After Germany's capitulation, Feuchtinger was selected to continue on as an officer in the much reduced Reichswehr where he served in a variety of staff roles.

In 1941, the unit was transferred to the Eastern Front, where his division participated in Operation Barbarossa as part of Army Group North.

His forces occupied the city of Toulon and attempted to bring the ships of the French fleet stationed there under their control.

Though a good businessman and organiser, Feuchtinger had no experience as a panzer commander, and his appointment is thought to have been due to his connections in the Nazi Party.

To provide his division with equipment Feuchtinger prevailed upon Major Alfred Becker, a friend of his who was a mechanical engineer.

Feuchtinger had championed Major Becker's efforts to make use of captured French equipment and convert them to mobilise German guns.

These he provided with light armour shielding to protect the crews from small arms fire, and many were modified to carry a heavy gun or other weapons.

[4] The troops that filled the ranks of the division initially were a mix of soldiers from Germany and volunteers from the occupied territories.

Some 2,000 veterans from the Afrika Korps who had been sent home early to recover from wounds or disease were added to the unit to give it experience.

Colonel von Luck, a commander of broad experience, ended up operating his armoured regiment through the entire campaign, from the Normandy landings through the breakout attempt of Operation Goodwood to the final devastation of the 7th Army in the Falaise pocket, with very little contact or direction from Feuchtinger.

[7] Much of the 21st Panzer Division was caught in the Falaise Gap, but Feuchtinger managed to keep clear of the encirclement, telling von Luck: "From now on you are on your own.

His presence there brought the attention of the local citizens, who were aware that he was securing extra food supplies for his girlfriend and using his position to keep three officer friends of his out of combat.

According to his former commander Hermann Balck he was also under suspicion of organising a large scale insurance fraud on French territory, which culminated in the purchase of a whole private castle during the occupation.

To his captors Feuchtinger was able to pass himself off as a victim of Nazi justice, and subsequently received an early release from the general board in 1946.