320th Berlin Infantry Division

German unit histories, lineages, OoBs, ToEs, commanders, fieldpost numbers, organization, etc.

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Foilist
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Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2018 3:59 pm

320th Berlin Infantry Division

Post by Foilist »

Greetings,
I am researching the Ukrainian 3rd/4th Battle of Kharkov February/March 1943. In the lead up to Hauser's withdrawal the 320th Berlin Heart or Green Heart Infantry Division I have also seen them referred to, were isolated and made their way south towards the Donitz river under enemy attack. Kampfgruppe Peiper 3rd Battalion Liebstandarte AH were given the task of rescuing the Division which was under the command of General Postel. Kmfgp Peiper did indeed accomplish this across the path of the advancing Soviet forces south of Kharkov rescuing 1500 wounded Germans of the 320th early February 1943 and successfully returned the remnants of the division to German held territory.
What I am looking for is photographs, insignia, vehicle markings, types of vehicles they were equipped with and any other relevant information of this Division, who were extremely lucky to evade decimation, capture etc. thanks to the efforts of Kamfgruppe Peiper.

Thank you.
Alanmccoubrey
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Re: 320th Berlin Infantry Division

Post by Alanmccoubrey »

I wonder if someone will be able to tell us why it was called "The Berlin Infantry Division" when it was raised in Lübeck in Wehrkries X and not Berlin in Wehrkries III.
Alan
Foilist
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Re: 320th Berlin Infantry Division

Post by Foilist »

Alanmccoubrey wrote: Tue Apr 10, 2018 12:40 pm I wonder if someone will be able to tell us why it was called "The Berlin Infantry Division" when it was raised in Lübeck in Wehrkries X and not Berlin in Wehrkries III.
I suppose like many British regiments it was 'sponsored' by a certain Colonel who raised the regiments where he could find recruits and not necessarily within his area. Although the Schutztafel where the only military unit who did recruit outside of local areas, otherwise that's a mystery..
Alanmccoubrey
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Re: 320th Berlin Infantry Division

Post by Alanmccoubrey »

I'm afraid that you are showing a lack of understanding of the British and German systems in WW2. It was a couple of hundred years ago that British Colonels "owned" their regiments . The Heer Grossdeutschland units also recruited throughout Germany regardless of Wehrkries. Neither of these things would have caused a Division raised in Lubeck to carry the Berlin name. There were two other Infantry Divisions, 87th and 134th, which used a Green Heart as their divisional sign by the way but neither of those was raised in Berlin either.
Alan
Alanmccoubrey
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Re: 320th Berlin Infantry Division

Post by Alanmccoubrey »

No British Regiments in WW2 were "sponsored" by a private individual, that was a thing from a couple of hundred years before.
There were two German Infantry Divisions which used the Green Heart as a sign, 87th and 134th, but neither of these was raised in Berlin.
Alan
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