The 78. Sturm-Division was formed on 1 January 1943 from 78. Infanterie-Division. It was destroyed at Minsk in July 1944 and reformed later the same month when it absorbed 543. Grenadier-Division.
It was redesignated 78. Grenadier-Division in July 1944.

Commanders

General der Infanterie Paul Völckers (30 Dec 1942 - 1 Apr 1943)
Generalleutnant Hans Traut (1 Apr 1943 - 1 Nov 1943)
Generalleutnant Herbert von Larisch (1 Nov 1943 - 15 Feb 1944)
Generalleutnant Hans Traut (15 Feb 1944 - 12 July 1944)
General der Infanterie Siegfried Rasp (12 July 1944 - 18 July 1944)

Area of operations

Eastern front, central sector (Dec 1942 - July 1944)

Nicknames

Bad-württ. Sturm-Division

Holders of high awards

See 78. Volks-Sturm-Division

Order of battle

Sturm-Regiment 14
Sturm-Regiment 195
Sturm-Regiment 215
Granatwerfer-Bataillon 5
Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 189
Flak-Abteilung 293
Artillerie-Regiment 178
Pionier-Bataillon 178
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 178
Sturm-Divisions-Nachrichten-Abteilung 178
Kommandeur der Divisions-Nachschubtruppen 178

Notable members

Walter Hollaender (Half-Jew, his mother was Jewish, commander of Sturm-Regiment 195 and holder of the Knight's Cross and German Cross)
Josef Schreiber (Holder of the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves, the Bundeswehr barracks Oberfeldwebel-Schreiber-Kaserne was named in his honour 1967)

Memorial at the former Truppenübungsplatz Münsingen to those killed in the 78. Infanterie-Division/Sturm-Division

(Courtesy of Unterillertaler)

Sources used

Andris J. Kursietis - The Wehrmacht at War 1939-1945
Samuel W. Mitcham Jr - Hitler's Legions: The German Army Order of Battle World War II
George F. Nafziger - The German Order of Battle: Infantry in World War II
Brian Rigg - Hitler's Jewish Soldiers
Georg Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht 1933-1945

Reference material on this unit

Ludwig Merker - Das Buch der 78. Sturm Division
Karl Tress - Das Infanterie- und Sturm-Regiment 14 im Zweiten Weltkrieg
Fritz Vetter - Die 78. Infanterie  und Sturmdivision 1938-1945: Eine Dokumentation in Bildern