This book is the complete history of the 6th SS Gebirgs (Mountain) Division "Nord" in WWII. Formed in 1941, "Nord" was employed along the Finnish–Lapland front against battle-tested Soviet forces from 1941–44. Following the signing of the armistice between Finland and the Soviet Union in the summer of 1944, the division was moved to the western front. "Nord" units took part in Operation "Nordwind," the final German offensive on the western front in late December 1944, where they fought against American units for the first time. Tough defensive fighting along the Moselle and Rhine fronts followed up to the armistice in May 1945. The units of the division fought to the last, always with courage and valour, distinguishing itself as one of the best German units employed on the western front. Detailed operational history, rare combat images, maps, and personality profiles make this book the definitive history of "Nord." AUTHOR: Massimiliano Afiero was born in Afragola (Naples Province) in 1964. An information technology teacher and programmer, he has been interested in military history since his youth, specializing in the history of Axis units during the Second World War and particularly in the Waffen-SS. He has published numerous articles in the principal Italian-language history magazines and has contributed to many military history web sites. He is one of the few Italian historical researchers to have personally interviewed many veterans of the Waffen-SS, publishing their previously unpublished stories. He has published numerous books dealing with foreign volunteers in the German armed forces during the Second World War. From November 2004 to December 2008 he was the historical consultant and Technical Director of the magazine Volontari (Marvia Edizioni). Since May 2008 he has been Editor-in-Chief of the bimonthly magazine SGM (Seconda Guerra Mondiale) published by Editoriale Lupo. In January 2009, he began publication of a new magazine, Ritterkreuz, dedicated to the military history of Axis units during the Second World war. Since 2013, he has also managed the publication of the Fronti di Guerra series, also dedicated to the Second World War. 563 b/w photos