The 3. Infanterie-Division (mot) was formed on 27 October 1940 through the reorganization and redesignation of the 3. Infanterie-Division. It was destroyed at Stalingrad in January 1943.
Survivors of the divisions were used to form 3. Panzergrenadier-Division.

Known war crimes

Soldiers of 8. Infantry Regiment (mot) were involved in the killing of five Soviet POWs, among them a woman, in 1942. Manfred Blu were sentenced to 15 years in prison for the crimes post-war. (1)

Commanders

General der Infanterie Walter Lichel (27 Oct 1940 - 1 Oct 1940)
General der Artillerie Paul Bader (1 Oct 1940 - 25 May 1941)
General der Artillerie Curt Jahn (25 May 1941 - 1 Apr 1942)
Generalleutnant Helmuth Schlömer (1 Apr 1942 - 15 Jan 1943)
Oberst i. G. Jobst Freiherr von Hanstein (15 Jan 1943 - 28 Jan 1943) (POW)

Operations Officers (Ia)

Major Walter Nagel (27 Oct 1940 - 20 Jan 1941)
Oberstleutnant Hans-Jürgen Dingler (20 Jan 1941 - 22 Dec 1942)
Major Hans-Helmut von Kirchbach auf Lauterbach (22 Dec 1942 - 27 Jan 1943) (POW)

Area of operations

Germany (Oct 1940 - June 1941)
Eastern front, northern sector (June 1941 - Dec 1941)
Eastern front, central sector (Dec 1941 - July 1942)
Eastern front, southern sector (July 1941 - Oct 1942)
Stalingrad (Oct 1942 - Jan 1943)

Nicknames

Kreuz mit 2 Balken (Cross with two beams)

Holders of high awards

See 3. Panzergrenadier-Division

Order of battle (1940)

Infanterie-Regiment (mot) 8
Infanterie-Regiment (mot) 29
Artillerie-Regiment (mot) 3
Kradschützen-Bataillon 53
Divisionseinheiten 3

Notable members

Arthur Axmann (Reichsjugendführer, leader of the Hitler Jugend, 1940-1945)
Bernhard Bechler (German Cross in Gold holder and post-war a general in the Nationale Volksarmee of the German Democratic Republic)
Friedrich Gustav Jaeger (Active in the resistance against Hitler and executed after the failure of the July 20 Plot)
Erwin von Lahousen (Active in the resistance against Hitler)
Prince Burchard of Prussia (adjutant in Inf.Reg. 8)

Footnotes

1. "Justiz und NS-Verbrechen" by C.F. Rüter & D.W. de Mildt.

Sources used

Klaus Froh & Rüdiger Wenzke - Die Generale und Admirale der NVA: Ein biographisches handbuch
Joachim Lilla, Martin Döring & Andreas Schulz - Statisten in Uniform: Die Mitglieder des Reichstags 1933-1945
C.F. Rüter & D.W. de Mildt - Justiz und NS-Verbrechen
Georg Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht 1933-1945

Reference material on this unit

Gerhard Dieckhoff & M. Holzmann - 3. Infanterie-Division
Gerhard Dieckhoff - 3. Infanterie Division (mot.), 3. Panzergrenadier Division 1939-1945
Gerhard Dieckhoff & M. Holzmann - Infanterie gestern und heute: 3. Infanterie Division (mot.) Bildband