The Sonderverband Brandenburg was formed on 20 November 1942 by re-structuring and renaming of Lehr-Regiment Brandenburg z.b.V. 800.
This Sonderverband, nearly in divisional size, still was under direct command of OKW / Amt Ausland/Abwehr and not a regular Heer combat unit. It never served as a unit in a whole.
The various sub-units saw action on different spots of the Eastern Front and the occupied Balcan and Greece. Besides its origin commando style operations more and more anti-partisan warfare became the task of the “Brandenburger”. So-called “Kampfdolmetscher” and Legionaire troops joined the unit.
Per 1 April 1943 it was renamed Division Brandenburg [z.b.V. 800]

Commanders

Oberstleutnant Paul Haehling von Lanzenauer (20 Nov 1942 – 12 Feb 1943)
Generalmajor Alexander von Pfuhlstein (12 Feb 1943 – 1 Apr 1943)

Holders of high awards

Holders of the German Cross in Gold (3)
- John, Werner, 02.04.1943, Hauptmann, Verband 801 des Sonderverbandes Brandenburg
- Renner, Karl, 14.02.1943, Oberleutnant d.R., III./Verband 802 / Sonderverband Brandenburg
- Seuberlich, Hans-Erich, 24.04.1943, Leutnant d.R., I./Verband 802 / Sonderverband Brandenburg

Order of battle

Stab , Brandenburg a.d. Havel
Verband 801 , Brandenburg a.d. Havel
- I. – III. Bataillon
- 1.-4. , 5.-8. , 9.-12. Kp
Verband 802 , Admont / Steiermark
- I. – III. (Gebirgsjäger-) Bataillon
- 1.-4. , 5.-8. , 9.-12. Kp
Verband 803 , Düren
- I. – III. Bataillon
- 1.-4. , 5.-8. , 9.-12. , 13.(Legionärs-) Kp
Verband 804 , Langenargen / Bodensee [Lake Constance]
- I.(Legionärs-) Bataillon
- - 1. – 5. Kp
- II.(Legionärs-) Bataillon
-- 1. – 5. Kp
- III. Bataillon
-- 1. , 4. , 13. , 14. Kp [formed Abt. von Koenen -> North Africa]
Verband 805 , Brandenburg a.d. Havel
Abwehr-Stamm-Abteilung , 1. – 5. Kp
Abwehr-Ergänzungs-Abteilung , 1. – 4. Kp
Abwehrschule , Gut „Quenzsee“ (or „Quenzgut“) , near Brandenburg
Küstenjäger-Abteilung 800 , Langenargen/Bodensee
- 1. – 4. Kp
- [with Sturmboote and Pi.-Landungsboote ; built from lei.Pi.Kp./Rgt. 800, which was formed and trained in summer 1942 at Swinemünde]
Nachrichten-Abteilung 800
- 1. – 3. Kp

Sources used

Bundesarchiv - "Die Brandenburger" Kommandotruppe und Frontverband
Helmuth Spaeter - Die Brandenburger
Georg Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945
Unit insignia courtesy of Wikimedia

Reference material on this unit

Will Borcher - Division Brandenburg
Franz Kurowski - The Brandenburgers: Global Mission
Eric Lefevre - Brandenburg Division: Commandos of the Reich
Helmuth Spaeter - Die Brandenburger
Helmuth Spaeter - The History of the Panzerkorps Grossdeutschland Vol 1-3