The 271st Infantry Division () was an

infantry division A division is a large military unit or Formation (military), formation, usually consisting of between 10,000 and 25,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades; in turn, several divisions typically mak ...

of the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

Heer during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. In total, three infantry formations used the

ordinal number In set theory, an ordinal number, or ordinal, is a generalization of ordinal numerals (first, second, th, etc.) aimed to extend enumeration to infinite sets. A finite set can be enumerated by successively labeling each element with the leas ...

271 within the Wehrmacht. The first 271st Infantry Division's deployment was aborted in May 1940, whereas the second iteration of the division saw its deployment completed in November 1943 and was destroyed in August 1944. Subsequently, a division designated 271st Volksgrenadier Division () was deployed in August 1944 and remained in combat until 1945.

History

First planned deployment, 1940

Initially, a division named 271st Infantry Division was assembled starting on 1 July 1940, following a directive of 22 May. After the German-French armistice, the assembly of the division was interrupted on 22 July. The division was planned to consist of the Infantry Regiments 562, 563, and 564, as well as the Artillery Detachment 271 and the Division Units 271.

Second deployment, 1943 – 1944

Another formation named 271st Infantry Division was assembled as part of the twenty-second ''Aufstellungswelle'' on 17 November 1943 in the occupied Netherlands under the supervision of ''

Oberbefehlshaber West ''Oberbefehlshaber West'' (German language, German: initialism, initials ''OB West'') (German: "Commander-in-Chief n theWest") was the overall commander of the ''Westheer'', the German armed forces on the Western Front (WWII), Western Front dur ...

.'' It consisted of the Grenadier Regiments 977, 978, and 979, as well as the Division Fusilier Battalion 271, and the Artillery Regiment 271.'''' The personnel divisional staff and the 979th Regiment were provided by the 137th Infantry Division, whereas the 113th Infantry Division provided the men of the 977th Regiment, 271st Artillery Regiment and the 271st Division Fusilier Battalion, and the 102nd Infantry Division provided the personnel of the 978th Regiment. The division was destroyed in August 1944 in the

Falaise Pocket The Falaise pocket or battle of the Falaise pocket (; 12–21 August 1944) was the decisive engagement of the Battle of Normandy in the Second World War. Allied forces formed a pocket around Falaise, Calvados, in which German Army Group B, c ...

Normandy Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy. Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...

, while under the supervision of the

5th Panzer Army 5th Panzer Army () was the name of two different German armoured formations during World War II. The first of these was formed in 1942, during the North African campaign and surrendered to the Allies at Tunis in 1943. The army was re-formed in F ...

.'''' The 271st Infantry Division was commanded by Paul Danhauser between 10 December 1943 and its destruction in the Falaise Pocket.

271st Volksgrenadier Division, 1944 – 1945

On 25 August 1944, the 576th Volksgrenadier Division was deployed in Slovakia. This formation was redesignated 271st Volksgrenadier Division on 17 September 1944. It consisted of the reassembled Grenadier Regiments 977, 978, and 979 (previously Grenadier Regiments 1186, 1187, and 1188), as well as the Artillery Regiment 271, formerly Artillery Regiment 1576.'''' Unlike the 271st Infantry Division, the 271st Volksgrenadier Division was sent to the Eastern Front and was deployed to the defense against the Soviet-Romanian Budapest Offensive.'''' After Grenadier Regiment 978 saw combat in the Budapest area, the division was refreshed at

Nitra Nitra (; also known by other #Etymology, alternative names) is a city in western Slovakia, situated at the foot of Zobor Mountain in the valley of the river Nitra (river), Nitra. It is located 95 km east of Bratislava. With a population of ...

in February 1945. The 271st Volksgrenadier Division was subsequently captured by

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...

forces in

Moravia Moravia ( ; ) is a historical region in the eastern Czech Republic, roughly encompassing its territory within the Danube River's drainage basin. It is one of three historical Czech lands, with Bohemia and Czech Silesia. The medieval and early ...

in May 1945.'''' Throughout its service, the 271st Volksgrenadier Division was commanded by

Martin Bieber __NOTOC__ Martin Bieber (10 November 1900 – 19 October 1974) was a German general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II who commanded several divisions. Born in Tabarz,''Deutsches biographisches Generalregister: Bern-Bonzon''. ...

, who was appointed on 3 September 1944. Bieber was taken prisoner by the Red Army along his division in May 1945 and remained in Soviet captivity until 1955.

Superior formations

Noteworthy individuals

* Paul Danhauser, divisional commander of the 271st Infantry Division. *

, divisional commander of the 271st Volksgrenadier Division.

References

{{Volksgrenadier divisions of the Wehrmacht Infantry divisions of Germany during World War II Military units and formations established in 1943 Military units and formations disestablished in 1944 Military units and formations established in 1944 Military units and formations disestablished in 1945