The 253. Infanterie-Division was formed in August 1939 as part of the 4. Welle (wave). It surrendered to the Soviet Red Army at Deutsch-Brod at the end of the war.

Commanders

Generalleutnant Fritz Kühne (1 Sep 1939 - 7 Mar 1941)
General der Infanterie Otto Schellert (7 Mar 1941 - 18 Jan 1943)
Generalleutnant Carl Becker (18 Jan 1943 - 17 June 1944)
Generalleutnant Hans Junck (17 June 1944 - 28 June 1944)
Generalleutnant Carl Becker (28 June 1944 - 5 May 1945)
Generalmajor Joachim Schwatlogesterding (5 May 1945 - 8 May 1945)

Operations Officers (Ia)

Oberstleutnant Walther von Hünersdorff (26 Aug 1939-20 Oct 1939)
Major Kurt von Einem (23 Oct 1939-1 Jul 1940)
Major Franz Schlieper (1 Jul 1940-30 Jul 1941)
Major Ernst Lenné (30 Jul 1941-20 Jan 1943)
Oberstleutnant Hans-Joachim Ludendorff (20 Jan 1943-5 Nov 1943)
Oberstleutnant Josef Weber (5 Nov 1943-25 Dec 1944)
Major Siegfried Dönges (25 Dec 1944-1945)

Area of operations

Germany (Sep 1939 - May 1940)
Belgium & France (May 1940 - Apr 1941)
Poland (Apr 1941 - June 1941)
Eastern front, central sector (June 1941 - Feb 1945)
Poland & Czechoslovakia (Feb 1945 - May 1945)

Holders of high awards

Holders of the Commendation Certificate of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army (14)
Holders of the Commendation Certificate of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army for Shooting Down Aircraft (2)
- Benda, Alois, 19.06.1942 (147), Schütze, 3./Inf.Rgt. 464
- Schwarze, Johann, 11.02.1943 (309), Obergefreiter, KFZ-Staffel/Gren.Rgt. 453
Holders of the German Cross in Gold (104)
Holders of the German Cross in Silver (3)
- Freigang, Willi, 18.08.1944, Oberfunkmeister, Stab Nachr.Abt. 253
- Requardt, Hermann, 31.01.1945, Stabsintendant, Vers.Rgt. 253
- Schroer, Wilhelm, 29.04.1945, Oberfeldwebel d.R., Felders.Btl. 253
Holders of the Honor Roll Clasp of the Heer (47)
Holders of the Knight's Cross (23, including two unofficial/unconfirmed) (22 RK + 1 EL)
Unit-Level Commendation Certificate of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army for Shooting Down Aircraft (7)
- 3./Infanterie-Regiment 453
-- Date/Place of Downing: 19.03.1942 bei Wysokoje
-- Award Date: 16.05.1942 (144)
- 7./Infanterie-Regiment 464
-- Date/Place of Downing: 05.02.1942 bei Moshaika
-- Award Date: 19.06.1942 (149)
- 10./Artillerie-Regiment 253
-- Date/Place of Downing: 19.03.1942 bei Paschkowo
-- Award Date: 19.06.1942 (160)
- Stab III./Infanterie-Regiment 464
-- Date/Place of Downing: 16.05.1942 bei Rutschewacha
-- Award Date: 19.07.1942 (176)
- Aufklärungs-Abteilung 253
-- Date/Place of Downing: 16.05.1942 bei Grjasnaja
-- Award Date: 19.07.1942 (178)
- 12./Infanterie-Regiment 453
-- Date/Place of Downing: 29.05.1942 bei Makarowo
-- Award Date: 10.08.1942 (202)
- 10./Infanterie-Regiment 453
-- Date/Place of Downing: 06.10.1942 bei Karpowo
-- Award Date: 11.02.1943 (306)

Order of battle (1939)

Infanterie-Regiment 453
Infanterie-Regiment 464
Infanterie-Regiment 473
Artillerie-Regiment 253
Divisionseinheiten 253

Order of battle (1944)

Infanterie-Regiment 453
Infanterie-Regiment 464
Infanterie-Regiment 473
Artillerie-Regiment 253
Divisionseinheiten 253

Militaria

Documents of Oberleutnant Willy Schultze

Franz Hulin was awarded the German Cross in Gold 2 January 1942 as Oberleutnant with 8./Inf.Rgt. 453

(Courtesy of Kevin Huckfield)

Sources used

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

Reference material on this unit

Clemens Frhr. von Boenninghausen - 253. Infanterie Division: Weg und Ende einer rheinisch westfälischen Division im Osten 1941-1945