The 227. Infanterie-Division was formed on 26 August 1939 as part of the 3. Welle (wave). After performing border security duties in the Eifel region, the division took part in the invasion of the Low Countries and France in May-June 1940. It remained in France on coastal defense, security and training duties until October 1941 when it transferred to northern Russia. The division saw almost continuous action at Leningrad and Lake Lagoda before withdrawing to Narva in the face of the Soviet offensive in January 1944.
Suffering heavy losses on the Narva front, the division received a manpower boost in February 1944 by absorbing elements of the disbanded 9. Feld-Division (L). Following heavy combat in Courland, the division was transferred to West Prussia. It fought on the Vistula and at Danzig and Gotenhafen where it was effectively destroyed by March 1945. In April 1945, the division staff was absorbed by the staff of Panzer-Ausbildungs-Verband Ostsee.

Commanders

Generalleutnant Friedrich Zickwolff (1 Sep 1939 - 6 May 1940)
Generalleutnant Friedrich-Karl von Wachter (6 May 1940 - 1 July 1940)
Generalleutnant Friedrich Zickwolff (1 July 1940 - 12 Apr 1941)
General der Artillerie Friedrich von Scotti (12 Apr 1941 - 7 June 1943)
General der Artillerie Wilhelm Berlin (7 June 1943 - 11 May 1944)
Generalmajor der Reserve Maximilian Wengler (11 May 1944 - 27 Mar 1945)

Operations Officers (Ia)

Major Karl-Heinrich Erich Graf von Klinckowstroem (1939-Jan 1941)
Major Karl Zipper (Feb 1941-10 Jan 1942)
Major Bußmann (10 Jan 1942-15 Mar 1942)
Major Karl Zipper (15 Mar 1942-Dec 1942)
Major Dietrich Kördel (Dec 1942-Jan 1943)
Hauptmann Hans-Jürgen Vogler (Jan 1943-Mar 1943)
Oberstleutnant Günther Starck (Mar 1943-1 Sep 1944)
Major Reinhold Rehfeld (1 Sep 1944-1 Apr 1945)

Area of operations

Germany (Sep 1939 - May 1940)
Belgium (May 1940 - July 1940)
France (July 1940 - Oct 1941)
Eastern front, northern sector (Oct 1941 - Jan 1945)
North-eastern Germany (Jan 1945 - Mar 1945)

Nicknames

Stern-Division (Star Division)

Holders of high awards

Holders of the Close Combat Clasp in Gold (17)
Holders of the Commendation Certificate of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army (7)
- Brandt, Adolf, 17.10.1944 (4207), Oberleutnant, Chef 1./Pz.Jäg.Abt. 227
- Faust, Jakob, 17.10.1944 (4193), Sanitäts-Unteroffizier, 3./Pi.Btl. 227
- Gläser, Friedrich, 15.05.1944 (3297), Hauptmann, Abt.Fhr. II./Art.Rgt. 227
- Kördel, Dietrich, 26.02.1943 (1570), Major i.G., Ia 227. Inf.Div.
- Müller, Jakob, 05.12.1944 (4739), Oberleutnant, Chef 13./Gren.Rgt. 328
- Schmidt, Albert, 27.09.1944 (4065), Leutnant, Btl.Adj. Div.Füs.Btl. (AA) 227
- Striewe, Heinz, 18.04.1942 (927), Oberleutnant, Chef 1./Radf.Abt. 227
Holders of the German Cross in Gold (105)
Holders of the Honor Roll Clasp of the Heer (17)
Holders of the Knight's Cross (28)

Order of battle (1939)

Infanterie-Regiment 328
Infanterie-Regiment 366
Infanterie-Regiment 412
Aufklärungs-Abteilung 227
Artillerie-Regiment 227
- I. Abteilung
- II. Abteilung
- III. Abteilung
- IV. Abteilung
Pionier-Bataillon 227
Panzerabwehr-Abteilung 227
Nachrichten-Abteilung 227
Versorgungseinheiten 227

The Aufklärungs-Abteilung included a armored car unit, equipped in part with Swedish made Landsverk L-180 armored cards that had been captured in the Netherlands and in part with DAF armored cars. The nickname of the unit was "Schnelle Truppe Mahnken" after the commander of the reconnaissance battalion Heinrich Mahnken.

Order of battle (1942)

Grenadier-Regiment 328
Grenadier-Regiment 366
Grenadier-Regiment 412
Radfahr-Abteilung 227
Artillerie-Regiment 227
- I. Abteilung
- II. Abteilung
- III. Abteilung
- IV. Abteilung
- V. Abteilung (1)
Pionier-Bataillon 227
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 227
Nachrichten-Abteilung 227
Versorgungseinheiten 227

Order of battle (1943-1945)

Grenadier-Regiment 328
Grenadier-Regiment 366
Grenadier-Regiment 412 (2)
Füsilier-Bataillon 227
Artillerie-Regiment 227
- I. Abteilung
- II. Abteilung
- III. Abteilung
- IV. Abteilung
Pionier-Bataillon 227
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 227
Nachrichten-Abteilung 227
Feldersatz-Bataillon 227
Versorgungseinheiten 227

Footnotes

1. The artillery regiment possessed V. Abteilung from 1940 to 1942.
2. Transferred to the 83. Infanterie-Division on 28 March 1945.

Sources used

Thorleif Olsson - AB Landsverks pansarbilar i Holland, del 2 (in Pansar, No 4, 2005)
Georg Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht 1933-1945

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -