German 22nd Infantry Division

22nd Infantry Division

22. Infanterie-Division

History

During April war in 1941, division was deployed on Bulgarian front facing Yugoslav 5th Army.

Division served in Greece before German withdrawal.

While moving through SandÅ¾ak division was redirected towards Montenegro where German 21st Army Corps was trapped by Partisans aided by British artillery of Floyd force. After successful operation 22nd was subordinated to 21st Corps with order to break north through Drina valley in order to link with 34th Crops holding Syrmian front. Originally division was suppose only to pass through 21st Corps area and move one but advance of Yugoslav Partisans 2nd Army across Drina river in second half of December changed that.

On 14 January 1945, division, as vanguard of the 21st Corps, arrived at Sokolac learning that 963rd Fortress Brigade in Vlasenica was surrounded and Han Pijesak was in Partisan hands. Two battle groups were formed for up coming advance and division was reinforced with 1004th and 1005th Fortress battalions. German advance through one meter deep snow begun on 15 January successfully linking up with garrison in Vlasenica on 18 January. Two reinforced battalions of the 22nd Division with parts of 963rd Brigade and 999th Infantry Division continued their advance reaching MiliÄ‡i on 23, Nova Kasaba on 24 and finally DrinjaÄa on 26 January. Primary goal was Zvornik in order to secure retreat route along Drina river for the rest of the 21st Corps.

Here, in front of DrinjaÄa, Partisans 14th Corps formed its division into defensive line while simultaneously launching flaking attacks on German columns moving along roads. 20th Serbian brigade successfully held the line from 25 to 27 January with both sides suffering heavy casualties fighting in blizzard conditions until replaced with 21st Serbian brigade which was pushed back in German general assault towards Zvornik on 30 January, running into 20th Serbian brigade holding new defensive line 15 km south of Zvornik at Å abiÄ‡i village which was attacked in the morning on 31st but failed, last two days of combat resulted in German losses of 58 killed, 15 wounded and 37 frozen. Next two days saw German attacks and Partisans counterattacks and even support by Yugoslav Air Force, with further 20 killed and 98 wounded.

Arriving at Zvornik on 16 February 1945 it become part of 34th Corps, division strength was 16,000 at that time. From Zvornik division continued its breakthrough north towards Bijeljina since Tuzla was firmly held by Partisans. In order to help 22nd Division which was also getting low on ammunition and fuel, Army Group E decided to use 104th Jager Division, its 724th Regiment was sent to advance from Doboj over GraÄanica towards Partisan held Tuzla, while its 734 Regiment reinforced with tanks and artillery besides all local Ustasha, Croatian Home Defense and Chetnik forces would advance over BrÄko and Bijeljina towards Zvornik.

Yugoslav 2nd Army failing to halt 22nd Division advance or to capture Bijeljina before it was heavily reinforced now decided to launch general attack against virtually surrounded division in order to split it smaller groups and destroy it. Task was given to 2nd Krajina, 6th East Bosnian, 17th Majevica, 16th Muslim and 20th Romanija brigades.

Breaking through to Bijeljina at the end of February, division took new positions with 16th Regiment in Janja, Regiment in Bijeljina, 47th Regiment in MeÄ‘aÅ¡i, while its artillery regiment and rear echelons were deployed around Bijeljina. New task was to guard right flank of German units on Symrian front by holding the line from Drina river at Janja, south of Bijeljnia to ÄŒeliÄ‡ and BrÄko.
Division took part in counterattack on Yugoslav 2nd Army, Operation MAIGEWITTER, arriving very close to Tuzla. Afterward took part in defense of Brcko where its HQ was located.

At the beginning of April division started moving to Slavonia setting up defensive positions around Djakovo in order to halt advance of Yugoslav 1st Army. Falling back to Pleternica from 16 to 18 April it made there its stand against 1st Proletarian Division allowing for 21st Army Corps to withdraw from Bosnia river valley after which it fell back behind river Ilova.

Arrived to region of Pisaonice on 25 April where it joined 21st Corps and participated in counterattack across Ilova river against Yugoslav 1st Army. Until 3 May 1945, 22nd Division fought around Bjelovar and then begun withdrawal towards Slovenia. Division was disarmed on 12 May at Pozela near Celje.

Commanders

Helmut Friebe

Gerhard Kuhne

Order of battle

16th Grenadier Regiment

2nd Battalion - captain GÃ¼nter Steinmann

47th Grenadier Regiment

65th Grenadier Regiment

22nd Artillery Regiment

Battles & Campaigns

Oct 44 - Operation Siegfried - Anavrito, Kilkis, Greece

Operation MAIGEWITTER