Active January - May 1945 Branch Army Size Division | Country Nazi Germany Type Infantry | |
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The 41st Infantry Division (German: 41. Infanteriedivision), formerly the 41st Fortress Division (German: 41. Festungdivision), was a German Army infantry division in World War II. It took part in German operations in Greece towards the end of the war, and surrendered to the Yugoslav resistance at the end of Germany's part in the war.
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History
Founded as the 41st Fortress Division, this unit was formed in Bruck in December 1943, with its command staff being formed from the cadre of the defunct 39th Infantry Division, and was ready for duty at the start of 1944 at a size of 22 battalions. In its initial deployment, it was to defend the Peloponnesus area of Greece as a coastal component of LXVIII Army Corps, a corps attached to the Army Group F under General Helmut Felmy.
The 733rd Grenadier Regiment was attached to the division in September 1944, after it was separated from its parent 133rd Fortress Division during the evacuation of Crete. On the 28th it was located in Greece, though this was only learned by Allied derypters the following month. It operated in the army group's rear guard during the German retreat from Corinth, being attacked by roaylist guerrillas and elements of the 2nd British Airborne Division, with minor skirmishes taking place as the division moved through Yugoslavia.
The division was restructured as an Infantry Division in January 1945, and engaged the Soviet Army as such along the Sava and Drava rivers. The 41st was then put under the command of the 117th Jaeger Division. The 41st surrendered to the 11th Yugoslavian Shock Division near Zagreb on May 8, 1945.
Order of battle
In its initial formation, the division was two full regiments in strength. It was expanded further in 1944, and even more in 1945.