The Croatian 1st Infantry Division was an infantry

Infantry

Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...

 unit in the Army

Croatian Home Guard

Croatian Home Guard or also, known as the "Homeland Defenders," was the name used for the armed forces of the Independent State of Croatia which existed during World War II.- Formation :...

 of the Independent State of Croatia

Independent State of Croatia

The Independent State of Croatia was a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany, established on a part of Axis-occupied Yugoslavia. The NDH was founded on 10 April 1941, after the invasion of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers. All of Bosnia and Herzegovina was annexed to NDH, together with some parts...

 during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

.

The 1st Infantry Division was formed on or around August 1, 1941 with Colonel

Colonel

Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...

 (Pukovnik in the Croatian Army rank) Emanuel Balley in command with its headquarters located at Zagreb

Zagreb

Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...

. In its order of battle on October 21, 1941, the 1st Infantry Division included the 1st, 2nd, and 11th Infantry Regiments and the I and II Artillery Groups.

The 1st Infantry Division was under the subordination of the I Territorial Corps from November 1941 to July 1943. By April 1942 the divisional headquarters had been moved to Bjelovar

Bjelovar

Bjelovar is a city in central Croatia. It is the administrative centre of Bjelovar-Bilogora County. During the 2001 census, there were 41,869 inhabitants, 90.51% which are Croats....

, east-northeast of Zagreb

Zagreb

Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...

, where it was still located by February 1943. Divisional garrison responsibilities and tactical operations were carried out by sector commands at Koprivnica

Koprivnica

Koprivnica is a city in northern Croatia. It is the capital of the Koprivnica-Križevci county. In 2011 the city administrative area had a total population of 30,872, with 23,896 in the city itself.-Population:...

, Ludbreg

Ludbreg

Ludbreg is a town in Croatia, located halfway between Varaždin and Koprivnica near the river Drava. It has 3,594 inhabitants, and a total of 8,458 in the entire municipality .-History:...

, Križevci, Lepavina, and Varaždinske Toplice

Varaždinske Toplice

Varaždinske Toplice is a town in Croatia in the Varaždin County. The town is well known for its hot springs and medical center Aquae Iasae.In the 2011 census, the population of the municipality is 6,399, composed of the following settlements:...

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The divisional headquarters and staff were disbanded around August 1, 1943.

Commanders

(Dates are uncertain)

• Colonel Emanuel Balley (August 1941 - April 1942)
• Colonel Ivan Pavić (? - August 1942)
• Colonel Matija Murković (? - December 1942)
• Colonel Stjepan Peričić (? - July 1943)