1939 The 180th Division, also designated Commander of Reserve Troops X/II, was formed in
Bremen in
Wehrkreis X on 25 November 1939. The initial command staff assigned to Wehrkreis X, the
170th Division, had been reorganized into a field division and thus needed a replacement in the form of the 180th, which was redesignated Division No. 180 on 21 December 1939. The division's initial commander, appointed on 1 December 1939, was
Kurt Woytasch. Woytasch was replaced by
Martin Gilbert on 10 January 1940.
1940 In March 1940, the division consisted of the following elements: The feint was one of three offensives after the Battle of the Bulge, including the better known
Operation Nordwind. Reestablishing the front caused British casualties and reminded the Allies that the Germans were still capable of offensive feints. On 15 March 1945,
Infantry Division Hamburg was integrated into the 180th Infantry Division. The division ended the war under the
LIII Army Corps. After participating in combat against the
2nd British Army in the
Battle of Wesel, the 180th Infantry Division was crushed in
Operation Varsity in March 1945. The shattered remnants of the divisions were driven back by the Allied forces into the
Ruhr Pocket, where the 180th Infantry Division fought its final battle. == Noteworthy individuals ==