XII) and initially stationed on the Saar Line, later in South-western France from August 1941 until January 1942.

From February 1942 to January 1943 the division served in the area of Vitebsk and was a part of the 9th Army.

Most of the operations in which the division participated were in the area of Bely and south-west of it, the sector extending to Smolensk.

The division was encircled and destroyed during the Vitebsk–Orsha offensive in June 1944, and its commander was taken prisoner by the Soviets.

was established at the military training area Milovice northeast of Prague, by renaming the 565th Volksgrenadier Division, which had been created only 3 weeks earlier.