The 712. Infanterie-Division was formed on 5 May 1941 as part of the 15. Welle (wave). It was transferred to France in June 1941 where it served on occupation and security duties. Moved in June 1942, the division assumed defense of parts of the Belgian and Dutch coasts. Following the Allied breakout from Normandy, it defended the Scheldt River estuary, the Gent-Terneuzen Canal, and ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Refitted after suffering heavy losses in the Netherlands, the division was transferred to Poland in January 1945 where it was destroyed on the Warthe River.
The heavily decimated remnants were distributed to 45. Infanterie-Division and 68. Infanterie-Division. The staff was transferred to Heeresgruppe Weichsel as a Stab "zur Verfügung". It was used there since the first days of February 1945 to command mixed up troops - mainly consisting of Fahnenjunker-Grenadier-Regimenter - in the Oder Front fightings and to hold the defensive positions at the Seelow Hights.
The division was reformed with organic troops on 26 March 1945 first in the area Küstrin from regiments which had been attached to the Panzergrenadier-Division Kurmark, including Grenadier-Regiment 1239 and Grenadier-Regiment 1241, which were used to rebuild Grenadier-Regiment 732 and Grenadier-Regiment 745 respectively. The division was destroyed a month later in the Halbe pocket.

Commanders

Generalmajor George von Döhren (3 May 1941 - 15 Apr 1942)
Generalleutnant Friedrich-Wilhelm Neumann (16 Apr 1942 - 25 Feb 1945)
Generalmajor Joachim von Siegroth (25 Feb 1945 - 2 Apr 1945)

Area of operations

Germany (May 1941 - June 1941)
France (June 1941 - June 1942)
Belgium (June 1942 - Sep 1944)
Netherlands & Western Germany (Sep 1944 - Jan 1945)
Eastern Front, central sector (Jan 1945 - Apr 1945)

Order of battle (1941)

Infanterie-Regiment 732
Infanterie-Regiment 745
Artillerie-Abteilung 652
Pionier-Kompanie 712
Nachrichten-Kompanie 712
Versorgungseinheiten 712

Order of battle (1943)

Grenadier-Regiment 732
Grenadier-Regiment 745
Artillerie-Regiment 652
Pionier-Bataillon 712
Panzerjäger-Kompanie 712
Nachrichten-Abteilung 712
Versorgungseinheiten 712

Order of battle (1945)

Grenadier-Regiment 732
Grenadier-Regiment 745
Grenadier-Regiment 764
Füsilier-Bataillon 712
Artillerie-Regiment 1712
Pionier-Bataillon 712
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 712
Nachrichten-Abteilung 712
Feldersatz-Bataillon 1712
Versorgungseinheiten 712

Sources used

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

Reference material on this unit

J.N. Houterman & H. Sakkers - Stützpunkt Oostburg: Divisionshauptquartier am Atlantikwall 712. Infanterie-Division