The 320. Volksgrenadier-Division was formed in October 1944 from the partially formed 588. Volksgrenadier-Division. It saw action in Poland, suffering heavy losses near Cracow, and Czechoslovakia before surrendering to the Soviet forces at the end of the war.

Commanders

Generalmajor Ludwig Kirschner (1 Nov 1944 - 11 Feb 1945) (1)
Oberst Rolf Scherenberg (14 Feb 1945 - 19 Feb 1945)
Generalmajor Emmanuel von Kiliani (19 Feb 1945 - 8 May 1945)

Operations Officers (Ia)

Oberstleutnant Friedrich-Karl Plehwe (10 Nov 1944 - 25 Dec 1944)
Major Tyrell (25 Dec 1944 - 10 Jan 1945)
Major Heinz Kruse (10 Jan 1945 - 25 Jan 1945)
Major Louis-Ferdinand Bennecke (25 Jan 1945 - 15 Mar 1945)
Major Hugo Meier (15 Mar 1945 - ? 1945)

Area of operations

Poland & Czechoslovakia (Dec 1944 - May 1945)

Nicknames

Herz-Division (Heart Division)

Holders of high awards

Holders of the German Cross in Gold (2)
- Hasemann, Richard, 20.01.1945, Leutnant d.R., 2./Gren.Rgt. 587
- Johne, Max, 18.03.1945, Hauptmann, I./Gren.Rgt. 587
Holders of the Knight's Cross (1)
- Lampart, Karl 14.04.1945 Grenadier i. d. 5./Gren.Rgt 587

Order of battle

Grenadier-Regiment 585
Grenadier-Regiment 586
Grenadier-Regiment 587
Füsilier-Kompanie 320
Artillerie-Regiment 320
Pionier-Bataillon 320
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 320
Nachrichten-Abteilung 320
Feldersatz-Bataillon 320
Versorgungseinheiten 320

Footnotes

1. Generalmajor Ludwig Kirschner was killed by a Soviet marksman while inspecting positions of his division at Saybusch, Poland on 11 February 1945.

Sources used

Richard Haseman - Nasses Brot (Verlag Günther Neske, Pfullingen, 1952)
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
Georg Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht 1933-1945

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -