The 73. Infanterie-Division was formed on 26 August 1939 as part of the 2. Welle (wave). It took part in the invasions of Poland, the Low Countries, France and Greece before invading the Soviet Union from its jump off point at Iaşi, Romania.
It fought in the southern sector of the Eastern Front, taking part in actions at Nikolaev, Cherson, Sevastopol and the Kuban bridgehead among others. It was withdrawn from the fighting near Melitopol after suffering heavy losses. Moved to the Crimea, the division surrendered to the Red Army in Sevastopol in May 1944.
The division was reformed on 16 June 1944 in Hungary and took part in the fighting on the Vistula at Warsaw/Praga where it was destroyed in September. (Heeresgruppe Mitte requested the division be disbanded because of its failure to hold the Praga bridgehead on the east bank of the Vistula, a proposal that was ultimately rejected.) After reforming, the division fought at Danzig where it was destroyed again.
The division staff was evacuated from Danzig but was lost with the steamer Goya when it was sunk by the Soviet submarine L 3 on 16 Apr 1945.
| Source:axishistory.com |
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