The 3. Infanterie-Division was formed in Frankfurt/Oder on 15 October 1935 from the cover name Kommandant von Frankfurt/Oder. The infantry regiments were formed from 8. (Preußisches) Infanterie-Regiment and 9. (Preußisches) Infanterie-Regiment of 3. Division of the Reichwehr. It was mobilized in August 1939 as part of the 1. Welle (wave). It was reorganized and redesignated 3. Infanterie-Division (mot) on 27 October 1940.

Commanders

Generalmajor Curt Haase (15 Oct 1935 - 1 Mar 1936)
Generalleutnant Walter Petzel (1 Mar 1936 - 1 Nov 1938)
Generalleutnant Walther Lichel (1 Nov 1938 - 1 Oct 1940)
Generalleutnant Paul Bader (1 Oct 1940 - 27 Oct 1940)

Operations Officers (Ia)

Major Wolfgang Hassenstein (26 Aug 1939 - 10 Jan 1940)
Major Walter Nagel (10 Jan 1940 - 27 Oct 1940)

Area of operations

Poland (Sep 1939 - Oct 1939)
Germany (Oct 1939 - May 1940)
France (May 1940 - Oct 1940)

Nicknames and Honor titles

Infanterie-Regiment 8 was given the title Infanterie-Regiment Frankfurt 1 October 1934 but was redesignated 15 October 1935.
Infanterie-Regiment 29 was given the title Infanterie-Regiment Crossen 1 October 1934 but was redesignated 15 October 1935.

Holders of high awards

Holders of the Knight's Cross (2)
- Gräser, Fritz-Hubert 19.07.1940 Oberst Kdr Inf.Rgt 29 (mot) [France]
- Jaeger, Fritz 26.05.1940 Major Kdr II./Inf.Rgt 8 [France] [discharged from the Heer on 14.08.1944 due to his connection to the 20.Juli1944 plot ; as a civilian sentenced to death by the Volksgerichtshof on 21.08.1944, executed the same day at Berlin-Plötzensee ; as a consequence loss of all orders and awards]

Order of battle (1939-1940)

Infanterie-Regiment 8
Infanterie-Regiment 29
Infanterie-Regiment 50 (1)
Aufklärungs-Abteilung 3
Artillerie-Regiment 3
- I. Abteilung
- II. Abteilung
- III. Abteilung
- I./Artillerie-Regiment 39 (2)
Beobachtungs-Abteilung 3 (3)
Pionier-Bataillon 3
Panzerabwehr-Abteilung 3
Nachrichten-Abteilung 3
Feldersatz-Bataillon 3
Versorgungseinheiten 3

Notable members

Bernhard Bechler (German Cross in Gold holder and post-war a general in the Nationale Volksarmee of the German Democratic Republic)
Friedrich Gustav Jaeger (Active in the resistance against Hitler and executed after the failure of the July 20 Plot)
Erwin von Lahousen (Active in the resistance against Hitler)
Prince Burchard of Prussia (adjutant in Inf.Reg. 8)
Prince Hubertus of Prussia (later transferred to the Luftwaffe where he trained as a pilot and reached the rank of Hauptmann)

Footnotes

1. Transferred to the 111. Infanterie-Division on 7 November 1940.
2. Transferred to the 97. leichte Infanterie-Division in December 1940; used to form IV./Artillerie-Regiment 81.
3. Released from the division in December 1939 and designated Heerestruppe.

Sources used

Georg Tessin - Deutsche Verbände und Truppen 1918-1939

Reference material on this unit

Gerhard Dieckhoff & M. Holzmann - 3. Infanterie-Division
Gerhard Dieckhoff - 3. Infanterie Division (mot.), 3. Panzergrenadier Division 1939-1945
Gerhard Dieckhoff & M. Holzmann - Infanterie gestern und heute: 3. Infanterie Division (mot.) Bildband