11. Fallschirmjäger-Division

History 11. Fallschirmjäger-Division

At the end of March 1945, Luftgau XI issues the order to form an 11. Fallschirmjäger-Division. The officer and non-commissioned officer cadre is drawn from remaining Luftwaffe replacement units and recovered wounded personnel. The rank and file are assembled from all remaining manpower reserves of the Heer, Luftwaffe, and Kriegsmarine, as well as the Volkssturm. The divisional command post is established at Leeuwarden.

The limited time available and the overall military situation prevent full formation. The assembled force reaches only the strength of a Kampfgruppe. Its size corresponds to a reinforced regiment with only a few divisional support elements.

In early April 1945, while formation is still underway, Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 37, or the elements formed so far, is detached from the division. Parts of Fallschirm-Pionier-Bataillon 11 are detached with it. These units are temporarily subordinated to the 6. Fallschirmjäger-Division in the Netherlands. They deploy along the Twente Canal on the Hengelo–Zutphen line and later in the Holten area.

By April 10, 1945, the remaining elements of the division move by rail and on foot to the area south of Oldenburg. There, the division is subordinated to II. Fallschirm-Korps. From April 11^th, 1945, it is deployed south of Löningen near Menslage and in the Hahler Moor. For several days, it holds its positions against Allied attacks along the Hase River and the Hahler-Moor Canal.

From about April 16^th, 1945, the division occupies new positions west of Oldenburg. It forms the right-hand neighbour of the 7. Fallschirmjäger-Division. The line runs between the village of Kampe and the mouth of the Küstenkanal into the Ems.

Between April 20^th and April 24^th, 1945, heavy Allied attacks on both sides of the Ems force the division to withdraw its right flank. It falls back to the line Bockhorst, along the course of the Leda River, to Leer.

At the end of April and the beginning of May 1945, the remnants of the division repel several Canadian attacks along the Leer–Bad Zwischenahn line. In early May 1945, increasing enemy pressure forces a further withdrawal. The division moves to positions west of Varel on the Jade Bay.

After the front of II. Fallschirm-Korps collapses in the fighting north of Oldenburg, the remnants of the 11. Fallschirmjäger-Division lose contact with neighbouring formations. On May 8^th, 1945, the remaining elements surrender to British forces in the Bockhorn–Varel–Jade area.