The 11th SS Freiwilligen (Volunteer) Panzergrenadier Division "Nordland" was formed in 1943. Despite what the name indicated, this was not an all-volunteer or fully Nordic unit. The ranks were filled with men from across Europe, many of them conscripts. A cadre of Norwegians in the Regiment 23 "Norge" and Danes in the Regiment 24 "Danmark" formed the backbone of the new division.

Nordland was deployed in antipartisan operations in Croatia in the fall of 1943. In 1944 the division saw hard fighting and heavy casualties against the Red Army at Leningrad, Narva, Tannenberg, and Kurland. In 1945, Nordland, a division comprising mostly non-Germans, was among the final formations to continue the fight in Berlin.

This new illustrated history of the division includes more than 500 photos from the most-extensive private collections in Europe, along with extensive maps and tables. Appendixes provide a clear explanation of the division's order of battle, a full lists of award recipients, and a glossary of ranks and insignia.