1st Parachute Division

The 1st Parachute Division (German: 1. Fallschirmjäger-Division) was an elite military parachute-landing division of the German Luftwaffe. For reasons of secrecy, it was originally raised as the 7th Air Division (German: 7. Flieger-Division), before being renamed and reorganized as the 1st Parachute Division in 1943.

Operational history

The division was formed in October 1938 under the command of Major-General Kurt Student. At the start of World War II, the division contained two parachute regiments; it was brought up to full strength in 1941. In April 1940, the division took part in the invasion of Denmark and Norway during Operation Weserübung, successfully seizing several airfields.

The German plan for the invasion of Belgium and the Netherlands in May 1940 called for the use of the 7th Fliegerdivision to aid in the advance through the capture of key bridges and the fortress of Eben Emael. The invasion of the Netherlands included the majority of the 7th Fliegerdivision in cooperation with the 22nd Air Landing Division. This force was grouped as the 11th Fliegerkorps, and commanded by Kurt Student. The attack on The Hague was a failure: the high loss of transport planes grew to quite dramatic proportions. Many paratroopers and air landing troops were captured, hundreds were killed or wounded and 1,536 prisoners of both divisions were transported to England.¹ (The Rotterdam Blitz on 14 May 1940 led to Rotterdam's surrender.) The Eben Emael assault was a complete success with both the fort itself and 1,000+ enemy captured.

The division took part in the Battle of Crete. The Allied forces on the island put up a stubborn defense and the troops of the 7th Fliegerdivision took heavy losses. With the aid of the follow-on reinforcements, and the capture of the Maleme airfield allowing resupply however, the Allies were forced to evacuate the island by 29 May.