German Volksgrenadier divisions
E51354
German Volksgrenadier divisions were late-World War II German Army infantry formations, often hastily raised and partially motorized, intended to bolster depleted forces with a mix of veterans, conscripts, and lightly equipped troops.
Statements (46)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
German Army infantry division type
→
military formation type → |
| armament |
assault rifles such as the StG 44 in some units
→
higher proportion of machine guns compared to earlier infantry divisions → panzerfaust anti-tank weapons → |
| commandStructure |
commanded by officers of the German Army
→
|
| composition |
lightly equipped infantry
→
mix of combat veterans and new conscripts → older reservists → personnel transferred from the Kriegsmarine → personnel transferred from the Luftwaffe → |
| conflict |
World War II
→
|
| country |
Nazi Germany
→
|
| differenceFrom |
earlier German infantry divisions in level of motorization
→
earlier German infantry divisions in manpower quality → earlier German infantry divisions in proportion of automatic weapons → earlier German infantry divisions in size and structure → |
| doctrine |
emphasis on defensive combat
→
increased use of automatic weapons → |
| endUse |
1945
→
|
| equipmentLevel |
generally under-equipped
→
|
| front |
Eastern Front
→
Western Front → |
| logisticalCondition |
often suffered from supply shortages
→
|
| manpowerStrength |
smaller than earlier German infantry divisions
→
|
| motorization |
partially motorized
→
|
| notableEngagement |
Battle of the Bulge
→
defensive battles in East Prussia → defensive battles in the Rhineland → |
| organizationalChange |
created as new formations on paper and then filled with available personnel
→
reorganized from existing infantry divisions in many cases → |
| originOfPersonnel |
Volkssturm transfers in some cases
→
convalescents returning from hospitals → members of disbanded units → |
| partOf |
German Army (Heer)
→
|
| politicalAspect |
name intended to evoke connection with the German people (Volk)
→
|
| purpose |
to increase defensive strength on the Western and Eastern Fronts
→
to rebuild depleted German infantry forces → |
| startUse |
1944
→
|
| statusByWarEnd |
ceased to exist with the German surrender in 1945
→
many formations destroyed or captured → |
| subordination |
Army corps of the Wehrmacht Heer
→
|
| tacticalRole |
primarily defensive infantry formations
→
used to plug gaps in the front → |
| timePeriod |
late World War II
→
|
| trainingLevel |
often hastily trained
→
|
Referenced by (1)
| Subject (surface form when different) | Predicate |
|---|---|
|
Elsenborn Ridge
→
|
associatedWith |