ISBN 1-85367-393-5
591 pages

Introduction; Glossary of Terms; Bibliography

   Earlier this year, our review of Nafziger's companion volume, The German Order of Battle: Panzers and Artillery in World War II, began with information which bears repeating here:

George Nafziger has for years run his own private publishing business, mostly printing material he has written or translated himself and specializing in booklets about orders of battle and tables of organization and equipment. His latest effort is something of a departure. Published in the US by Stackpole Books and in the UK by Greenhill Books, it's a thick, oversized, hardcover book rather the kind of softcover booklet he generally self-publishes.

   That review went on to point out that many other references have been published about the German Army OB and TOEs in World War II—enumerating as examples books by Tessin, Mitcham, Niehorster, Myers, Ellis, and Kursietis—and then proceeded to describe Nafziger's book and compare and contrast it to those other TOE/OB titles. Despite some niggling problems with the layout and presentation of data, the review of Panzers and Artillery in World War II concluded "This is quite the powerhouse of OB and TOE material, and quite possibly the best work George Nafziger has ever done."
   All remains true with this fat book on German infantry. Huge amounts of TOE data are packed into every page, but the process of mining all the information for any single unit can be a bit convoluted.
   The book opens with "Standard Internal Structure: German Infantry Divisions, 1939-1945." That chapter describes the German infantry TOE at the end of World War I and offers a brief narrative of the evolution of the divisions through the end of WWII, plus a listing of all the waves of new formations and the divisions formed in each wave. The last few pages of the chapter provide "a general outline of the internal structures of the various forms of the infantry divisions and some of the wave variations":

Organization of German Infantry Divisions, 1939
Type 44 Division, 1943-1945
Volks Grenadier Division, 1944-1945
Type 45 Division

   In addition to maneuver units, these OBs outline signals units, feldersatz companies, medical supply platoons, veterinary companies, etc (although these are not necessarily defined or described, as in the case of the "Campaign Troop Company").
   Chapter Two, entitled "Organizational History of the German Infantry Divisions, 1939-1945," individually lists the 1st Infantry Division through the 199th Infantry Division. Most of these listings contain three or four paragraphs of text explaining the organization of the division in question along with one or more TOEs specifying the exact sub-units which comprised the division on one or more dates during the war. For most of these sub-units, quantities and types of weapons—such as light machineguns, heavy machineguns, mortars, and anti-tank guns—are listed.
   Chapter Three, "German Line Infantry Divisions: 203rd through 399th Divisions," continues with exactly the same kind of material for those higher-numbered infantry divisions, and Chapter Four, "German Line Infantry Divisions: 401st through 999th Divisions, Named Divisions and Corps Detachments," extends the process with a couple of infantry brigades thrown in for good measure. Although Chapter Four's title includes "Named Divisions and Corps Detachments" (and covers Division z.b.V. Afrika), the named divisions are really contained in Chapter Five, "The Organizational History of the Named Divisions of the German Army, 1942-1945," which includes "A" Division through Warsaw Fortress Division plus quite a few named infantry brigades. Similarly, the Corps Detachments are actually covered in Chapter Six, "Organizational History of the Alphabetical Corps Detachments of the German Army, 1942-1945."
   Although, as in the first book, it is not explicitly explained in the opening chapter, the "general outline of the internal structures of the various forms of the infantry divisions and some of the wave variations" really covers the standard, theoretical organizations of infantry divisions. The lengthy division-by-division listings seem to show the actual field organization (and of course they identify the specific units organic to each division). Chapter 7, "Authorized Internal Organization of German Infantry Divisions," reviews exceptions to the standard divisional structures.

   Each wave began its organization with a relatively consistent variation from the preceding wave, but within each wave there were often substantial differences. Because of the variation in the numbers and types of assigned weapons it is necessary to examine each division individually. In some instances these variations are quite minor, but in others they are very significant.
   What follows is a listing of the authorized variations for each division from the theoretical structure established by those general decrees that set the standard divisional organization.

   This amounts to about forty-five pages of listings. For example, under the heading "Divisional Variations from the Standard Organization, 10 February - 16 May 1941" can be found the 1st Infantry Division and many, many others—sometimes it looks like every division had its own specially authorized TOE. The 1st Division is listed again under the "Divisional Variations from the Standard Organization, 16 May 1941 - 15 October 1942" with some further minor changes (as are many other divisions). This is good information to have on hand, but it seems like in most instances it would have been easier to find by moving each division's "variations" information to its own listing in the previous chapters rather than by spreading it out through separate listings in this chapter.
   The balance of the book includes chapters on "Mountain and Ski Divisions," "German Security Divisions," "Static Divisions," "German Jaeger Divisions," and "Reserve, Recruit, and Training Divisions," all organized and laid out in the same manner as the main chapters (Two, Three, and Four) on infantry divisions.
   Although to some extent these are apples-to-oranges comparisons, it's interesting to examine how several different authors present OB/TOE data for German infantry divisions in general and for the 1st Infantry Division in particular.
   Tessin, the prime source for German OB material, is less detailed on TOE material. His Volume One provides a summary of 1st Infantry Division's organic elements with home stations:

Inf. Rgt. 1	Konigsberg	I.-III.
Inf. Rgt. 22	Gumbinnen	I.-III.
Inf. Rgt. 43	Konigsberg	I.-III.
Art. Rgt. 1	Konigsberg	I.-III. mit I./Art. Rgt. 37
Div Einheiten 1

   Tessin then provides a paragraph about the divisional reorganizations and another equally brief summary of the division's structure in November 1944. In addition, Tessin in tabular format lists month-by-month information revealing the division's assignments to corps, armies, and army groups along with front and approximate location of the unit.
   Mitcham, a useful English-language reference despite some errors, is more concerned with operational histories but offers this organizational summary (without offering a specific date) along with a page of operational narrative and a paragraph of notes and sources:

Composition: 1st Infantry Regiment, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 43rd Infantry Regiment, 1st Artillery Regiment, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Anti-Tank Battalion, 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Signal Battalion

   Myers does not give organizational information for individual divisions, but offers a variety of organigrams for various types of divisions, regiments, and battalions at different times during the war. He shows the standard structure of German infantry divisions as follows in April 1940:

   Likewise, Ellis only provides a skeletal view of the "standard" German infantry division, as this snapshot from 1939 illustrates:

   Kursietis is less concerned than any of these other sources with OB and TOE material, but for the 1st Infantry Division he provides a chronological sequence of the unit's areas of operations and—unique among all these references—a sequential listing of all the division's commanders and the dates they held the position.
   What does Nafziger offer on the 1st Infantry Division? Substantially more than any of the other books, but not all the same kinds of information—no list of commanders, no areas of operation, no list of corps/armies/army groups to which the division was assigned, no operational history, etc.
   In The German Order of Battle: Infantry in World War II, the focus is very much on detailed, specific TOE data, and Nafziger's starting point for researching 1st Infantry Division is in Chapter One where the general outline of "the internal structures" of infantry divisions for 1939 is given. Flipping to Chapter Two, there is a brief summary of the main organic elements of the 1st Division when mobilized in August 1939:

1/, 2/, 3/1st Infantry Regiment
1/, 2/, 3/22nd Infantry Regiment
1/, 2/, 3/43rd Infantry Regiment
1/, 2/, 3/1st Artillery Regiment
1/37th Artillery Regiment
1st Division Support Units

   This is followed by three paragraphs of remarks about the changing structure of the division and then a detailed TOE for 3 May 1941:

1st Division
    Divisional Staff (2 LMGs)
    1st (mot) Mapping Detachment
  1st Infantry Regiment
    1 Regimental Staff
    1 Regimental Band
      1 Signals Platoon
      1 Pioneer Platoon (3 LMGs)
      1 Cavalry Reconnaissance Platoon
    3 Infantry Battalions
      3 Infantry Companies (12 LMGs and 2 50mm mortars ea)
      1 Machine Gun Company (12 HMGs and 6 80mm mortars)
    1 Infantry Gun Company (2 150mm sIG and 6 75mm leIG)
    1 (mot) Panzerjaeger Company (2 50mm PAK 38, 9 37mm PAK 36 and 4 LMGs)
  22nd Infantry Regiment
    same as 1st Infantry Regiment
  43rd Infantry Regiment
    same as 1st Infantry Regiment
  1st Reconnaissance Battalion
    1 (tmot) Signals Platoon
    1 Mounted Reconnaissance Squadron (9 LMGs and 2 HMGs)
    1 Bicycle Squadron (9 LMGs, 2 HMGs and 3 50mm mortars)
    1 (mot) Heavy Reconnaissance Company
      1 Infantry Gun Section (2 75mm leIGs)
      1 Armored Car Section (2 armored cars)
      1 Panzerjaeger Section (3 37mm PAK 36 and 1 LMG)
  1st Panzerjaeger Battalion
    3 (mot) Panzerjaeger Companies (12 37mm PAK 36 and 6 LMGs ea)
  1st Artillery Regiment
      1 Signals Platoon
      1 Weather Detachment
    1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions, each with
      1 Signals Platoon
      1 Calibration Detachment
      3 Batteries (4 105mm leFH and 2 LMGs ea)
    4th Battalion
      1 Signals Platoon
      1 Calibration Detachment
      3 Batteries (3 150mm leFH and 2 LMGs ea)
  1st Feldersatz Battalion (3 cos)
  1st Pioneer Battalion
    1 Battalion staff
    1 Battalion band
    2 Pioneer Companies (9 LMGs ea)
    1 Pioneer Company (9 LMGs)
    1 Light Pioneer Supply Column
  1st Signals Battalion
    1 (tmot) Telephone Company
    1 (mot) Radio Company
    1 (tmot) Signals Supply Company
  1st Divisional Supply Troops
      1/, 2/, 3/1st (mot) Light Supply Columns
      4/, 5/, 6/1st (horse-drawn) Supply Columns
      7/, 8/, 9/1st Light Supply Columns
      10/1st (mot) Fuel Column
      1st Supply Company (6 LMGs)
      1st (mot) Maintenance Company
    1st (mot) Bakery Company
    1st (mot) Butcher Company
    1st Divisional Administration
    1/1st Medical Company
    2/1st (mot) Medical Company
    1st Ambulance Company
    1st Veterinary Troop
    1st (mot) Military Police Detachment
    1st (mot) Field Post Office

   (Although a signals platoon, a pioneer platoon, and a cavalry recon platoon are listed as subordinate to the regimental band of the 1st Regiment, there is probably a line missing from the text for the regimental staff company to which those platoons are most likely subordinate. The 4th Battalion of the artillery regiment is apparently the 1/37th as listed elsewhere in the entry.)
   Nafziger then offers another paragraph about further organizational revisions, a second lengthy TOE (this one for September 1943) very similar to the previous one, a paragraph about the division's 1944 reorganizations, and then a summary of the 1st Infantry Division as it existed in November 1944:

1/, 2/, 3/1st Grenadier Regiment
1/, 2/, 3/22nd Fusilier Regiment
1/, 2/, 3/43rd Grenadier Regiment
Divisional Fusilier Battalion (AA)
1/, 2/, 3/1st Artillery Regiment
1/37th Artillery Regiment
Lehr Reconnaissance Battalion
1st Division Support Units

   However, that's not the end of Nafziger's information on the division. Turning to Chapter Seven, more data is unearthed. That chapter contains the official standards for "Organization of German Infantry Divisions, 10 February-Summer 1941" and then the 1st Division's authorized variations for 10 February through 16 May 1941:

1st Division:
Infantry Regiments	1st, 22nd, 43rd (all 4th sections upgunned with 2 50mm PAK 38 later in year; total guns reduced to 11)
Panzerjaeger Battalion	1st
Reconnaissance Battalion	1st
Artillery Regiment	1st
Artillery Battalion	1/37th
Pioneer Battalion	1st
Feldersatz Battalion	1st
Signals Battalion	1st
Service Troops	1st (only 1 ambulance col; field hosp not mot)

   Still in Chapter Seven, another lengthy standard TOE is offered for all German infantry divisions for 16 May 1941 through 15 October 1942, along with another set of variations for the 1st Infantry Division in particular for the same time period:

1st Division:
Infantry Regiments	1st, 22nd, 43rd
Panzerjaeger Battalion	1st (7 LMGs, 8 37mm PAK 36 and 3 50mm PAK 38
Reconnaissance Battalion	1st (mounted co replaced by 2nd bicycle co
Artillery Regiment	1st
Artillery Battalion	1/37th
Pioneer Battalion	1st
Signals Battalion	1st
Service Troops	1st

   As the 1st Infantry Division samples indicate, Nafziger supplies a great deal of very detailed TOE information. As in the first volume, there are a few imperfections and discrepancies—and the book's overall organization and presentation could be tightened up—but there's little to complain about from the standpoint of raw data; it's a valuable piece of work. As the review of the first volume concluded, so does this one: "OB specialists, wargamers, students of the German Army, and anyone excited by mountains of hard, cold facts will find this book indispensable."
   Available from online booksellers, local bookshops, or directly from Stackpole Books.
   Thanks to Stackpole for providing this review copy.