The 12. Luftwaffen-Feld-Division was formed in 1942 from Flieger-Regiment 12 and assigned to Heeresgruppe Nord in early 1943. It was transferred to the Heer on 1 November 1943 and redesignated 12. Feld-Division (L). The division suffered heavy losses during the retreat from Leningrad. It took part in the retreat to Latvia and in the battles of the Courland pocket. It was withdrawn to East Prussia where it surrendered in the area of Danzig/Gotenhafen in May 1945 along with the rest of Armee Ostpreußen.

Commanders

Generalleutnant Herbert Kettner (1 Dec 1942 - 15 Nov 1943)
Generalleutnant Gottfried Weber (15 Nov 1943 - 10 Apr 1945)
Generalmajor Franz Schlieper (10 Apr 1945 - 8 May 1945)

Operations Officers (Ia)

Major Werner Stubbe (Oct 1942 - 2 Dec 1942)
Major Siegfried Steuer (2 Dec 1942 - 10 Dec 1943)
Oberstleutnant Werner Richter (10 Dec 1943 - 20 Apr 1944)
Major Heinrich Seidel (20 Apr 1944 - 30 Sep 1944)
Major Ernst Fox (30 Sep 1944 - May 1945)

Area of operations

Germany (Dec 1942 - Mar 1943)
Eastern front, northern sector (Mar 1943 - Apr 1945)
East Prussia (Apr 1945 - May 1945)

Order of Battle (1944)

Stab der Division
Jäger-Regiment 23 (L)
Jäger-Regiment 24 (L)
Jäger-Regiment 25 (L)
Feldersatz-Bataillon 12 (L)
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 12 (L)
Artillerie-Regiment 12 (L)
Divisions-Füsilier-Bataillon 12 (L)
Pionier-Bataillon 12 (L)
Nachrichten-Abteilung 12 (L)
Versorgungstruppen 12 (L)

Notable members

Günther von Obernitz (SA-Obergruppenführer & Reichstag deputy)

Sources used

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 -