286. Infanteriedivision V SS-Gebirgskorps, 9. Armee, Heeresgruppe Vistula  286. Infanteriedivision was formed in December 1944 at Memel from 286. Sicherungsdivision. It was destroyed at Neukuhren (Pionersky) in East Prussia. It was then rebuilt and saw action with the 5. SS-Gebirgskorps as part of the Ninth Army. When the Ninth Army retreated in the face of the Soviet Berlin Offensive in April 1945, 286. Infanteriedivision and assorted SS defenders in Frankfurt on the Oder were left virtually cut off. On the morning of 16 April 1945, after an opening artillery barrage on Frankfurt, the Red Army began its Berlin Offensive.  Two days later, the Frankfurt outer suburbs were evacuated at about 2100 hours. On 19 April, at 0529 hours, the main bridge across the Oder was blown. Soviet air raids took place from 20 to 23 April, dropping over 260 tons of bombs, setting the centre of Frankfurt ablaze on 22 and 23 April.

On the afternoon of 21 April, the fortress status of Frankfurt was abolished and a day later the withdrawal its garrison began. The first Soviet soldiers moved into Frankfurt on the morning of 23 April.   286. Infanteriedivision withdrew with the rest of the Frankfurt garrison to southeast of Berlin where it became entrapped in the Halbe Pocket. Commanders Generalleutnant Friedrich-Georg Eberhardt (17 Dec 1944 - 26 Dec 1944)  Generalleutnant Wilhelm Thomas (26 Dec 1944 - 26 Jan 1945)  Oberst Willi Schmidt (26 Jan 1945 - 31 Jan 1945)  Generalmajor Emmo von Roden (31 Jan 1945 - ? May 1945)