| 217th Rifle Division | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1941–1946 |
| Country |  Soviet Union |
| Branch | .svg){kind=small} Red Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | Division |
| Engagements | Operation Barbarossa Battle of Smolensk (1941) Operation Typhoon Battle of Moscow Kaluga Offensive operation Battles of Rzhev Operation Kutuzov Battle of Smolensk (1943) Gomel-Rechitsa Offensive operation Parichi-Bobruisk Offensive operation Operation Bagration Bobruysk offensive Minsk offensive Vistula-Oder offensive East Prussian offensive Heiligenbeil Pocket |
| Decorations |  Order of Lenin Order of the Red Banner Order of Suvorov |
| Battle honours | Unecha |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Col. Mikhail Alekseevich Grachyov Col. Vladimir Petrovich Shlegel Maj. Gen. Kuzma Petrovich Trubnikov Col. Pyotr Fyodorovich Malyshev Maj. Gen. Efim Vasilevich Ryzhikov Col. Nikolai Pavlovich Massonov  Col. Grigorii Arkadevich Grigoryan |
The 217th Rifle Division was an infantry division of the Red Army, originally formed in the months just before the start of the German invasion, based on the shtat (table of organization and equipment) of September 13, 1939. It was formed at Voronezh and was considered a "sister" to the 222nd Rifle Division. When Operation Barbarossa began it was in 28th Army but soon after moving to the front it helped form the 43rd Army before being reassigned to 50th Army in Bryansk Front. After barely escaping disbandment during Operation Typhoon it took part in the defense of Tula; in the following counteroffensive one of its rifle regiments was so reduced by casualties that it had to be replaced by a Tula militia regiment. During the rest of 1942 and into 1943 it served in a largely defensive role as part of 49th Army and 16th Army although it took part in one abortive offensive in March 1943 north of Zhizdra. It remained in the latter Army when it was redesignated 11th Guards and fought under its command in the July-August offensive against the German-held Oryol salient before being transferred to 11th Army and winning an honorific in the advance through western Russia. In recognition of its role in the battle for Gomel it was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. After winter battles in eastern Belarus the 217th played leading roles in the liberation of Zhlobin and Bobruisk in the early stages of Operation Bagration as part of 48th Army. During the Vistula-Oder offensive it took part in the liberation of Mława and then crossed into the western part of East Prussia, winning the rare distinction of the Order of Lenin in the process. It ended the war in East Prussia and remained in the Königsberg area until the spring of 1946 when it was converted to the 3rd Rifle Brigade.