The 20. Infanterie-Division was formed on 15 October 1935 from the cover name Reichswehrdienststelle Hamburg. The infantry regiments were formed from 6. Infanterie-Regiment of 2. Division of the Reichwehr. It was motorized in the fall of 1937 and redesignated 20. Infanterie-Division (mot).
It took part in the occupation of the Sudetenland area of Czechoslovakia in October 1938 under the command of XVI Armeekorps.
It was redesignated 20. Panzergrenadier-Division in July 1943.

Commanders

Generalleutnant Maximilian Schwandner (15 Oct 1935 - 10 Nov 1938)
General der Infanterie Mauritz von Wiktorin (10 Nov 1938 - 10 Nov 1940)
General der Infanterie Hans Zorn (10 Nov 1940 - 12 Jan 1942)
Generalleutnant Erich Jaschke (12 Jan 1942 - 3 Jan 1943)
Generalmajor Georg Jauer (3 Jan 1943 - 23 July 1943)

Operations officers (Ia)

Major Nikolaus von Vormann (01 May 1935 - 01 Jun 1938)
Oberstleutnant Werner Friebe (01 Jun 38 - 06 Jan 1941)
Oberstleutnant Joachim Ziegler (06 Jan 1941 - 07 May 1942)
unknown (07 May 1942 - 15 Jul 1942)
Major Richard Mendrczyk (also Mendrzyk) (15 Jul 1942 - 26 Nov 1942)
unknown (26 Nov 1942 - 01 Feb 1943)
Major Benno von Bonin (01 Feb 1943 - 00 Jun 1943)
Hauptmann Otto Burk (00 Jun 1943 - 23 Jul 1943)

Area of operations

Poland (Sep 1939 - May 1940)
France (May 1940 - June 1941)
Eastern front, central sector (June 1941 - July 1941)
Eastern front, northern sector (July 1941 - Apr 1943)
Eastern front, central sector (Apr 1943 - July 1943)

Nicknames

Hamburger Division (Hamburg Division)

Holders of high awards

See 20. Panzergrenadier-Division

Order of battle (Sep 1939)

Infanterie-Regiment 69 (mot) (1)
Infanterie-Regiment 76 (mot)
Infanterie-Regiment 90 (mot)
Aufklärungs-Abteilung 20 (mot)
Artillerie-Regiment 56 (mot) [Stab]
- I. – III./Artillerie-Regiment 20 (mot)
- I./Artillerie-Regiment 56
Beobachtungs-Abteilung 20 (2)
Feldersatz-Bataillon 20
Panzerabwehr-Abteilung 20
- 1. – 3. Kp
- 1./MG-Btl. 52 [= 4. Kp, unterstellt]
Pionier-Bataillon 20 (mot)
Nachrichten-Abteilung 20 (mot)
Infanterie-Divisions-Nachschubführer 20 (mot)
Verwaltungsdienste 20
Sanitätsdienste 20

Order of battle (1941-42)

Infanterie-Regiment 76 (mot)
Infanterie-Regiment 90 (mot)
Aufklärungs-Abteilung 20 (mot)
Kradschützen-Bataillon 30
Artillerie-Regiment 20 (mot)
- I. – III. Abteilung
Feldersatz-Bataillon 20
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 20
Pionier-Bataillon 20 (mot)
Nachrichten-Abteilung 20 (mot)
Infanterie-Divisions-Nachschubführer 20 (mot)
Verwaltungsdienste 20
Sanitätsdienste 20

Footnotes

1. Per 1 Nov 1939 detached from the division and designated : I. Btl. -> III./Schtz.Rgt. 3 / 3. Pz.Div. ; III. Btl. -> III./Schtz.Rgt. 1 / 1. Pz.Div.,  Rgt. released from the Div. and designated Schtz.Rgt. 69 / 10. Pz.Div. in Apr 1940
2. Released from the division becoming Heerestruppe in Dec 1939

Notable members

Dr. Karl Mauss (Holder of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds)
Bruno Streckenbach (SS-Gruppenführer, head of Einsatzgruppe I during the invasion of Poland, head of Amtsgruppe I of Reichssicherheitshauptamt (RSHA) 1940-1942, served in the Panzerabwehr-Abteilung 20 1934-1935)
Joachim Ziegler (Served in the division staff, later division-commander in the Waffen-SS)

Sources used

Georg Tessin - Deutsche Verbände und Truppen 1918-1939
Mark C. Yerger - Waffen-SS Commanders: The army, corps and divisional leaders of a legend (2 vol)

Reference material on this unit

Dietwar Asmus - Die 20. Inf.Div.(mot) (später 20.Pz.Gred.Div.) (9 vol)
Dietwart Asmus - Die Geschichte der 20 Panzer-Grenadier Division 1935-45
Artur Römer - Tagebuchnotizen und Erinnerungen beim Regiment 76 1938-1945
Hans Wijers - Kriegstagebuch Nr. 8 der Führungsabteilung 20. Panzergrenadier-Division, Ia