The 326th Infantry Division (''326. Infanterie-Division'') was the only Eastern Front (Ost Front) veteran division to have fought in the battles of Normandy. It was formed on November 9, 1942, shortly after its return from Southern Russia to serve as an occupation force in France. On May 5, 1943, the division was transformed into a static division. The 326th Infantry Division was destroyed during the

Battle of Normandy Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allied operation that launched the successful invasion of German-occupied Western Europe during World War II. The operation was launched on 6 June 1944 (D-Day) with the Norma ...

. A new 326th Volksgrenadier Division (''326. Volksgrenadier-Division'') was formed on September 4, 1944, in

Galanta Galanta ( hu, Galánta, german: Gallandau) is a town (about 15,000 inhabitants) in the Trnava Region of Slovakia. It is situated 50 km due east of the Slovak capital Bratislava. Etymology The name is derived from a Slavic name ''Golęta'' ( ...

by redesignation of the new 579th Volksgrenadier Division of the 32nd

mobilisation Mobilization is the act of assembling and readying military troops and supplies for war. The word ''mobilization'' was first used in a military context in the 1850s to describe the preparation of the Prussian Army. Mobilization theories and ...

wave. In 1945 the division, separated into two groups, entered

U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

captivity in the Ruhr Pocket and

Harz The Harz () is a highland area in northern Germany. It has the highest elevations for that region, and its rugged terrain extends across parts of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia. The name ''Harz'' derives from the Middle High German ...

respectively.

Operational history

The 326th Infantry Division spent its entire operational history on the Western Front, taking part in the Battles of Normandy under

Army Group D Army Group D (''Heeresgruppe D'') was a German Army Group which saw action during World War II. Army Group D was formed on 26 October 1940 in France, its initial cadre coming from the disbanded Army Group C. On 15 April 1941, the status of Army ...

(''Heeresgruppe D'') and the

Ardennes The Ardennes (french: Ardenne ; nl, Ardennen ; german: Ardennen; wa, Årdene ; lb, Ardennen ), also known as the Ardennes Forest or Forest of Ardennes, is a region of extensive forests, rough terrain, rolling hills and ridges primarily in Be ...

under

Army Group B Army Group B (German: ') was the title of three German Army Groups that saw action during World War II. Operational history Army Group B first took part in the Battle of France in 1940 in Belgium and the Netherlands. The second formation of ...

(''Heeresgruppe B'').

Organisation

1942

* ''Grenadier-Regiment 751'', I-III Battalions * ''Grenadier-Regiment 752'', I-III Battalions * ''Grenadier-Regiment 753'', I-III Battalions * ''Artillerie-Regiment 326'', I-III Battalions * ''Schnelle-Abteilung 326'' * ''Pionier-Bataillon 326'' * ''Infanterie-Divisions-Nachrichten-Abteilung 326''

1944

* ''Grenadier-Regiment 751'', I and II Battalions * ''Grenadier-Regiment 752'', I and II Battalions * ''Grenadier-Regiment 753'', I and II Battalions * ''Artillerie-Regiment 326'', I-IV Battalions * ''Divisions-Füsilier-Kompanie 326 '' (later expanded to Füsilier-Bataillon 26) * ''Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 326'' * ''Pionier-Bataillon 326'' * ''Infanterie-Divisions-Nachrichten-Abteilung 326''

Commanding officers

* Lieutenant General Friedrich von Drabich-Waechter (1944) * Major General Dr. Erwin Kaschner (1945)

References

* Tessin, Georg. Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS 1939 - 1945 Volume 9 Military units and formations established in 1942 Military units and formations disestablished in 1945 Infantry divisions of Germany during World War II {{Germany-mil-unit-stub