Military unit
The
334th Infantry Division
(German:
334. Infanterie-Division
) was a
German Army
infantry division in
World War II
. Originally formed in November 1942, it surrendered to the
Allies
at the conclusion of the
Tunisian Campaign
in May 1943. The division was reconstituted on 3 June 1943 in France within the
1st Army
, with the staff of the 80th Infantry Division (which had only just been formed a few days prior) as well as remnants of the old division and replacement units. It spent the remainder of the war serving on the
Italian Front
.
Operational history
[
edit
]
Tunisia
[
edit
]
The 334th Infantry Division was set up on 25 November 1942 as "
Kriemhilde
" unit of the military districts
XIII
,
XVII
and
XVIII
at the
Grafenwoehr training area
.
[1]
It was unusual that their three regiments (754, 755, 756)
[2]
were drawn up from three different military districts (754/XIII ? Nurnburg, 755/XVII ? Wien, 756/XVIII ? Salzburg).
[2]
It had two infantry regiments (754 and 755) and a mountain infantry regiment (756).
[2]
The division was already destined for a deployment in
Africa
at this point in time. In January 1943 the division was transferred by ship from Naples to Africa and assigned to the
5th Panzer Army
in
Tunisia
, in a time where the supply ports of the
Axis
, as well as its forces, where threatened to be encircled in the winter of 1942/43. Its lead elements of the 754. Infanterie-Regiment arrived in
Bizerta
in late December 1942 under the command of
Oberst
Friedrich Weber
(promoted to
Generalmajor
on Jan.1,1943),
[2]
with the rest of the Division arriving by 15 January 1943.
[2]
Together with the
10th Panzer Division
and the
Division “von Manteuffel”
, they successfully defended
Tunis
and northern Tunisia in the "
Run for Tunis
" in January 1943 as part of the "Company Eilbote" (
Unternehmen Eilbote
). Between February and March the division ("Kampfgruppe Krause") stayed in the northern Tunisian mountains and remained continually engaged, suffering heavy losses amid heavy fighting, in a series of fierce and costly engagements that cost the division dearly in casualties that it could not replace.
[2]
The 334th was involved in the storming of
Djebel Manson
. In late April 1943, "Gruppe Audorff" of the division participated in an attack on the heights of
Medjez el Bab
. After a week of bloody fighting, the 756.Geb.Inf.Rgt. retired from the heights it had recently regained and moved back towards Tunis. The 334th Division was separated from the rest of the army with the volunteer organization
“
Phalange africaine
”
of the
Vichy regime
, which had been assigned to the Division's 754.Inf.Rgt.(mot.),
[2]
and surrendered to the Allied troops in the Beja area on 8 May 1943, a few days before the fall of Tunis in the Bizerta bridgehead.
[
citation needed
]
Reconstruction
[
edit
]
After its destruction, the division was reorganized in
Bordeaux
,
[1]
southern France, in 3 June 1943. Contrary to the first list, this time all of their soldiers came from the military district of Nuremberg (Wehrkreis XIII).
[1]
[2]
On 20 October 1943,
Generalleutnant
Walter Scheller
took over the Division that was brought to Italy, after some 3 months of intensive training.
[2]
Used by
Army Group C
, it was part of the
LXXVI Panzer Corps
deployed in the sector of the
10th Army
on the
Ligurian coast
in the
Genoa
area.
[3]
In early 1944, the Division was part of the
LI. Mountain Corps
(
LI. Gebirgs-Armeekorps
) relocated south of
Pescara
to the
Gustav Line
between
Orsogna
and
Guardiagrele
east of the
Majella massif
. In January the division was assigned the
Ost-Btl. 555
as III./755;
[4]
[5]
temporarily renamed Stab III and 9.-12. Kp. Grenadier-Rgt. 755 in early 1944 (the FpN change was not entered until 17 Apr 44).
[5]
In January 1945 the Ost companies were removed from Gren.Rgt. 755, re-designated Russ. Btl. 555 and assigned to
14th Army
in Italy as an independent unit.
[5]
It remained in Italy to the
end of the war in northern Italy
.
[5]
Italy
[
edit
]
Parts of the division were used at
Pontecorvo
in the
Battle of Monte Cassino
on the course of the rivers
Liri
and
Sacco
. After the fall of the Gustav Line, the division withdrew to
Umbria
. On the
Trasimeno Line
(or Albert Line), the 334th was in positions southwest of
Castiglione del Lago
on
Lake Trasimeno
. After the collapse of the Trasimeno Line in the first days of July 1944, the division was involved in retreating battles in the
Val di Chiana
and on the
Pratomagno
south of
Arezzo
. Then the division was back in Genoa for rest and refitting.
[6]
[7]
From the end of July to the end of August, the 334th was deployed in the
Reggello
-
Pelago
area southeast of
Florence
to fight
partisans
. At the end of August, the division was moved to the area north of
Prato
. Understrength,
[2]
the division was assigned to the
XIV Panzer Corps
in October 1944, and took part in the defensive battles in the
Bologna
area, with an effective strength of only some 2600 troops,
[2]
where it was subordinate to the
I Parachute Corps
from time to time (August 1944 and February 1945).
[1]
[8]
In April 1945 the remnants of the division surrendered to the Americans of the
US 5th Army
in the
Dolomites
.
[7]
[4]
The divisional stocks relocated to
Liegnitz
reached
Thuringia
in their entirety evacuated by train at the beginning of 1945, where they were captured by American troops in April 1945 and brought to the
United States
via
Frankfurt am Main
.
[4]
There they were recorded again and - with the exception of the Ib documents - filmed. From 1962 they were returned to the
Federal Republic of Germany
. The documents first came to the document center of the
Military History Research Office
, from where they were handed over to the Federal Archives-Military Archives after they were closed at the beginning of 1968. This file material is supplemented by captured documents from the
Western theater of war
, by individual files from other groups of documents formed in the USA, in some cases with subject matter (e.g. "EAP") and by donations from private hands, including post-war elaborations by the study group of the US Historical Division.
[4]
War crimes
[
edit
]
Members of various units of the division were involved in several war crimes in Italy between February and September 1944, with up to thirty civilians executed in each incident.
[9]
Most of the victims were recorded in an
anti-partisan operation
north of Prato, in
Figline
on 6 September 1944 by members of the 756th Grenadier Regiment, 30 people were shot or hanged on the orders of Major Karl Laqua.
[10]
According to the
Atlante delle stragi naziste e fasciste in Italia
project, which was financed by the
German Federal Government
and led by a commission of historians, around 100 people were killed by members of the 334th Infantry Division.
[9]
Organization
[
edit
]
334. Infanterie-Division in 1942
[
edit
]
Grenadier-Regiment 754
(754th Grenadier Regiment):
Set up on 25 November 1942 for use in Africa with the 334th Infantry Division. The regiment was destroyed in Africa in May 1943.
Grenadier-Regiment 755
(755th Grenadier Regiment):
Set up on 25 November 1942 for use in Africa with the 334th Infantry Division. The regiment was destroyed in Africa in May 1943.
Gebirgsjager-Regiment 756
(756th Mountain Ranger Regiment):
The
Gebirgsjager-Regiment 756
was set up on 9 November 1942 in Wehrkreis XVIII. The regiment was created as a
Kriemhilde
unit. The staff was set up by the
Gebirgsjager-Ersatz-Regiment 136
(Mountain Ranger Replacement Regiment 136). The
I. Bataillon
(Major Rohr) was set up by the
Gebirgsjager-Ersatz-Regiment 137
(Mountain Ranger Replacement Regiment 137). The
II. Bataillon
was formed from the
Gebirgsjager-Ausbildungs-Bataillon I./136
(Mountain Ranger Training Battalion I./136) and the
Gebirgsjager-Ersatz-Bataillon III./136
(Mountain Ranger Replacement Battalion III./136). The battalions consisted of two mountain troops - one machine gun company and one heavy company. The 13th Company (
13. Kompanie
) was a tank destroyer company (
Panzerjager-Kompanie
).
The regiment was subordinate to the establishment of the 334th Infantry Division. Initially, the regiment completed a four-week training phase on the
Grafenwoehr military training area
, in Wehrkreis XIII. After that, 1,100
Lower Styrians
(
Untersteiermarkers
/Slovenes) made themselves so intolerable for the regimental leadership through crimes, rebellious behavior and refusal to obey orders that they were not used as soldiers at the front; being, therefore, transferred to other units. In addition, 3 death sentences were carried out. This happened shortly before the relocation to
Tunisia
, in
Africa
, which began on 28 December 1942. The gaps had to be made up by vacationers in Africa and other soldiers who were somehow available. The regiment was destroyed in
Tunis in 1943
.
The
Gebirgsjager-Ersatz-Bataillon I./138
(Mountain Ranger Replacement Battalion I./136) was responsible for the replacement of the regiment.
Artillerie-Regiment 334
(334th Artillery Regiment):
The
Artillerie-Regiment 334
was set up on 25 November 1942 at the
Grafenwoehr military training area
, in Wehrkreis XIII, under
Colonel
Hans-Joachim Ehlert. The regiment was created as a
Kriemhilde
regiment through levies from the military districts XIII and XVII. The regimental staff as well as the
I. (motorisierte) Abteilung
(1st (motorized) Battalion) were set up by the
Artillerie-Ersatz-Abteilung 103
(Artillery Replacement Battalion 103). The
II. (Gebirgs-) Abteilung
(2nd (Mountain) Battalion) was set up by the
Gebirgs-Artillerie-Ersatz-Regiment 112
(Mountain Artillery Replacement Regiment 112). The
III. (schwere) Abteilung
(3rd (heavy) Battalion) was formed by the
Artillerie-Ersatz-Abteilung 53
(Artillery Replacement Battalion 53). After the formation, the regiment was subordinated to the 334th Infantry Division. In February 1943 the regiment was reinforced to 10 batteries. In May 1943 the regiment was destroyed in the Tunis area.
Pionier-Bataillon 334
(334th Engineer Battalion):
The battalion was set up on 25 November 1942 at the
Grafenwohr military training area
, in Wehrkreis XIII, as a
Kriemhilde
unit, subordinated to the 334th Infantry Division. The 3rd Company was a
Gebirgs-Pionier-Kompanie
(Mountain Pioneer Company). In May 1943 it was destroyed in Tunisia.
Schnelle Abteilung 334
(334th Fast Battalion):
Set up on 25 November 1942 with two cycling squadrons and two tank destroyer companies. The unit was destroyed in Tunis in May 1943.
Infanterie-Divisions-Nachrichten-Abteilung 334
(Infantry Division 334th News Battalion):
Raised on 25 November 1942 in
Grafenwohr
. Destroyed in Tunis in May 1943. Reestablished on 5 July 1943 in France.
Kommandeur der Infanterie-Divisions-Nachschubtruppen 334 (Commander of Infantry Division 334th Resupply Troops):
Raised on 25 November 1942 in
Grafenwohr
. Destroyed in Tunis in May 1943. Relocated in June 1943 to France. On 1 September 1944, renamed
Divisions-Versorgungs-Regiment 334
(Divisional 334th Supply Regiment).
334. Infanterie-Division in 1943
[
edit
]
Divisional Staff:
Divisional staff taken from the skeleton 80th Infantry Division, designated
Divisions-Kommando 80 Infanterie-Division
(Divisional Command 80th Infantry Division). Set up on 5 May 1943 as a staff for a division to be set up by the end of July, it was renamed on 3 June 1943 to the staff of the 334th Infantry Division.
[1]
[11]
[12]
Grenadier-Regiment 754
(754th Grenadier Regiment):
Repositioned on 5 June 1943 in France. The
III. Battalion
was transferred to the
7th Panzer Division
on 12 September 1943. The
II. Battalion
was transferred to the
Grenadier Regiment 941
(of the 353rd Infantry Division, in
Brittany
) on 30 November 1943 and replaced.
Grenadier-Regiment 755
(755th Grenadier Regiment):
Repositioned on 5 June 1943 in France. The
III. Battalion
was transferred to the 353rd Infantry Division on 12 September 1943. The
Eastern Battalion 555
was incorporated as a replacement in 1944.
Grenadier-Regiment 756
(756th Grenadier Regiment):
Established in France on 1 July 1943 for the 334th Infantry Division with two grenadier battalions. The regiment replaced the
Gebirgs-Jager-Regiment 756
, which was destroyed in Africa. In 1944, an
Eastern battalion
was incorporated as the 3rd battalion.
Divisions-Fusilier-Bataillon 334
(Divisional 334th Fusilier Battalion):
Raised in France in June 1943 as
Aufklarungs-Abteilung 334
(334th Reconnaissance Battalion) with four companies. Renamed
Divisions-Fusilier-Bataillon 334
on 26 July 1943.
Panzerjager-Abteilung 334
(334th Tank Hunter Battalion):
Raised on 5 June 1943 from the personnel of the
Schnelle Abteilung 334
with a tank hunter company, an anti-aircraft company and an
Sturmgeschutz-Abteilung
(Assault Gun Battalion).
Artillerie-Regiment 334
(334th Artillery Regiment):
The
Artillerie-Regiment 334
was reorganized on 20 June 1943 in France. The new regiment was set up with four battalions. The new regiment was again subordinated to the 334th Infantry Division. On 24 November 1943, the 3rd Battalion was handed over to the
Artillerie-Regiment
353
and then replaced again. Various units were initially responsible for providing the regiment with replacements. In 1943,
Artillerie-Ersatz-Abteilung 10
(Artillery Replacement Battalion 10) took over the provision of replacements for the entire regiment. The regiment was commanded by
Colonel
Hans-Joachim Ehlert from 1 April 1942 to May 1944; succeeded by
Colonel
Doenning on 15 May 1944 onwards.
Pionier-Bataillon 334
(334th Engineer Battalion):
The battalions re-formation began on 4 July 1943 in France with the
1st Army
. In addition, the battalions 176, 194, 305, 371, 376 and 384 of the new
6th Army
, which were in the process of being re-established, supplied levies. The new battalion was also subordinated to the 334th Infantry Division as
Divisions-Pionier-Bataillon 334
(Divisional Pioneer Battalion 334). In December 1943, the battalion contributed levies to the formation of the
Pioneer Battalion 353
(of the 353rd Infantry Division, in
Brittany
). The replacements came from the
Pionier-Ersatz-Bataillon 46
(Pioneer Replacement Battalion 46) in
Regensburg
, Wehrkreis XIII.
Feldersatz-Bataillon 334
(334th Field Replacement Battalion):
Formed in October 1943 for the 334th Infantry Division with five companies.
Divisions-Nachrichten-Abteilung 334
(Divisional 334th News Department):
Recreated on 5 July 1943 in France.
Divisions-Nachschubfuhrer 334 (Divisional 334th Supply Command):
Recreated in June 1943 in France. On 1 September 1944, renamed
Divisions-Versorgungs-Regiment 334
(Divisional 334th Supply Regiment).
Legacy
[
edit
]
The German commander-in-chief in Italy,
Albert Kesselring
, wrote in his postwar memoirs about his subordinate units, and credited the 334th Infantry Division with a quick emergence as an elite division within weeks of the appointment of
Hellmuth Bohlke
as commander.
[13]
Commanding officers
[
edit
]
- Generalmajor
Friedrich Weber
(15 November 1942 ? 15 April 1943)
- Generalmajor Fritz Krause (15 April ? 12 May 1943)
- General der Artillerie
Heinz Ziegler
(24 May ? 20 October 1943)
- Generalleutnant
Walter Scheller
(20 October ? 27 November 1943)
- Generalleutnant
Hellmuth Bohlke
(1 February 1944 ? April 1945)
Bibliography
[
edit
]
- Werner Haupt (2005).
Die deutschen Infanterie-Divisionen, 3 Bande, Band 3: Aufstellungsjahr 1939?1945
[The German Infantry Divisions, 3 volumes, Volume 3: years of deployment 1939?1945], Dorfler Verlag,
ISBN
978-3-89555-274-8
.
- Mitcham, Samuel W., Jr. (2007).
German Order of Battle. Volume Two: 291st ? 999th Infantry Divisions, Named Infantry Divisions, and Special Divisions in WWII
. PA; United States of America: Stackpole Books. pg. 40?42,
ISBN
978-0-8117-3437-0
.
- Peter Young (1974),
Der Grosse Atlas zum II. Weltkrieg
[The Great Atlas for World War II], Sudwest Verlag, Munich, pg. 122?130.
- J.Fossinger (1985).
Die Abruzzen im Kriegsjahr 1943. Die 334. ID wird dorthin verlegt.
[The Abruzzo in the war year of 1943. The 334th ID will be moved there], Self-published.
- J. Fossinger (1987).
Die Abruzzen im Kriegsjahr 1944. Der Einsatz der 334. Infanterie-Division
[The Abruzzo in the war year of 1944. The deployment of the 334th Infantry Division], Self-published, Bolzano.
- J. Fossinger (1991).
Der Einsatz der 334. Infanterie-Division am Trasimenersee, beim Arno und in der Apenninstellung (20. Juni bis 30. September 1944)
[The deployment of the 334th Infantry Division on Lake Trasimeno, by the Arno and in the Apennine position (20 June ? 30 September 1944)],
Kameradenkreis
, Pyras.
- J. Fossinger (1993).
Die 334. Infanterie-Division bei der Cassino/Rom-Schlacht (11.5. - 20.6.1944)
[The 334th Infantry Division at the Cassino / Rome battle (11 May ? 20 June 1944)], Self-published
Kameradenkreis
(Circle of Comrades) of the 334th ID, Merano.
- J. Fossinger (1983).
Die Bombardierung von Baragazza am 11.9.1944 und der Kampf um die Apenninstellung
[The bombing of Baragazza on 11 September 1944 and the battle for the Apennines], Self-published, Bolzano.
- J. Fossinger (1989).
Die 334. Infanterie-Division (neu) im etruskischen Apennin (Italien) von September 1944 bis Kriegsende Mai 1945
[The 334th Infantry Division (new) in the Etruscan Apennines (Italy) from September 1944 to the end of the war in May 1945], Self-published
Kameradenkreis
of the 334th ID, Pyras.
Notes
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
"334. Infanterie-Division"
.
Lexikon der Wehrmacht
.
Archived
from the original on 8 March 2003
. Retrieved
24 March
2021
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
"334. Infanterie-Division"
.
Feldgrau: German Armed Forces Research 1918-1945
. 4 August 2020.
Archived
from the original on 22 September 2020
. Retrieved
24 March
2021
.
- ^
Schramm, Percy Ernst; Hubatsch, Walther; Verlag fur Wehrwesen, Bernard; Verlag fur Wehrwesen, Graefe (1963).
Kriegstagebuch des Oberkommandos der Wehrmacht (Wehrmachtfuhrungsstab). Band III: 1. Januar 1943 - 31. Dezember 1943
. Frankfurt am Main: Kriegsgliederungen. pp. 262, 1402.
- ^
a
b
c
d
"334. Infanterie-Division"
.
Portal Ehri Project
.
Archived
from the original on 30 October 2019
. Retrieved
24 March
2021
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
"Osttruppen units in the Wehrmacht"
.
Axis History
. 29 March 2013.
Archived
from the original on 6 August 2014
. Retrieved
24 March
2021
.
- ^
"Lo sfondamento della linea Albert, 2 luglio 1944"
.
combattentiereduci.it
.
Archived
from the original on 30 October 2019
. Retrieved
30 September
2019
.
- ^
a
b
Gentile, Carlo.
"Itinerari di guerra: La presenza delle truppe tedesche nel Lazio occupato 1943-1944"
(PDF)
.
Online-Publikationen des Deutschen Historischen Instituts in Rom
: 32.
- ^
Schramm, Percy Ernst; Verlag fur Wehrwesen, Bernard; Verlag fur Wehrwesen, Graefe (1965).
Kriegstagebuch des Oberkommandos der Wehrmacht, Band IV: 1944/5
. Frankfurt am Main: Kriegsgliederungen. pp. 1881, 1892, 1902.
- ^
a
b
"334. Infanterie-Division"
.
Stragi Nazi-Fasciste
(in Italian). Atlas of Nazi and Fascist Massacres in Italy.
Archived
from the original on 21 September 2018
. Retrieved
20 September
2018
.
- ^
Yada-Mc Neal, Stephan D. (2018).
Places of shame - German war crimes in Italy 1943-1945
. Norderstedt: Books on Demand. p. 132.
ISBN
978-3-7448-5095-7
.
OCLC
1187230524
.
- ^
"80. Infanterie-Division"
.
Lexikon der Wehrmacht
.
Archived
from the original on 27 December 2002
. Retrieved
30 March
2021
.
- ^
Mitcham, Samuel W. (2007).
German order of battle: 291st-999th Infantry Divisions, Named Infantry Divisions, and Special Divisions in WWII
. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. p. 29.
ISBN
978-0-8117-3416-5
.
OCLC
122526978
.
- ^
Kesselring, Albert (1953).
Soldat bis zum letzten Tag
. Athenaum. p. 268.
References
[
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]