389th Infantry Division

The 389th Infantry Division (389. Infanterie-Division) formed in the winter of 1941-42. In action on the Southern Russian front from May 1942. Virtually destroyed at Stalingrad.

Commanders

Generalleutnant Erwin Jaenecke, from 1st February 1942 to 1st November 1942

Generalleutnant Erwin Jaenecke, a German officer, commanded the 389th Infantry Division during the Battle of Stalingrad. Wounded in combat, he was evacuated before the Sixth Army’s surrender. Later, he led the 17th Army in Crimea, advocating for Sevastopol’s evacuation. Captured by Soviet forces, Jaenecke was imprisoned until his release in 1955.

Generalmajor Erich Magnus, from 1st November 1942 to 19th January 1943

Generalmajor Erich Magnus, a German officer, served in the Wehrmacht during World War II, commanding various units. Promoted to Generalmajor in 1942, he participated in key Eastern Front operations. Known for his leadership, Magnus contributed to German military efforts before retiring after the war, living until his death in 1979.

Generalmajor Martin Lattmann, from 19th January 1943 to 1943

Generalmajor Martin Lattmann, a German officer, commanded the 389th Infantry Division during the Battle of Stalingrad. Encircled in the Stalingrad Kessel, he surrendered to Soviet forces in February 1943. Later, he joined the National Committee for a Free Germany, advocating anti-Nazi efforts, and contributed to East Germany’s post-war reconstruction.

Units

544 Infantry Regiment
545 Infantry Regiment
546 Infantry Regiment
389 Artillery Regiment
389 Pionier Battalion
389 Anti-Tank Battalion
389 Reconnaissance Battalion
389 Signal Battalion

Auxiliary unit number 389
Home Station

Locations

History

The 389th Infantry Division, formed in January 1942, was part of the 18th wave of German infantry divisions. Initially deployed to the Eastern Front, it participated in Operation Blau and the Battle of Stalingrad under Generalleutnant Erwin Jaenecke. Known as the “Rheingold Division,” it faced relentless Soviet offensives and was destroyed during the Stalingrad encirclement in February 1943.

Reformed in France in 1943, the division later served on the Eastern Front, engaging in defensive battles against Soviet forces. It participated in the Dnieper-Carpathian Offensive and faced heavy losses. The division was ultimately destroyed during the Soviet Vistula-Oder Offensive in early 1945.