Infantry Division Ferdinand von Schill (Wehrmacht)

The Infantry Division Ferdinand von Schill (German: Infanterie-Division Ferdinand von Schill) was an infantry division of the German Wehrmacht during World War II. It was formed in April 1945, within a month of the end of the war, and was the last division fielded by the German army during the war.

Infantry Division Ferdinand von Schill
Infanterie-Division Ferdinand von Schill
Active24 April 1945 (1945-04-24) – end of World War II
Country Nazi Germany
Branch German Army
TypeInfantry
Part of12th Army
PatronFerdinand von Schill

The division was named after the Prussian commander at the Battle of Stralsund of 1809, Ferdinand von Schill (1776–1809).

History

The Infantry Division Ferdinand von Schill was formed on 24 April 1945 by Sturmgeschützschule Burg personnel, the former Kampfgruppe Burg,[1] and assigned to the 12th Army (Wenck).[2] Its commander was Alfred Müller. Müller held the rank of Oberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel) and thus deviated from the typical Wehrmacht divisional commander in that he was not a general.[1]

The division was the last infantry division fielded by the German Army in World War II. Its deployment was so late in the war that it does not even appear in the listings of the German military postal service.[2]

At the end of the war, Infantry Division Ferdinand von Schill initially surrendered to American forces, but was handed over to the Soviets.[1]

References
  1. Mitcham, Samuel W. (2007). "Infantry Division Ferdinand von Schill". German Order of Battle. Volume Two: 291st-999th Infantry Divisions, Named Infantry Divisions, and Special Divisions in WWII. Stackpole Books. ISBN 9780811734165.
  2. Tessin, Georg (1977). "Infanterie-Division Ferdinand von Schill". Die Landstreitkräfte: Namensverbände. Luftstreitkräfte (Fliegende Verbände). Flakeinsatz im Reich 1943-1945. Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939-1945 (in German). 14. Osnabrück: Biblio Verlag. p. 79. ISBN 3764810971.
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