The Panzergrenadier Division "
Feldherrnhalle" was created on 20 June 1943 in the south of France by the renaming and reorganization of the
60th Infantry Division which had been destroyed at Stalingrad. Most of the recruits had previously been members of the
SA or had undergone a training course in one of the twelve "Sturm Banners" scattered throughout the Reich. The name "Feldherrnhalle" was used by the original infantry regiment 271 or its 3rd Battalion. The name refers to the Field Marshals' Hall in
Munich, site of combat in the 1923
Beer Hall Putsch. During the division's formation, it was stationed in the Nimes–Montpellier area. At the beginning of September 1943, the division took part in the disarmament of the
8th Italian Army as part of
Operation Achse. At the end of October 1943, the division moved to northern France to the Arras-Doullens area and at the beginning of December 1943 to the Eastern Front. Here it took up defensive positions as part of the
3rd Panzer Army in the area of
Vitebsk. In February it was sent to the North to fight in the
Battle of Narva. In May 1944, it returned to
Army Group Centre and fought against the Soviet
Mogilev Offensive in June. The division was destroyed during the Soviet
Minsk Offensive in July 1944, as part of
Operation Bagration.
Panzer-Division Feldherrnhalle (1) The Division was recreated on 1 September 1944 in
Warthelager and then in Hungary in the
Debrecen area. On 27 November 1944, the division was renamed
Panzer-Division Feldherrnhalle and again destroyed during the
Battle of Budapest in February 1945. The division was recreated again as
Panzer-Division Feldherrnhalle 1. The remnants of the division surrendered to the Soviets in May 1945 at
Německý Brod. == Commanders ==