The division was composed primarily of Royal Hungarian Army Volksdeutsche conscripts who were transferred to the Waffen-SS following an agreement between Germany and Hungary.

While personnel from the Florian Geyer formed the nucleus of the division, the bulk of the troops were Hungarian Volksdeutsche (ethnic German) conscripts, transferred to the Waffen-SS following an agreement between Germany and Hungary.

In early August Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH) ordered all divisions forming up in Hungary to send units to the combat zone.

The Kampfgruppe was transported from Gyula-Szalonta, Hungary to Arad, Romania, where it was attached to General der Panzertruppe Hermann Breith's III Panzer Corps, stationed in the area around Debrecen.

In mid-October 1944, pro-German Honvédség officers had revealed that the Hungarian Regent, Admiral Miklós Horthy, was negotiating a secret surrender to the Soviets.

In little over half an hour, a German column led by four Tiger IIs, including a number of Maria Theresia men, stormed Buda Castle and forced Horthy to abdicate.