The 72nd Infantry Division () was formed on 19 September 1939 in Trier from Grenz-Division Trier, a border security unit.
It was later refitted in Poland in March 1944 as part of the 24th wave (Aufstellungswelle).
On 1 January 1945, the division, then under command of the 4th Panzer Army of Army Group A, had a strength of 10,493 men.
The division surrendered to the Red Army in May 1945, after which Generalmajor Karl Arning was convicted of war crimes in the Soviet Union.
Commanding officers
- General der Infanterie Franz Mattenklott (19 September 1939 â 25 July 1940)
- General der Infanterie Helge Auleb (25 July 1940 â 4 September 1940)
- General der Infanterie Franz Mattenklott (4 September 1940 â 6 November 1940)
- Generalleutnant Philipp Müller-Gebhard (6 November 1940 â 10 July 1942)
- Generalmajor Curt Souchay (10 July 1942 â 24 November 1942)
- Generalleutnant Philipp Müller-Gebhard (24 November 1942 â 17 February 1943)
- Generalleutnant Ralph Graf von d'Oriola (17 February 1943 â 3 May 1943)
- Generalleutnant Philipp Müller-Gebhard (3 May 1943 â 1 November 1943)
- Generalleutnant Erwin Menny (1 November 1943 â 20 November 1943)
- Generalleutnant Dr. Hermann Hohn (20 November 1943 â 25 March 1944)
- Generalmajor Karl Arning (10 June 1944 â 19 June 1944)
- General der Kavallerie Gustav Harteneck (19 June 1944 â 1 July 1944)
- Generalleutnant Dr. Hermann Hohn (1 July 1944 â 20 April 1945)
- Generalleutnant Hugo BeiÃÂwänger (20 April 1945 â 8 May 1945)
See also
References
Citations
Bibliography