7th Mountain Division (Wehrmacht)

The 7th Mountain Division (German: 7. Gebirgs-Division) was a German mountain infantry division of the Wehrmacht during World War II. It was formed in 1941 from the 1st Mountain Division’s excess personnel and equipment, essentially creating a twin division.

The division saw extensive action on the Eastern Front, primarily in the Arctic regions of Finland and Norway. It participated in Operation Silver Fox, the failed German-Finnish attempt to capture Murmansk in 1941. Throughout the war, the 7th Mountain Division was engaged in defensive battles and skirmishes along the Arctic front, enduring harsh conditions and challenging terrain.

Unlike some other mountain divisions, the 7th was less involved in the large-scale campaigns of the Eastern Front further south. Its primary role remained focused on holding its sector and preventing Soviet advances in the north.

As the war progressed, the 7th Mountain Division, like other German units, suffered significant losses. It eventually retreated through Norway as the Red Army advanced westward. The division surrendered to British forces in Norway in May 1945.