| 71st Infantry Division | |
|---|---|
| 71. Infanterie-Division | |
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| Active | 26 August 1939 – May 1945 |
| Country |  Nazi Germany |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Role | Infantry |
| Size | Division |
| Nickname(s) | Lucky one Cloverleaf Division |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Karl Weisenberger Alexander von Hartmann |
The 71st Infantry Division Kleeblatt ("Cloverleaf Division", "Lucky One")[1] (German: 71. Infanterie-Division) was an infantry division of the German Army, raised on 26 August 1939, shortly before the outbreak of World War II, as a division of the 2nd wave of deployment by Infantry Commander 19 (Infanterie-Kommandeur 19) in Hildesheim. It fought in Verdun, Stalingrad and Monte Cassino, among others.
The division's symbol was the four-leaf clover and after congratulations on the victory in Verdun in June 1940, the division was henceforth called the "lucky one".[1] The same action also earning Generalleutnant Karl Weisenberger the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 29 June 1940 by Generalfeldmarschall Ernst Busch.[2]
- ^ a b Die 71. Infanterie-Division 1939 - 1945; Gefechts- und Erlebnisberichte aus den Kämpfen der "Glückhaften Division" von Verdun bis Stalingrad, vom Monte Cassino bis zum Plattensee [The 71st Infantry Division 1939-1945; Combat and experience reports from the battles of the "Lucky Division" from Verdun to Stalingrad, from Monte Cassino to Lake Balaton] (in German). Eggolsheim: Dörfler. 2006. p. 5. ISBN 978-3-89555-363-9. OCLC 166023853.
- ^ Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (1986). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. p. 357. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5. OCLC 17650176.