710th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)

The 710th Infantry Division (German: 710. Infanterie-Division) was a German Army infantry division in World War II. Formed in May 1941, it spent the majority of the war in occupation duties in Scandinavia before being transferred to the Italian Front in late 1944. It participated in fighting against the Soviet Union in Hungary before it withdrew into Austria and surrendered to the Americans in May 1945.

710th Infantry Division
Vehicle insignia of the 710th Infantry Division
Active2 May 1941 – 8 May 1945
Disbanded8 May 1945
Country Nazi Germany
BranchArmy
TypeInfantry
SizeDivision
Garrison/HQOldenburg
EngagementsWorld War II
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Walter Gorn

History

The 710th Infantry Division was formed on 2 May 1941, largely from older personnel, under the command of Generalleutnant[Note 1] Theodor Petsch.[1] It was smaller than a conventional infantry division and lacked much of the support weaponry that would typically be found in such a unit.[3] The division served occupation duties in Norway, firstly at Oslo and then at Kristiansand. It later performed similar duties in Denmark until December 1944, at which stage it was transferred to the Italian Front. The following month it was attached to I SS Panzer Corps, which had moved to Hungary after the Battle of the Bulge.[1]

The division, expanded with additional artillery and tank destroyer units, was involved in the fighting against Soviet troops during Operation Spring Awakening and the subsequent withdrawal through Hungary and into Austria. Now under the command of Generalmajor[Note 2] Walter Gorn, it surrendered to a United States Army unit on 8 May 1945.[1]

Notes

Footnotes

  1. In the Wehrmacht, a generalleutnant was equivalent to the rank of major general in the United States Army.[2]
  2. Equivalent to the rank of brigadier general in the United States Army.[2]

Citations

  1. Mitcham 2007a, pp. 191–192.
  2. Mitcham 2007b, p. 257.
  3. Mitcham 2007a, p. 188.
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References
  • Mitcham, Samuel W., Jr. (2007a). German Order of Battle. Volume Two: 291st – 999th Infantry Divisions, Named Infantry Divisions, and Special Divisions in WWII. PA; United States of America: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3437-0.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Mitcham, Samuel W., Jr. (2007b). Panzer Legions: A Guide to the German Army Tank Divisions of WWII and Their Commanders. Mechanicsburg, PA, United States: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3353-3.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

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