The 28. Jäger-Division was formed on 1 July 1942 by the redesignation of the 28. Leichte Infanterie-Division. It fought on the Kerch Peninsula and in the final assault on Sevastopol. It was transferred to the 11. Armee in the north and was due for transfer to Finland.
The division fought near Demyansk in late 1942 and in January and February 1943, in the second battle of Lake Ladoga. It absorbed the remnants of the disbanded 1. Feld-Division (L) in January 1944. In July 1944, the division fought in the failed attempt to prevent encirclement of the bulk of 4. Armee near Minsk. It suffered heavy losses during the retreat into Poland and the fighting near Brest-Litovsk. Less than 1.000 men remained of the division when it surrendered to the Red Army in East Prussia in May 1945.

Commanders

General der Artillerie Johann Sinnhuber (1 July 1942 - 1 May 1943)
General der Infanterie Friedrich Schulz (1 May 1943 - 25 Nov 1943)
Generalmajor Hubert Lamey (25 Nov 1943 - ? Jan 1944)
General der Artillerie Hans Speth (? Jan 1944 - 28 Apr 1944)
Generalleutnant Gustav Heisterman von Ziehlberg (28 Apr 1944 - 20 Nov 1944)
Generalmajor Ernst König (20 Nov 1944 - 12 Apr 1945)
Oberst Hans Tempelhoff (12 Apr 1945 - 8 May 1945)

Operations Officers (Ia)

Oberstleutnant Kurt Gundelach (1 July 1942 - 1 June 1943)
Oberstleutnant Christian Schaeder (1 June 1943 - 20 June 1944)
Major Joachim Kuhn (June 1944 - 27 July 1944) (1)
Major Wernher Freiherr von Schönau-Wehr (5 Aug 1944 - 20 Nov 1944)
Major Gerhard Schlie (20 Nov 1944 - 25 Nov 1944)
Major Wernher Freiherr von Schönau-Wehr (25 Nov 1944 - 1 Jan 1945)
Major Franz-Josef von Löbbecke (1 Jan 1945 - Apr 1945)
Oberstleutnant Ernst-August Freiherr von Wangenheim (Apr 1945 - May 1945)

Area of operations

Eastern front, southern sector (July 1942 - Sep 1942)
Crimea (Sep 1942 - Oct 1942)
Eastern front, northern sector (Oct 1942 - July 1944)
Eastern front, central sector (July 1944 - Jan 1945)
East Prussia (Jan 1945 - May 1945)

Nicknames

Eisernes Kreuz (Iron Cross)
Schlesische Division (Silesian Division)

Holders of high awards

(28. Infanterie-Division / 28. Leichte Infanterie-Division / 28. Jäger-Division)
Holders of the Close Combat Clasp in Gold (2)
- Frankenfeld, Erwin 01.04.1945 Oberleutnant Führer 1./Jäg.Rgt 49
- Kranz, Bernhard, 26.11.1944, Kp.Chef im III./Jäg.Rgt. 83
Holders of the Commendation Certificate of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army (13)
Holders of the German Cross in Gold (85)
Holders of the Honor Roll Clasp of the Heer (16)
Holders of the Knight's Cross (49, including one unofficial/unconfirmed)

Order of battle (1942)

Jäger-Regiment 49
Jäger-Regiment 83
Radfahr-Abteilung 28
Artillerie-Regiment 28
Pionier-Bataillon 28
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 28
Nachrichten-Abteilung 28
Feldersatz-Bataillon 28
Versorgungseinheiten 28

Order of battle (1943-1945)

Jäger-Regiment 49
Jäger-Regiment 83
Aufklärungs-Abteilung 28
Artillerie-Regiment 28 (2)
Pionier-Bataillon 28
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 28
Nachrichten-Abteilung 28
Feldersatz-Bataillon 28
Versorgungseinheiten 28

Heer Jäger Sleeve Badge

(Courtesy of The Ruptured Duck)

Notable members

Gustav Heisterman von Ziehlberg (Active in the resistance against Hitler and executed after the failure of the July 20 Plot)
Joachim Kuhn (Active in the resistance against Hitler)

Footnotes

1. Connected with the 20 July 1944 plot to assasinate Hilter, Major Kuhn deserted to the Soviets on 27 July 1944 rather than face arrest.
2. Redesignated Gebirgs-Artillerie-Regiment 28 on 11 May 1944.

Sources used

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

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -