1st Ski Division (Wehrmacht)

1. Skijäger Division
(English: 1st Ski Division)
Unit insignia
Active 1943–45
Country  Germany
Branch Heer
Type Infantry
Role Ski warfare
Size Division
Engagements World War II

The German 1st Ski Division (German: 1. Skijäger-Division) was an infantry unit trained to use skis for movement during winter. It was created on the Eastern Front in the autumn of 1943 in preparation for upcoming winter operations. It was enlarged into a full division in the summer of 1944. The division fought exclusively on the Eastern Front as part of Army Group Centre, including an approach to the Vistula river and during the retreat into Slovakia, southern Poland and the Czech lands (now the Czech Republic), where it surrendered to the Red Army in May 1945.[1]

Formation and Organization

Soldiers from the Skijäger-Brigade in Russia, in 1944.

The American writer and publisher George Nafziger states that the 1st Skijäger Division was formed on 2 June 1944 by expanding the 1st Skijäger Brigade, which had been initially formed in September 1943. As was usual for German formations at this point in the war, the division was formed around existing units which were strengthened with new recruits. Elements of the 19th Panzergrenadier Brigade, the 65th Heavy Artillery Regiment, the 152nd Panzerjǎger Battalion and the 18th Werfer (Rocket) Battalion with the 615th Flak (anti-aircraft) Battalion which was used to expand the brigade into a division.

Commanding officers

References

Citations
  1. ↑ p.35, Merriam
Bibliography
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