72nd Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)

The 72nd Infantry Division (72. Infanterie-Division) was formed on 19 September 1939 in Trier from Grenz-Division Trier, a border security unit.

It was later refitted in Poland in March 1944 as part of the 24th wave (Aufstellungswelle).

On 1 January 1945, the division, then under command of the 4th Panzer Army of Army Group A, had a strength of 10,493 men.

The division surrendered to the Red Army in May 1945, after which Generalmajor Karl Arning was convicted of war crimes in the Soviet Union.



Commanding officers

 * General der Infanterie Franz Mattenklott (19 September 1939 – 25 July 1940)
 * General der Infanterie Helge Auleb (25 July 1940 – 4 September 1940)
 * General der Infanterie Franz Mattenklott (4 September 1940 – 6 November 1940)
 * Generalleutnant Philipp Müller-Gebhard (6 November 1940 – 10 July 1942)
 * Generalmajor Curt Souchay (10 July 1942 – 24 November 1942)
 * Generalleutnant Philipp Müller-Gebhard (24 November 1942 – 17 February 1943)
 * Generalleutnant Ralph Graf von d'Oriola (17 February 1943 – 3 May 1943)
 * Generalleutnant Philipp Müller-Gebhard (3 May 1943 – 1 November 1943)
 * Generalleutnant Erwin Menny (1 November 1943 – 20 November 1943)
 * Generalleutnant Dr. Hermann Hohn (20 November 1943 – 25 March 1944)
 * Generalmajor Karl Arning (10 June 1944 – 19 June 1944)
 * General der Kavallerie Gustav Harteneck (19 June 1944 – 1 July 1944)
 * Generalleutnant Dr. Hermann Hohn (1 July 1944 – 20 April 1945)
 * Generalleutnant Hugo Beißwänger (20 April 1945 – 8 May 1945)