The Chronicle

Three divisions of the former "German Wehrmacht" (infantry) from Lower-Saxony formed the Lower-Saxon Division in question. There are already chronicles about the other two divisions (the 71st and the 216th). Division 295 acted as a "spearhead division"; i.e. from autumn 1941 to summer 1942 it was moved forward furthest to the east. During this time with the 17th Army it also suffered very high losses.

It was a Stalingrad-Division of the 6th Army (the 71st Infantry Division was a Stalingrad-Army, too). On the 14th of September 1942 at 3 p.m. the 295th division was the first to break through to Stalingrad´s town-centre on the Wolga. Of more than 20 Stalingrad-Divisions the 295th was the only one that had been re-activated in Germany e.g. in Goslar in the Harz mountains. After having been activated the 295th was thought to go back to fighting as a small combat unit as fast as possible. Instead this division was sent to Norway as a "bodenständige"- Force and thus it was the only division that was not again in action.

Compared to other divisons this unit suffered very high losses, but it had also a high share of medals during the Battle of Stalingrad. There was a fierce discussion in the "Führerhauptquartier" between Göbbels and Hitler about their last Stalingrad commander. Published only in German.