[1]: 40  The initial head of the staff was Alexander Kolb, who was succeeded on 29 February 1940 by Wolfgang Rüter and on 15 October 1940 by Job Odebrecht.

6 was temporarily posted to Upper Silesia in eastern Germany,[1]: 40  where it was tasked with the prevention of bombing attacks by the Soviet Air Forces.

[2] On 1 September 1941, the air defense command received the official designation "6th Flak Division".

[3]: 90  On 1 April 1942, it was replaced in its defense task in Brussels by the newly formed 16th Flak Division and mobilized for service in the field.

It was assigned to support Army Group North and took over several regiments from the 2nd Flak Division to facilitate its task.