German 176th Infantry Division
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| 176th Infantry Division | |
|---|---|
 Emblems used by the 176 Division during WWII |
|
| Active | World War II October 1944 - May 1945 |
| Country | Germany |
| Branch | Heer |
| Type | Infantry Division |
| Battles/wars | Battle for the Roer Triangle (Operation Blackcock) Ruhr Pocket |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
General-Major Landau |
Contents |
[edit] Brief History
In 31 October 1944 the German 176th Infantry Division was formed out of the 176th Division and was a “training and replacement” division. It had a strength of about 7,000 men, most of who were in a poor shape. One battalion consisted of men with serious hearing maladies, two comprised Luftwaffe personnel with ample infantry training, while many others were convalescents and semi-invalids. (Source: U.S. Army, Order of Battle of the German Army, Washington, 1945, p. 193) In November and December 1944 the Division was part of XII SS Korps / 5 Panzer Armee. Between January and March 1945 the 176th Infantry Division was assigned to the XII SS Corps, 15 Army. The 176th Division was a 'regular' military division which operated mainly on the Dutch side of the "Roer bridgehead" during Operation Blackcock. During the operation Its HQ was located at Effeld near Vlodrop. The division was actually refitting and re-equipping during the Battle of the Bulge and Operation Blackcock. In April 1945 the division was assigned to the LXXIV Korps of German 15th Army and saw action in the Duisburg area.
[edit] Commanders
176 Division was under command of General-Major Christian-Johannes Landau (1897 - 1952). Landau was a World War I veteran and “artilleryman”, and took command of 176th Infantry Division on January 1st 1945. He was awarded the Iron Cross on May 9th 1945. Landau held a Masters degree in Agriculture. He was taken into captivity on May 9th 1945 and released in 1947. He died in 1952 in Freiburg / Brunswig at the age of 55.
[edit] Organisation
The German 176th Infantry Division had been formed in October 1944, and included three Grenadier Regiments (1218, 1219 and 1220). It totalled six Grenadier battalions, one Fusilier battalion and one "Panzerjäger" ("Anti-Tank) battalion. The Artillery Regiment 1178 consisted of four battalions. From captured documents dating from October 1944 it is believed that the 176 Infantry operated in so-called Battle Groups ("Kampfgruppen"), three of which were centred on the Grenadier Regiments, while the fourth was organized around the Engineer/Pioneer battalion.
[edit] Sources
- U.S. Army, Order of Battle of the German Army, Washington, 1945
- “Mythos revisited – American Historians on German Fighting Power in WWII” by Thomas E. Nutter. Chapter 10 – Closing in with the enemy (Michael Doubler).
