The Division z.b.V. 539 was formed in Prague on 15 October 1939 by the renaming of Landesschützen-Kommandeur 1. In 1940 the division contained the Staff/72nd Landesschützen Rgt and the 504th, 618th, 822nd, 373rd & 374th Landesschützen Battalions. On 10 September 1943 the Staff/49th Landesschützen Rgt. moved to Prague, where the 539th Signals Company & 539th Artillery Battalion were formed. In 1945 the Staff/49th Landesschützen Rgt. was placed with the 48. Infantrie Division in Slovakia and the Staff/72nd Landesschützen (as mobilized with the 1st & 2nd Battalions) was placed with the 168. Infantrie Division in Silesia.

Commanders

Generalleutnant Dr. Richard Speich (15 Oct 1939 - 1 Apr 1944)
Generalleutnant Wilhelm Thomas (1 Apr 1944 - 1 Sep 1944)
Generalleutnant Clemens Betzel (1 Sep 1944 - 27 Mar 1945)

Area of operations

Czechoslovakia (Oct 1939 - May 1945)

Sources used

Georg Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht 1933-1945

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -