The 21. Luftwaffen-Feld-Division was formed in December 1942 from Luftwaffen-Division Meindl. It was transferred to the Heer on 1 November 1943 and redesignated 21. Feld-Division (L). It suffered heavy losses in the retreat from Leningrad and later in the Lake Ilmen area. Reduced to a staff only in November 1944, the division surrendered in May 1945 in Courland.

Commanders

Generalleutnant Dipl. Ing. Richard Schimpf (Dec 1942 - 12 Oct 1943)
Generalleutnant Rudolf-Eduard Licht (12 Oct 1943 - 1 Apr 1944)
Generalmajor Rudolf Goltzsch (1 Apr 1944 - 8 Apr 1944)
Generalleutnant Rudolf-Eduard Licht (8 Apr 1944 - 18 Aug 1944)
Generalleutnant Albert Henze (18 Aug 1944 - 28 Jan 1945)
Generalmajor Otto Barth (16 Feb 1944 - 8 May 1945)

Operations Officers (Ia)

Unknown (Dec 1942 - 1 Nov 1943)
Major Otto Heckel (1 Nov 1943 - 3 Nov 1943)
Oberstleutnant Heinz-Friedrich Rüden (3 Nov 1943 - 1 Dec 1944)
Major Hartwig Flor (1 Jan 1945 - 8 May 1945)

Area of operations

Germany (Dec 1942 - Jan 1943)
Eastern front, northern sector (Jan 1943 - May 1945)

Nicknames

Adler-Division (Eagle Division)

Order of Battle (1944)

Stab der Division
Jäger-Regiment 41 (L)
Jäger-Regiment 42 (L)
Jäger-Regiment 43 (L)
Feldersatz-Bataillon 21 (L)
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 21 (L)
Artillerie-Regiment 21 (L)
Divisions-Füsilier-Bataillon 21 (L)
Pionier-Bataillon 21 (L)
Nachrichten-Abteilung 21 (L)
Versorgungstruppen 21 (L)

Notable members

Lahousen Edler von Vivrement (recipient of the German Cross in both Gold and Silver)

Sources used

Antonio Muñoz - Göring’s Grenadiers: The Luftwaffe Field Divisions, 1942-1945
Georg Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht 1933-1945

Reference material on this unit

Georg Jagolski - 21. Lw.-Felddivision ‘Adler’ Division 1942-1945
Didier Lodieu - La division Meindl