8.Infanterie-Division

The 8. Infanterie-Division was formed in Oppeln on 15 October 1935 from the cover name Artillerieführer III.
The infantry regiments were formed from the 7.(Preußisches) Infanterie-Regiment of the 3.Division of the Reichswehr. It was formed mainly of Silesian personnel.


When WWII began in September of 1939 with the German invasion of Poland, the 8.Infanterie-Division took part under 14.Armee, Armeegruppe Süd. It saw action fighting through tough frontier fortifications in eastern upper Silesia against stiff Polish resistance. It later fought in the advanced on Kracow, crossed the San River in pursuit of reeling Polish forces, and ended the campaign fighting the mass of Army Kracow wedged between Lvov in the south, Lublin in the north and the Bug and San Rivers to the east and west.

After Poland the 8.Infanterie-Division fought in Belgium under 4.Armee, Armeegruppe A, advancing over the Salm, the Ourthe and the Maas Rivers. It later fought at Denee, on the Sambre River and in the Schelde region taking up position against the Allied forces trapped in the Dunkirk Pocket. After Dunkirk, the 8.Infanterie-Division went into reserve before taking up the attack into France proper advancing over the Somme and Oise Rivers during the advance on Paris. 

On June 14th, 1940 the 8.Infanterie-Division along with the 28.Infanterie-Division made the ceremonial first entrance into Paris, although the 9.Infanterie-Division was the first German unit to enter earlier that morning. The formal German victory parade in Paris was conducted two days later on June 16th by the 30.Infanterie-Division. 

After Paris fell the 8.Infanterie-Division crossed the Loire River at Tours and ended the campaign in the region of Rouen where it would spend the next many months on occupation duty before being posted to the Eastern Front in April of 1941.

For the Invasion of the Soviet Union in June of 1941, the 8.Infanterie-Division fought as a part of 9.Armee, Armeegruppe Mitte seeing fighting in the regions of Bryansk, Vyasma and later Moscow before being pulled from the front and sent to France in November 1941 where it was reformed as the 8.leichte-Infanterie-Division in December.

Source:Feldgrau.com