Formed in May 1941, it spent the majority of the war in occupation duties in Scandinavia before being transferred to the Italian Front in late 1944.

The 710th Infantry Division was formed on 2 May 1941, largely from older personnel, under the command of Generalleutnant[Note 1] Theodor Petsch.

[1] It was smaller than a conventional infantry division and lacked much of the support weaponry that would typically be found in such a unit.

It later performed similar duties in Denmark until December 1944, at which stage it was transferred to the Italian Front.

[1] The division, expanded with additional artillery and tank destroyer units, was involved in the fighting against Soviet troops during Operation Spring Awakening and the subsequent withdrawal through Hungary and into Austria.