The 320. Infanterie-Division was formed on 2 December 1940 as part of the 13. Welle (wave). After training and coastal defense duties at Dunkirk and in Normandy, it was transferred to the Eastern Front in January 1943. Cut off at Liman, southeast of Kharkov by the Soviet advance, the division crossed the Donets to German lines after being rescued by the reinforced III. (gep.)/SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 2 “LSSAH” (from Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler) commanded by SS-Sturmbannführer Joachim Peiper. It received a manpower boost in May 1944 by absorbing elements of the disbanded 5. Feld-Division (L). The division was destroyed in August 1944 at Chişinau, Romania. It was formally disbanded on 9 October 1944.

It was reformed on 27 October 1944 as the 320. Volksgrenadier-Division.

Commanders

Generalleutnant Karl Maderholz (15 Dec 1940 - 3 Dec 1942)
Generalleutnant Georg Postel (3 Dec 1942 - 26 May 1943)
General der Infanterie Kurt Röpke (26 May 1943 - 20 Aug 1943)
Generalleutnant Georg Postel (20 Aug 1943 - 10 July 1944)
Generalmajor Otto Schell (10 July 1944 - 2 Sep 1944)

Area of operations

Germany (Dec 1940 - May 1941)
France (May 1941 - Jan 1943)
Eastern front, southern sector (Jan 1943 - Aug 1944)

Holders of high awards

Holders of the Commendation Certificate of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army for Shooting Down Aircraft (3)
- Braun, [first name not listed], 01.11.1943 (416), Grenadier, 14./Gren.Rgt. 586
- Gutsche, [first name not listed], 01.11.1943 (415), Obergefreiter, 3./Schn.Abt. 320
- Hellwig, [first name not listed], 16.05.1942 (109), Gefreiter, 8./Inf.Rgt. 587
Holders of the German Cross in Gold (19)
Holders of the Honor Roll Clasp of the Heer (14)
Holders of the Knight's Cross (20) (17 RK + 2 EL + 1 SW)

Order of battle (1940)

Infanterie-Regiment 585
Infanterie-Regiment 586
Infanterie-Regiment 587
Artillerie-Regiment 320
- I. Abteilung
- II. Abteilung
- III. Abteilung
Pionier-Bataillon 320
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 320
Nachrichten-Kompanie 320
Versorgungseinheiten 320

Order of battle (1942)

Grenadier-Regiment 585
Grenadier-Regiment 586
Grenadier-Regiment 587
Schnelle Abteilung 320
Artillerie-Regiment 320
- I. Abteilung
- II. Abteilung
- III. Abteilung
- IV. Abteilung
Pionier-Bataillon 320
Nachrichten-Abteilung 320
Versorgungseinheiten 320

Order of battle (1943-1944)

Grenadier-Regiment 585
Grenadier-Regiment 586
Grenadier-Regiment 587
Füsilier-Bataillon 320
Artillerie-Regiment 320
- I. Abteilung
- II. Abteilung
- III. Abteilung
- IV. Abteilung
Pionier-Bataillon 320
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 320
Nachrichten-Abteilung 320
Feldersatz-Bataillon 320
Versorgungseinheiten 320

Notable members

Boy Rickmers (KC-holder, born in New York, USA)

Sources used

Rudolf Lehmann – The Leibstandarte III
Antonio Muñoz – Göring’s Grenadiers: The Luftwaffe Field Divisions, 1942-1945
Georg Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht 1933-1945

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -