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| January 3rd, 2026 |
| Last Updated |
| January 3rd, 2026 |
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| Founded |
| February 13th, 1943 |
| Disbanded |
| April 16th, 1945 |
| Theater of Operations |
| France Italy Greece Soviet Union France The Netherlands Germany |
| History 2. Fallschirmjäger-Division |
The 2. Fallschirmjäger-Division forms by order dated February 13th, 1943. It forms in western France near Vannes in Brittany. Its core consists of the Ramcke Fallschirm-Sturm-Brigade, the IV Battalion of the Fallschirm-Sturm-Regiment, the Erprobungs-Bataillon of XI. Fliegerkorps, Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 2, and the Luftwaffe-Sonder-Bataillon 100. Additional officers and non-commissioned officers come from Luftwaffe volunteers. Many previously serve in Flak units, ground support units, or general personnel branches. The division is expected to reach field readiness by May 1st, 1943.
From May 27th, 1943, to June 3rd, 1943, the division transfers to the Rhône Valley. It is stationed in the Alès and Nîmes area. After Mussolini falls, the division is airlifted to Rome between July 26th, 1943, and July 28th, 1943. It bivouacs outside the city because entry is forbidden. After the Italian armistice on September 8th, 1943, the division advances into Rome. It fights brief but intense skirmishes with Italian units. On September 10th, 1943, the Italian forces surrender and the fighting for Rome ends. The division then leaves the city, which is declared open.
At the same time, on September 9th, 1943, II Battalion of Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 6 parachutes onto a castle on Monte Rotondo. The objective lies about 20 kilometres northeast of Rome. The castle complex is heavily fortified. It houses the General Staff of the Italian Army. The seizure neutralises this headquarters.
After the Italian surrender, the division assumes coastal defence duties between Civitavecchia and Anzio. On September 17th, 1943, I Battalion of Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 2 takes part in the capture of the island of Leros. After this action, the battalion detaches from the division. It forms the core of the newly created Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 10.
On November 1st, 1943, III Battalion of Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 6 receives orders to transfer to San Pietro Infine. It moves into the Reinhard Line on the Volturno. Heavy fighting follows during the battles for Monte Cesima and Monte Cannavinelle. On November 17th, 1943, the battalion is withdrawn from the front.
In mid-December 1943, III Battalion of Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 6 returns to reserve status. It transfers to the Arielli area. By the end of December 1943, the battalion is almost completely destroyed. The remaining survivors transfer to the 3. Fallschirmjäger-Division.
On November 8th, 1943, the 2. Fallschirmjäger-Division receives orders for transfer to the Eastern Front. Several elements are excluded from the move. These include I./FJR 2, II. and III. /FJR 6, I./FJR 7, 3./Fallschirm-Pionier-Bataillon 2, divisional headquarters, and 1., 2., and 3. /Fallschirm-Panzerjäger-Bataillon 2. From November 10th, 1943, rail transport begins to the Zhytomyr area.
At the end of November 1943, the division moves to the area northwest of Kocherovo. It deploys alongside 1. SS-Panzer-Division against a Soviet incursion. After the penetration is contained, the division establishes defensive positions in early December 1943. It holds the Belka–Teterev sector.
On December 9th, 1943, the division is withdrawn from the front. It is transported by air to the Kirovograd area. Heavy weapons move overland. The division assembles in the Kosyrevka, Kalinivka, Klintsy, and Pokrovskoye area. From there it links with 11. Panzer-Division, which fights around Novgorodka. Heavy fighting stabilises the front. A continuous line is established.
On December 24th, 1943, the division takes over the sector previously held by 11. Panzer-Division. On January 5th, 1944, the Soviet offensive to encircle Kirovograd begins. South of the city, the division comes under heavy attack. It holds its positions. During the fighting from January 5th, 1944, to January 8th, 1944, the division loses 123 killed, 285 missing, and 357 wounded.
For the following four weeks, major fighting subsides. On February 11th, 1944, the division is withdrawn. It is intended to relieve German units encircled at Cherkassy. The relief takes too long and the redeployment is difficult. The division’s commitment becomes unnecessary. It transfers instead to the Novo Arkhangelsk area.
On March 4th, 1944, a new Soviet offensive begins against Heeresgruppe Süd in the division’s sector. The division fights a heavy retreat. It withdraws behind the Dniester by mid-April 1944. On April 25th, 1944, the Red Army establishes a bridgehead at Butor across the Dniester. On May 10th, 1944, and May 11, 1944, the division takes part in Operation Bollwerk. The bridgehead is eliminated.
After the operation, the division withdraws from the front. It transfers back to Germany. The depleted formation is replenished at the Köln-Wahn training area. Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 6 is transferred to Normandy in May 1944. It is engaged against Allied forces from June 6th, 1944.
On June 12th, 1944, the division receives orders to move to the Brest area. In July 1944, the division numbers 6,631 men. The authorised strength is 11,119 men. Equipment is inadequate, especially heavy anti-tank guns and vehicles. The division is to receive remaining equipment and personnel near Brest.
After the Allied breakthrough at Avranches on August 1st, 1944, the division transfers into this sector. Heavy fighting develops at Huelgoat and in the Monts d’Arrée. American forces are advancing on Brest. In fierce rearguard actions, the remnants are driven back into the Festung Brest by mid-August 1944. By September 20th, 1944, the division is destroyed in Brest. The remaining troops are taken prisoner.
Shortly after encirclement, the Luftwaffe High Command orders reconstitution. The division reforms from replacement and training units in the Oldenburg area. In early December 1944, the division moves to the Hilversum and Amersfoort area in the Netherlands. It continues forming there.
By mid-December 1944, the division is again weakened. It transfers Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 2 to coastal defence near Amsterdam. It also transfers Fallschirm-Flak-Abteilung 2 to 4. Panzer-Division on the Eastern Front. On December 20th, 1944, the division receives its first combat mission. It takes over the sector south and southwest of Arnhem. This sector is previously held by the 6. Fallschirmjäger-Division.
The division front runs from Angeren through Huissen, Elst, and Valburg to the Dodewaard, Opheusden area. Fighting for Zetten continues through January 1945. The division suffers heavy losses. Until February 1945, it holds the sector between the Waal and the Niederrhein without Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 2.
In early February 1945, Allied pressure increases southeast of Nijmegen toward the Reichswald. The division’s regiments are withdrawn in sequence from the Arnhem sector. They are committed separately to threatened sectors of 1. Fallschirm-Armee between the Maas and the Rhein. Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 2 fights near Goch. Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 7 fights near Uedem. Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 23, divisional headquarters, and most troops fight between Tönisberg and Uerdingen.
After German forces cross to the right bank of the Rhine, divisional remnants regroup near Duisburg. On March 8th, 1945, the division receives orders to establish a defensive front on the east bank between Wesel and Krefeld. Available forces are too weak. A continuous line across 60 kilometres is impossible. As a result, 190. Infanterie-Division takes the right sector from Wesel to the Emscher Canal near Dinslaken.
After Hamburg Infanterie-Division relieves 190. Infanterie-Division in mid-March 1945, the divisional sector shortens again. From March 16th, 1945, the 2. Fallschirmjäger-Division defends between the Ruhr mouth near Duisburg-Ruhrort and Kaiserwerth north of Düsseldorf. Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 7 is not under divisional command. It comes under the neighbouring division on the right.
On March 24th, 1945, the American Rhine crossing offensive begins. The division initially holds the river line. On March 28th, 1945, American armoured units cross near Dinslaken. They reach the motorway junction east of Walsum. The division abandons the Rhine positions to avoid encirclement.
The division establishes a new line north of the Rhein-Herne-Kanal. It defends along the motorway between Sterkrade and Gelsenkirchen. A link with 190. Infanterie-Division on the right cannot be restored. On April 1st, 1945, the division withdraws behind the Rhein-Herne-Kanal.
Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 7 continues defending Gelsenkirchen. Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 23 fights near Castrop-Rauxel. The canal line holds until April 7th, 1945. The division then retreats south to the Ruhr.
The left flank fights near Essen-Steele. Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 23 holds the right flank near Witten. In mid-April 1945, the division retreats across the river. It is taken prisoner south of Hattingen on April 16th, 1945.