162. (Turkistan) Infanterie-Division was formed 21 May 1943 from Ostlegionen units in a training center at Mirgorod, Ukraine. The soldiers mainly were prisoners of war from Northern Caucausus and Central Asia. There were also some Georgians and Armenians among her members.
Lead by General Major Prof. Oskar Ritter von Niedermayer, after training in Poland, the division served in Slovenia where it was involved in anti-partisan warfare along the Triest-Ljubijana raiways line. In October 1943, they were sending to North Italy to protect the Ligurian coast. The division was briefly engaged on the Italian front-line, including fought against a Japanese-American regiment, but quickly retired due to poor performances. As a result von Niedermayer replaced by a more-experience fighting soldier, General-Leutnant Ralph von Heygendorff. The division spends the remaining war in North Italy, served as an anti-partisan and guard unit.
Retreated along the Po River, the division later disbanded in the area of Belluno. Like other Soviet volunteers who were captured by the British, many of division members were extradited to Soviets in compliance with the Yalta agreement, where they were executed or thrown to Gulag.
Order of battle
303. Infanterie-Regiment
314. Infanterie-Regiment
329. Infanterie-Regiment
236. Artillerie-Regiment
I. - IV. Bataillon
936. Pionier-Bataillon
Nachschubtruppen
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