2nd Infantry Division (Third Reich)

The division was formed in 1934 in Stettin on the basis of the 4th and 5th Infantry Regiments of the 2nd Reichswehr Infantry Division. Initially, for the purpose of misinformation, the division headquarters was called "the military command of Stettin" ( German: Wehrgauleitung Stettin ), then "commander of artillery II" ( German. Artillerieführer II ). When the Wehrmacht was officially announced in October 1935, the division became known as the 2nd Infantry ( German 2. Infanterie-Division ) and was subordinate to the command of the 2nd Corps . Unofficially called the "Pomeranian Division" ( German: Pommerische Division ), as it was formed in Pomerania and was originally equipped with conscripts from this land . Initially, the 4th, 5th and 25th Infantry Regiments were included in the division. In 1936, the 4th Regiment was removed from the division, serving as the basis for the formation of the new 32nd Infantry Division . Instead, the 92nd Infantry Regiment was re-formed. On October 12, 1937, the division became motorized (officially - 2. Infanterie-Division (mot.), That is, the 2nd Infantry Motorized Division). On April 1, 1938, a division from the 2nd Corps District came under the control of the command of the 14th Corps District , which was responsible for motorized formations.

In preparation for the hostilities against Czechoslovakia during the Sudeten crisis of 1938, the 2nd Motorized Division, part of the 14th Army Corps, became part of the 10th Army deployed in northern Bavaria . On the eve of the invasion of Poland in 1939, the division was included in the 19th army corps . In its composition, the division participated in the defeat of the Pomozha army in the Polish corridor , and then in its advance to Brest in order to encircle the main forces of the Polish army. After the defeat of Poland, the division was transferred to the Western Front in the Saar region. During the French campaign of 1940, the division operated as part of the 15th motorized corps of General Hermann Goth , subordinate to the command of the 4th Army . On October 5, 1940, the reorganization of the division into a tank division began, which ended on January 10, 1941 , when it was called the 12th Panzer Division .

• 5th Infantry Regiment (from October 12, 1937 - 5th Infantry Motorized Regiment)
• 25th Infantry Regiment (from October 12, 1937 - 25th Infantry Motorized Regiment)
• 92nd Infantry Regiment (from October 12, 1937 - the 92nd Infantry Motorized Regiment, from October 13, 1939, as part of the 60th Infantry Division )
• 2nd artillery regiment
• 1st Division of the 38th Artillery Regiment
• 2nd Air Force Battalion (until December 1939)
• 2nd anti-tank motorized battalion
• 2nd Reconnaissance Motorized Battalion
• 32nd Motorized Sapper Battalion
• 2nd Motorized Communications Battalion

• Lieutenant General Hubert Gerke , from October 1, 1934
• Lieutenant General Paul Bader , from April 1, 1937
• Major General Joseph Harpe , from October 5, 1940

• Major Friedrich-Wilhelm Hauk , from October 1, 1936
• Lt. Col. Heinz Hux , from November 10, 1938
• Major Helmut Bergengrün, from September 20, 1940

• Karl Bruggemann, 11/28/1940 - non-commissioned officer, commander of the headquarters company of the 5th infantry motorized regiment
• Klaus Freicherr von Hardenberg, 11/30/1940 - Major, commander of the 11th company of the 25th motorized infantry regiment
• Hubert Brinkfort, 03/07/1941 - corporal, gunner of the 14th (anti-tank) company of the 25th motorized infantry regiment

• 2.Infanterie-Division on Feldgrau.com
• 2.Infanterie-Division on the website lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de
• 2.Infanterie-Division on ordersofbattle.com

• List of divisions of the Third Reich
• The alignment of forces in Operation Barbarossa