The 11. Infanterie-Division was formed in Allenstein on 15 October 1935 from the cover name Infanterieführer I. The infantry regiments were formed from 2. (Preußisches) Infanterie-Regiment of 1. Division of the Reichwehr. It was mobilized in August 1939 as part of the 1. Welle (wave).
After heavy combat in Courland, the division was evacuated to Germany in April 1945.

Commanders

Generalleutnant Günther von Niebelschütz (15 Oct 1935 - 1 Apr 1937)
General der Infanterie Max Bock (1 Apr 1937 - 23 Oct 1939)
General der Infanterie Herbert von Böckmann (23 Oct 1939 - 26 Jan 1942)
General der Artillerie Siegfried Thomaschki (26 Jan 1942 - 7 Sep 1943)
Generalleutnant Karl Burdach (7 Sep 1943 - 1 Apr 1944)
Generalleutnant Hellmuth Reymann (1 Apr 1944 - 18 Nov 1944)
Generalleutnant Gerhard Feyerabend (18 Nov 1944 - 8 May 1945)

Operations Officers (Ia)

Major Lothar Schaefer (26 Aug 1939 - 5 Feb 1940)
Oberstleutnant Karl-Heinz Mürau (5 Feb 1940 - 8 Oct 1942)
Oberstleutnant Ernst-Friedrich Langenstraß (8 Oct 1942 - 10 Sep 1944)
Major Börries Freiherr von Hammerstein-Gesmold (15 Oct 1944 - 10 Jan 1945)
Major Dieter Schwarz (? 1945 - ? 1945)

Area of operations

Poland (Sep 1939 - May 1940)
France (May 1940 - June 1941)
Eastern front, northern sector (June 1941 - Aug 1943)
Greece (Aug 1943 - Sep 1943)
Eastern front, northern sector (Sep 1943 - Oct 1944)
Kurland pocket (Oct 1944 - May 1945)

Nicknames and Honor titles

Roter Elchkopf (Red Moose Head)

Infanterie-Regiment 2 was given the title Infanterie-Regiment Allenstein 1 October 1934 but was redesignated 15 October 1935.
Infanterie-Regiment 23 was given the title Infanterie-Regiment Rastenburg 1 October 1934 but was redesignated 15 October 1935.

Holders of high awards

Holders of the Close Combat Clasp in Gold (12)
Holders of the Commendation Certificate of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army (5)
- Blömeke, Hans, 18.03.1942 (850), Oberjäger, 2./Inf.Rgt. 2  
- Dorsch, Karl, 17.04.1944 (3115), Unteroffizier, Gruppenführer i. d. 7./Gren.Rgt. 2
- Haeber, Joachim, 16.02.1942 (725), Oberleutnant, Chef 2./Pi.Btl. 11
- Källner, Hans, 12.07.1941 (083), Oberstleutnant, Fhr. Vorausabteilung 11. Inf.Div. [for action 29.06.1941-01.07.1941 bei Riga]
- Stein, Alexander, 05.05.1944 (3225), Oberleutnant, Schwd.Chef 4./Div.Füs.Btl. 11
Holders of the Commendation Certificate of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army for Shooting Down Aircraft (2)
- Plum, Wilhelm, 03.08.1944 [Date of Action] (551), Oberjäger, 4./Gren.Rgt. 2
Zimmermann, Johannes, 16.08.1943 (342), Stabsgefreiter, 7./Art.Rgt. 11
Holders of the German Cross in Gold (104)
Holders of the Honor Roll Clasp of the Heer (50)
Holders of the Knight's Cross (43, including one unofficial/unconfirmed)
Unit-Level Commendation Certificate of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army for Shooting Down Aircraft (2)
- 2./Infanterie-Regiment 44
-- Date/Place of Downing: 16.06.1942 bei Kirischi
-- Award Date: 28.11.1942 (256)
- 2./Artillerie-Regiment 11
-- Date/Place of Downing: 24.07.1944 bei Sirgalla
-- Award Date: 00.00.0000 (533)

Order of battle (1939)

Infanterie-Regiment 2
Infanterie-Regiment 23
Infanterie-Regiment 44
Aufklärungs-Abteilung 11
Artillerie-Regiment 11
Beobachtungs-Abteilung 11 (1)
Pionier-Bataillon 11
Panzerabwehr-Abteilung 11
Nachrichten-Abteilung 11
Feldersatz-Bataillon 11
Versorgungseinheiten 11

Order of battle (1942)

Grenadier-Regiment 2
Grenadier-Regiment 23
Grenadier-Regiment 44
Radfahr-Abteilung 11
Artillerie-Regiment 11
Pionier-Bataillon 11
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 11
Nachrichten-Abteilung 11
Feldersatz-Bataillon 11
Versorgungseinheiten 11

Order of battle (1944-1945)

Grenadier-Regiment 2
Grenadier-Regiment 23
Grenadier-Regiment 44
Füsilier-Bataillon 11
Artillerie-Regiment 11
Pionier-Bataillon 11
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 11
Nachrichten-Abteilung 11
Feldersatz-Bataillon 11
Versorgungseinheiten 11

Notable members

Adolf Heusinger (Active in the resistance against Hitler, the Bundeswehr barracks General-Heusinger-Kaserne in Hammelburg was named in his honour 1986, General in the post-WW2 German Bundeswehr, Generalinspekteur der Bundeswehr and Chairman of the NATO Military Committee)

Footnotes

1. Released from the division in December 1939 and designated Heerestruppe.

Sources used

Georg Tessin - Deutsche Verbände und Truppen 1918-1939

Reference material on this unit

Werner Buxa - Weg und Schicksal der 11. Infanterie Division
Kameradenkreis der Angehörigen der ehem. 11. Inf.Div. - 50 Jahre ehem. 11. (ostpreußische) Infanterie Division. Geschichte und Entstehung ihrer Verbände