The Divisionsstab z.b.V. 136 was formed on 25 April 1944 in the command area of OB West. It was built out of Stab Kommandeur der Osttruppen z.b.V. 721, which was to command Osttruppen (volunteers from the USSR).
The Div.Stab substituted the command of Küstenverteidigungs-Abschnitt Antwerpen which was dissolved, since 28 May 1944. The defence of the sector Antwerp (Antwerpen in dutch) had befallen onto Divisionsstab zur besonderen Verwendung 136 under the command of Generalmajor Graf zu Stolberg-Stolberg. His HQ was located in some bunkers next to the city park of Antwerp. Next to an administrative staff, zu Stolberg-Stolberg had at his disposal the Russian volunteers of the Ostbataillon 600, who were guarding the bridges over the river Nete and two "Magen" batallions, MI and MII/136 ["stomach btls."]. During the fighting he also could count on the help of 2 batallions of the Sicherungs-Regiment 16, a batallion Vlaamse Wacht and the troops of Feldkommandantur 520 and some smaller units. An estimated total of 16.000 men, who had to defend the sector of Antwerp against the British 11th Armored Division, but also had to destroy the harbor facilities.
The city of Antwerp fell on 5 September 1944 ; its garison had capitulated on 4 September 1944. When the Allied forces entered the City of Antwerp around 14:00 hours on 4 September 1944 (4th King's Shropshire Light Infantry and elements of 2nd Five and Forfar Yeomanry), the city park remained a difficult defensive nut to crack. It took them till 22:00 hours to finish the job. Shortly after midnight Graf zu Stolberg-Stolberg was captured and was taken to the British Brigade CO, Brigadier General Churcher.
During the fightings in the city these day, Stolberg himself remained in contact with the LXXXVIII. Armeekorps. Around 15:30 hours he still had a telephone conversation with General der Infanterie Reinhard who instructed him to hold as long as possible. Stolberg described the situation as critical ; the few PAK, which he had at his disposal, had been lost and everywhere streetfighting was going on. The situation was impossible to hold and zu Stolberg decided at the falling of darkness to risk a breakout. It didn't come that far. The cossacks, who guarded his HQ, surrendered when British tanks and infantry entered the city park. A German counterattack failed and zu Stolberg surrendered with his staff.
Div.Stab z.b.V. 136 which in fact ceased to exist with the fall of Antwerpen was dissolved officially on 30 October 1944.

Commanders

Generalmajor Christoph Graf zu Stolberg-Stolberg (1 Apr 1944 - 4 Sep 1944)

Area of operations

France & Netherlands (Mar 1944 - Sep 1944)

Order of battle

Stab
Magen-Bataillon (M)I./136
Magen-Bataillon (M)II./136
Ost-Bataillon 600 (cossacks)
Sicherungs-Regiment 16
- 2 Btle
1 Btl. Vlaamse Wacht
Feldkommandantur 520

Sources used

Peter Taghon - Belgie 1944: De bevrijding (Lannoo, Tielt, 1993)
Georg Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -