Along with the rest of the 9th Army, the division conducted a fighting withdrawal for the remainder of 1943, during which it sustained heavy casualties.

In the early stages of the Soviet Operation Bagration of June to August 1944, the 31st Infantry Division was destroyed, a fate which subsequently befell most of Army Group Centre.

The division was created on 1 October 1936 recruited from the Braunschweig region of north-central Germany within Wehrkreis XI.

[7] It was also involved in fighting at Bryansk, and was engaged in the failed attempt to encircle Tula southeast of Moscow (in late 1941).

In September 1944 this division successfully participated in the early battles to defend the Courland Peninsula, (Latvia).

In early 1945 the division was evacuated by sea to northern Germany where it fought its last campaigns with Army Group Vistula.

[8] In late January 1945 it was part of the garrison defending the East Prussian city of Thorn on the Vistula from the Red Army.

[9] After destroying the bridges over the river at Thorn, the division fought its way west and north in an attempt to breakout from Soviet encirclement.

When it reached a crossing point about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) south of Kulm in early February, the ice was melting and the Red Army was closing in.