The 8. Luftwaffen-Feld-Division was formed on 29 October 1942 from Flieger-Regiment 42 and assigned to Armeeabteilung Hollidt in December 1942. Rushed to the front in response to the Soviet offensive that isolated the 6. Armee at Stalingrad, the division suffered crippling losses during the withdrawal from the Chir River and in the defense of Tatinskaya. The remnants were absorbed by the 15. Luftwaffen-Feld-Division in March 1943. The division was formally disbanded in May 1943.

Commanders

Oberst Hans Heidemeyer (? Oct 1942 - 1 Jan 1943)
Oberst Kurt Hähling (1 Jan 1943 - ? Mar 1943)

Operations Officers (Ia)

Major Hans Reuter (Oct 1942 - Jan 1943)
Hauptmann Otto Jaeger (Jan 1943 - Mar 1943)

Area of operations

Germany (Oct 1942 - Dec 1942)
Eastern front, central sector (Dec 1942 - May 1943)

Order of battle

Stab der Division
I.-IV. Bataillon (Infanterie, without regimental staff)
Radfahr-Kompanie der Luftwaffen-Feld-Division 8
Artillerie-Abteilung der Luftwaffen-Feld-Division 8
Flak-Abteilung der Luftwaffen-Feld-Division 8
Panzerjäger-Abteilung der Luftwaffen-Feld-Division 8
Pionier-Kompanie der Luftwaffen-Feld-Division 8
Luftnachrichten-Kompanie der Luftwaffen-Feld-Division 8
Versorgungseinheiten der Luftwaffen-Feld-Division 8

Notable members

Bengt-Olof Sterner (The only Swedish volunteer to serve in the LW ground forces. Killed at Sprottau in an accident while training to become a pilot 7 July 1944)

Sources used

Lars Gyllenhaal & Lennart Westberg - Svenskar i krig 1914-1945
Antonio Muñoz - Göring’s Grenadiers: The Luftwaffe Field Divisions, 1942-1945
Georg Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht 1933-1945

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -