10. Fallschirmjäger-Division

History 10. Fallschirmjäger-Division

The first order to form a 10. Fallschirmjäger-Division is issued on September 24^th, 1944. This order is revoked on October 15, 1944.

A renewed order to form the 10. Fallschirmjäger-Division is issued on March 1^st, 1945. During March 1945, I. Fallschirm-Korps, deployed in Italy, receives instructions to provide units for the new division. The designated assembly area is the German–Dutch border region east of Groningen.

Around March 20^th, 1945, assigned elements of 1. Fallschirmjäger-Division and 4. Fallschirmjäger-Division assemble in the Bologna area. These units march on foot to the Po River. They cross the river by ferry at Ostiglia in late March 1945. The units are then loaded onto trains. Movements take place only at night. By late April and early May 1945, the transports reach the Brenner Pass.

A Soviet breakthrough in Hungary into Austria prompts the OKW to redirect the division’s elements. The units, already moving north, are reassigned as a Kampfgruppe to Austria. The transports are rerouted via Salzburg toward Graz. The first trains arrive at Graz on April 3^rd, 1945. During the first half of April 1945, the division assembles north of Graz.

To reinforce the division, personnel are drawn from Luftwaffe Kriegsschulen at Berlin-Gatow, Straubing, Fürstenfeldbruck, Dresden, and Ergolding near Landshut. Additional manpower comes from flying units and the ground organisation of Luftflotte 6.

The planned deployment area around Graz, Judendorf, Gratwein, and Gratkorn is disrupted by the immediate commitment of arriving units. After a brief consolidation, Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 30, III./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 28, and the reinforced II./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 29 are committed from April 17^th, 1945. They engage Soviet forces advancing south-west of Vienna near St. Pölten. Fighting takes place on both sides of the Traisen River. The divisional command post is established at Türnitz.

On April 18^th, 1945, Soviet forces advancing from Wilhelmsburg are temporarily halted. On April 19^th, 1945, the division is forced to abandon its positions. On April 20^th, 1945, Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 30 fights along the Eschenau–Buchberg line to the northern bank of the Traisen near Wiesenfeld.

On April 23^rd, 1945, the regiment holds positions on both sides of Marktl. III Battalion defends the centre. Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 28 holds positions west of the road. II./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 29 holds positions east of the road. These units maintain their positions on both sides of Lilienfeld until April 27^th, 1945, when they are relieved.

Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 30 moves into rest positions west of Freiland. Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 28, Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 29, the divisional staff, and most divisional units march to Melk. From there, they are transported by rail via Krems into Czechoslovakia. They deploy on the left flank of 8. Armee near Brno.

In early May 1945, the units arrive southwest of Brno. They are committed immediately, battalion by battalion, against superior Soviet armoured forces. In heavy defensive fighting in the Brno–Tišnov–Jihlava area, almost all divisional units are destroyed. The division never achieves full operational deployment. Most of the division is captured by Soviet forces west of Brno.

Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 30 remains outside this encirclement. It is reorganised and marches north in early May 1945 to rejoin the division near Brno. With rail lines cut, the regiment marches on foot through the Wachau region north of the Danube. On May 9^th, 1945, it is captured by American forces near Grein, Perg, and Pergkirchen. A few days later, it is handed over to the Red Army.