The 323rd Infantry Division (German: 323. Infanterie-Division) was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II. It was formed in 1940, sent to the Eastern Front in 1942 and dissolved after heavy casualties in 1943. The remnants of the division were briefly grouped into the Division Group 323, which was eventually folded into the 88th Infantry Division in May 1944.
The 323rd Infantry Division was formed as a static division of the 13th Aufstellungswelle in Franconia in Wehrkreis XIII. Of its initial battalions, three were drawn from each the 62nd and the 73rd Infantry Divisions.[1] The division's initial commander was Max Mühlmann.[2]
Between May 1941 and April 1942, the 323rd Infantry Division served on occupation duty in northwestern France. On 13 January 1942, Hans Bergen took command of the division.[2]
Following a decree on 7 February 1942, the division was restructured from a static division to an assault division to prepare it for service on the Eastern Front. The previously understaffed regiments of the division were brought to full strength in March 1942 through the addition of a 13th and 14th company to each of the infantry regiments and the addition of a heavy fourth detachment to the artillery regiment.[1]
After heavy fighting on the Eastern Front that began with the division's arrival there in May 1942, the formation had been reduced to Kampfgruppe strength by February 1943.[1] In January 1943, the 323rd Infantry Division fought alongside the other divisions of the VII German Corps and the IV Hungarian Corps, and elements of the division were assigned to aid the 75th Infantry Division's flank defense, along with elements of the 57th Infantry Division and the remnants of the 340th and 377th Infantry Divisions between 23 and 25 January.[3] In February, the remnants of the division were attached to the 75th Infantry Division and the 26th Infantry Division, before the division was eventually officially dissolved on 2 November 1943, after which the remnants became the Division Group 323 (German: Divisionsgruppe 323).[1]
The division's commander Bergen was replaced by Viktor Koch on 5 November 1942, by Andreas Nebauer on 25 December 1942, and by Ronald Koschella on 2 February 1943.[2]
The Division Group 323 was formed on 2 November 1943 from the remnants of the 323rd Infantry Division and put under the supervision of the 88th Infantry Division under 4th Panzer Army. The division group's staff had been formed from Grenadier Regiment 594, previously part of the 323rd Infantry Division as well, and the division group was dissolved after the German breakout from the Korsun–Cherkassy Pocket. The remaining personnel was fully integrated into the 88th Infantry Division by May 1944.[1]
The initial internal structure of the 323rd Infantry Division was as follows:[1]