122nd Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)

The 122nd Infantry Division was a German infantry division that fought during World War II. Formed in October 1940 as part of the 11th wave of infantry divisions, its initial recruitment primarily came from Wehrkreis II (Stettin).

The division was first deployed in the East Prussian region and subsequently participated in Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union, in June 1941 as part of Army Group North. It fought in the Baltic region, participating in the advance through Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. The division was involved in the siege of Leningrad, holding positions on the Volkhov River front and later around Lake Ladoga.

Throughout its service on the Eastern Front, the 122nd Infantry Division sustained heavy casualties. It participated in numerous defensive battles and withdrawals as the Soviet Red Army gained momentum. As the war progressed, the division was gradually worn down.

In 1944, during the Soviet summer offensives, the 122nd Infantry Division found itself under increasing pressure and was forced to retreat further westward. It was involved in fierce fighting in the Courland Pocket, where it was trapped along with other German forces.

The division remained isolated in Courland until the end of the war in May 1945. It surrendered to Soviet forces and its surviving members were taken prisoner.