German 207th Infantry Division
Encyclopedia
207th Infantry Division
207th Security Division
The German 207th Infantry Division was established in August 1939, and acted as a border security unit during the invasion of Poland
as part of the Fourth Army
under Army Group North
. In May 1940 during the invasion of the Netherlands
it attacked the Grebbe Line and was part of 18th Army
. In June 1940 it was transferred to the OKH reserve. In July it was transferred to Pomerania
, and in August it was disbanded and its elements used to create three security divisions
: the 207th, the 281st, and the 285th.
The German 207th Security Division served on the Eastern Front under Army Group North until November 1944, when it was written off the books. Its headquarters staff continued as a "special purpose" (German
z.b.V.) divisional headquarters under the Sixteenth Army
, ending the war in the pocket with Army Group Courland
.
207th Security Division
The German 207th Infantry Division was established in August 1939, and acted as a border security unit during the invasion of Poland
Invasion of Poland (1939)
The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe...
as part of the Fourth Army
German Fourth Army
The 4th Army was a field army of Imperial Germany during World War I and of the Wehrmacht during World War II-World War I:At the outset of war, the Fourth Army, with the Fifth Army, formed the center of the German armies on the Western Front, moving through Luxembourg and Belgium in support of the...
under Army Group North
Army Group North
Army Group North was a German strategic echelon formation commanding a grouping of Field Armies subordinated to the OKH during World War II. The army group coordinated the operations of attached separate army corps, reserve formations, rear services and logistics.- Formation :The Army Group North...
. In May 1940 during the invasion of the Netherlands
Battle of the Netherlands
The Battle of the Netherlands was part of Case Yellow , the German invasion of the Low Countries and France during World War II. The battle lasted from 10 May 1940 until 14 May 1940 when the main Dutch forces surrendered...
it attacked the Grebbe Line and was part of 18th Army
German Eighteenth Army
The 18th Army was a World War I and World War II field army.-World War I:The 18th Army was formed in 1918 by the German OHL and commanded by General Oskar von Hutier.-World War II:...
. In June 1940 it was transferred to the OKH reserve. In July it was transferred to Pomerania
Pomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
, and in August it was disbanded and its elements used to create three security divisions
Security Division (Germany)
The Wehrmacht Security Divisions were German military units which operated during World War II.-History and organisation:...
: the 207th, the 281st, and the 285th.
The German 207th Security Division served on the Eastern Front under Army Group North until November 1944, when it was written off the books. Its headquarters staff continued as a "special purpose" (German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
z.b.V.) divisional headquarters under the Sixteenth Army
German Sixteenth Army
The 16th Army was a World War II field army.It took part in the Battle of France. It was then deployed with Army Group North during Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. It fought its way into northern Russia where in January 1942 it was encircled by the Soviets near...
, ending the war in the pocket with Army Group Courland
Army Group Courland
Army Group Courland was a German Army Group on the Eastern Front which was created from remnants of the Army Group North, isolated in the Courland peninsula by the advancing Soviet Army forces during the 1944 Baltic Offensive of the Second World War. The army group remained isolated until the end...
.
See also
- InfantryInfantryInfantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
- Division (military)Division (military)A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
, Military unit - HeerGerman ArmyThe German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
, WehrmachtWehrmachtThe Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
, List of German divisions in WWII