The 23. Infanterie-Division was formed in Potsdam on 15 October 1935. It was mobilized in August 1939 as part of the 1. Welle (wave).
On 14 September 1942, the division was reorganized and redesignated 26. Panzer-Division.

The division was reformed on 23 October 1942 in Denmark from elements of the old 23. Infanterie-Division and replacements from the Ersatzheer.
The division suffered heavy losses while defending the Baltic islands of Dagö and Ösel from September to November 1944. Refitted in December 1944, the division fought in Prussia and surrendered along with the rest of Armee Ostpreußen May 1945.

Commanders

Generalleutnant Ernst Busch (15 Oct 1935 - 1 Mar 1938)
General der Infanterie Walter Graf von Brockdorff-Ahlefeldt (1 Mar 1938 - 1 June 1940)
Generalleutnant Heinz Hellmich (1 June 1940 - 17 Jan 1942)
Generalleutnant Kurt Badinski (17 Jan 1942 - 9 July 1942)
Generalmajor Friedrich von Schellwitz (15 Nov 1942 - ? Aug 1943)
General der Artillerie Horst von Mellenthin (? Aug 1943 - 1 Sep 1943)
Generalleutnant Paul Gurran (1 Sep 1943 - 22 Feb 1944)
Generalleutnant Walter Chales de Beaulieu (22 Feb 1944 - 1 Aug 1944)
Generalleutnant Hans Schirmer (1 Aug 1944 - 8 May 1945)

Area of operations

Poland (Sep 1939 - May 1940)
France (May 1940 - June 1941)
Eastern front, central sector (June 1941 - July 1942)
Germany (Nov 1942 - Jan 1943)
Eastern front, northern sector (Jan 1943 - Oct 1943)
Eastern front, central sector (Oct 1943 - Feb 1944)
Eastern front, northern sector (Feb 1944 - Jan 1945)
East Prussia (Jan 1945 - May 1945)

Nicknames and Honor titles

Grenadierkopf

Infanterie-Regiment 9 was given the title Infanterie-Regiment Potsdam 1 October 1934 but was redesignated 15 October 1935.

Holders of high awards (first formation, 1939-1942)

Holders of the Commendation Certificate of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army (3)
- Baurmeister, Hans-Joachim, 28.11.1941 (531), Oberst, Kdr. Art.Rgt. 23
- Hoffmannsegg Graf von, Günther, 20.07.1941 (098), Major, Kdr. Pz.Jäg.Abt. 23
- [Reichsgraf ; original family name : von Hoffmann ; also known : Graf Hoffmann von Hoffmannsegg]
- Raegener, Adolf, 28.11.1941 (529), Oberst, Kdr. Inf.Rgt. 9
Holders of the German Cross in Gold (25)
Holders of the Honor Roll Clasp of the Heer (5)
- Brandt, Hans-Otto, 08.08.1941 [1. Nennung / first naming], Leutnant, 10./Inf.Rgt. 67
- Hannig, Felix, 08.08.1941, Major d.R., I./Inf.Rgt. 9
- Kraska, Franz, 29.09.1941, Feldwebel, 14./Inf.Rgt. 68
- Mercks, Hans-Joachim, 18.04.1942, Leutnant, II./Inf.Rgt. 9
- Reichert, Rudolf, 28.11.1941, Oberst, Inf.Rgt. 67
Holders of the Knight's Cross (5)
- Brandt, Hans-Otto 21.08.1941 Leutnant d.R. Zugführer i. d. 10./Inf.Rgt 67
- Fließbach, Peter 20.12.1941 Oberleutnant Führer 4./Art.Rgt 23
- Gilsa Freiherr von und zu, Werner-Albrecht 05.06.1940 Oberst Kdr Inf.Rgt 9
- Hannig, Felix 17.09.1941 Major d.R. Kdr I./Inf.Rgt 9
- Kalkhoff, Walter 26.05.1940 Unteroffizier Gruppenführer i. d. 1./Inf.Rgt 67

Holders of high awards (second formation, 1942-1945)

Holders of the Commendation Certificate of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army (3)
- Biederlack, Hermann, 25.12.1944 (4977), Wachtmeister, VB i. d. 5./Art.Rgt. 23
- Bussche-Streithorst Freiherr von dem, Axel, 25.01.1944 (2779), Hauptmann, Btl.Fhr. II./Gren.Rgt. 9
- Remer, Hans, 25.11.1944 (4527), Oberst, Kdr. Art.Rgt. 23
Holders of the German Cross in Gold (19)
Holders of the German Cross in Silver (2)
- Grunwald, Manfred, 15.11.1944, Major, Nachr.Abt. 23
- Schröder, Wilhelm, 20.04.1945, Leutnant, Krk.Kw.Zug 23
Holders of the Honor Roll Clasp of the Heer (18)
Holders of the Knight's Cross (13)

Order of battle (1939)

Infanterie-Regiment 9
Infanterie-Regiment 67
Infanterie-Regiment 68
Aufklärungs-Abteilung 23
Artillerie-Regiment 23
- I. Abteilung
- II. Abteilung
- III. Abteilung
- I./Artillerie-Regiment 59 (1)
Beobachtungs-Abteilung 23 (2)
Pionier-Bataillon 23
Panzerabwehr-Abteilung 23
Nachrichten-Abteilung 23
Feldersatz-Bataillon 23
Versorgungseinheiten 23

Order of battle (1942)

Grenadier-Regiment 9
Grenadier-Regiment 67
Füsilier-Regiment 68
Radfahr-Abteilung 23
Artillerie-Regiment 23
- I. Abteilung
- II. Abteilung
- III. Abteilung
- IV. Abteilung
Pionier-Bataillon 23
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 23
Nachrichten-Abteilung 23
Feldersatz-Bataillon 23
Versorgungseinheiten 23

Order of battle (1943-1945)

Grenadier-Regiment 9 (3)
Grenadier-Regiment 67
Füsilier-Regiment 68
Füsilier-Bataillon 23
Artillerie-Regiment 23
- I. Abteilung
- II. Abteilung
- III. Abteilung
- IV. Abteilung
Pionier-Bataillon 23
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 23
Nachrichten-Abteilung 23
Feldersatz-Bataillon 23
Versorgungseinheiten 23

Notable members

Arthur Axmann (Reichsjugendführer, leader of the Hitler Jugend, 1940-1945)
Philipp von Bismarck (Active in the resistance against Hitler)
Hasso von Boehmer (Active in the resistance against Hitler and executed after the failure of the July 20 Plot)
Walter Graf von Brockdorff-Ahlefeldt (Active in the resistance against Hitler)
Axel Freiherr von dem Bussche-Streithorst (Active in the resistance against Hitler)
Heinrich "Heinz" Hitler (Nephew of Adolf Hitler, died 1942 while in Soviet captivity)
Friedrich Klausing (Active in the resistance against Hitler and executed after the failure of the July 20 Plot)
Ewald-Heinrich von Kleist-Schmenzin (Active in the resistance against Hitler)
Ferdinand Freiherr von Lüninck (Active in the resistance against Hitler and executed after the failure of the July 20 Plot)
Kurt von Plettenberg (Active in the resistance against Hitler and committed suicide after the failure of the July 20 Plot while in Gestapo captivity)
Fritz-Dietlof von der Schulenburg (Active in the resistance against Hitler and executed after the failure of the July 20 Plot)
Henning von Tresckow (Active in the resistance against Hitler and committed suicide after the failure of the July 20 Plot, the Bundeswehr barracks Henning-von-Tresckow-Kaserne in Oldenburg was named in his honour 1961 and the Henning-von-Tresckow-Kaserne in Geltow in 1992)
Heinrich Freiherr von Weizsäcker (brother of the later President of Germany (Bundespräsident) Richard von Weizsäcker was KIA on 2 Sept 1939 in Poland as a Leutnant in Inf.Rgt. 9)
Richard von Weizsäcker (President of Germany 1984-1994)

Honorary regimental Chiefs

Chef des Infanterie-Regiment 67: Generaloberst z.V. Hans von Seeckt (22.04.1936)

Honorary regimental Chief Generaloberst Hans von Seeckt inspecting soldiers from Infanterie-Regiment 67 on his 70th birthday 22 April 1936 together with Generalfeldmarschall von Blomberg

(Courtesy of Bundesarchiv/Wikimedia, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 Germany)

Footnotes

1. Reformed as III./Artillerie-Regiment 93 of the 26. Panzer-Division.
2. Released from the division in December 1939 and designated Heerestruppe.
3. Grenadier-Regiment 9 was disbanded on 28 August 1944. It was reformed in December 1944 and a month later attached to the 24. Panzer-Division for the rest of the war.

Sources used

Joachim Lilla, Martin Döring & Andreas Schulz - Statisten in Uniform: Die Mitglieder des Reichstags 1933-1945
Georg Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht 1933-1945

Reference material on this unit

Wolfgang Paul - Das Potsdamer Infanterie-Regiment 9 1918-1945
Jeas Ulrich Heine - 23. Infanterie Division