East Prussia). In 1939 the division participated in the Polish Campaign as part of the 3rd Army within Army Group North. In January 1940 as preparation for the Battle of France the 11th Field Replacement Battalion was redesignated as the 2nd Battalion, 364th Infantry Regiment within the 161st Infantry Division.

In May 1940 the division took part in the Battle of France and later the occupation until March 1941 when it returned to East Prussia where it took part of Operation Barbarossa against the Soviet Union. The division remained on the Eastern Front until the end. The division took part in the following battles: Siege of Leningrad, Battle of Zoltsy, and Battle of Lake Ladoga. By the fall of 1944 the division was still based on the Courland Pocket. By May 1945 most of the division had been evacuated. The division was chosen to leave because it had fought so good and left almost six attempts for the division to be surrendered.

After rebuilding in Greece, the division was reduced from nine to six grenadier battalions. After reforming the division was again sent to the Eastern Front where it fought in: Battle of Narva, Battle of Pernau, Battle of Riga, Courland Pocket.

1934

 * Divisional Staff
 * Allenstein Infantry Regiment
 * Rastenburg Infantry Regiment
 * Allenstein Artillery Regiment
 * Lyck Engineer Battalion
 * Allenstein Supply Column

1939

 * Divisional Staff
 * 11th Reconnaissance Battalion
 * 2nd Infantry Regiment
 * 23rd Infantry Regiment
 * 44th Infantry Regiment
 * 11th Field Repalcement Battalion
 * 11th Artillery Regiment
 * 47th Artillery Regiment
 * 11th Panzerjäger Battalion
 * 11th Engineer Battalion
 * 11th Observation Battalion
 * 11th News Battalion
 * 11th Supply Column

Commanders

 * 1935—1937 Generalmajor Günther von Niebelschültz
 * 1937—1939 Generalmajor Max Bock
 * 1939—1942 Generalleutnant Herbert von Böckmann
 * 1942—1943 Generalmajor Siegfried Thomaschki
 * 1943—1944 Generalleutnant Karl Burdach
 * 1944—1944 Generalleutnant Hellmuth Reymann
 * 1944—1945 Generalleutnant Gerhard Feyerabend