The 36. Infanterie-Division was formed in Kaiserslautern on 1 October 1936. It was mobilized in August 1939 as part of the 1. Welle (wave). It was reorganized and redesignated 36. Infanterie-Division (mot) on 1 November 1940.

It was de-motorized, reorganized and redesignated 36. Infanterie-Division on 1 May 1943. It was strengthened by the addition of Divisions-Gruppe 268, made up of the remnants of the 268. Infanterie-Division, in November 1943. The division was destroyed at Bobruysk in June 1944 during the Soviet summer offensive. It was reformed on 3 August 1944 as the 36. Grenadier-Division.

Commanders

Generaloberst Georg Lindemann (1 Sep 1939 - 25 Oct 1940)
[Reformed]
General der Infanterie Hans Gollnick (? June 1943 - 1 Aug 1943)
Generalleutnant Rudolf Stegmann (1 Aug 1943 - 10 Aug 1943)
Generalmajor Gottfried Fröhlich (10 Aug 1943 - 20 Sep 1943)
Generalleutnant Rudolf Stegmann (20 Sep 1943 - 1 Jan 1944)
Generalmajor Horst Kadgien (1 Jan 1944 - 17 Jan 1944)
Generalleutnant Egon von Neindorff (17 Jan 1944 - 19 Jan 1944)
Generalmajor Alexander Conrady (19 Jan 1944 - 1 July 1944)

Area of operations

West wall (Sep 1939 - May 1940)
[Reformed]
France (May 1940 - Oct 1940)
Eastern front (June 1943 - July 1944)

Holders of high awards

See 36. Infanterie-Division (mot)

Order of battle (1939)

Infanterie-Regiment 70 (1)
Infanterie-Regiment 87
Infanterie-Regiment 118
Aufklärungs-Abteilung 36
Artillerie-Regiment 36
- I. Abteilung
- II. Abteilung
- III. Abteilung
- I./Artillerie-Regiment 72 (2)
Beobachtungs-Abteilung 36 (3)
Pionier-Bataillon 36
Panzerabwehr-Abteilung 36
Nachrichten-Abteilung 36
Feldersatz-Bataillon 36
Versorgungseinheiten 36

Order of battle (1943-1944)

Grenadier-Regiment 87
Grenadier-Regiment 118
Divisions-Gruppe 268 (4)
- Stab der Gruppe
- Regiments-Gruppe 488
- Regiments-Gruppe 499
Aufklärungs-Abteilung 36 (5)
Artillerie-Regiment 268 (6)
- I. Abteilung
- II. Abteilung
- III. Abteilung
- IV. Abteilung
Pionier-Bataillon 36
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 36
Nachrichten-Abteilung 36
Feldersatz-Bataillon 36
Versorgungseinheiten 36

Memorial in Kaiserslautern to those killed in the 36. Infanterie-Division

(Courtesy of Wikimedia)

Footnotes

1. Transferred to the 111. Infanterie-Division on 5 November 1940.
2. Redesignated III./Artillerie-Regiment 36 on 11 November 1940.
3. Released from the division in December 1939 and designated Heerestruppe.
4. Assigned to the division from 2 November 1943 to 22 April 1944; disbanded and absorbed into Grenadier-Regiment 87 and Grenadier-Regiment 118.
5. Redesignated Füsilier-Bataillon 36 on 1 January 1944.
6. Artillerie-Regiment 36 was released from the division in November 1943 and designated Heerestruppe. It was replaced by Artillerie-Regiment 268 of the 268. Infanterie-Division on 2 November 1943.

Sources used

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

Reference material on this unit

Alexander Conrady - Die Wende 1943
Alexander Conrady - Rshew 1942-1943
Alexander Conrady - Rückzug vor Moskau 1941/42