The 3rd Division and its regiments fought in the Austro-Prussian War against Austria in 1866, distinguishing itself at the Battle of Königgrätz.
[6] In World War I, the 3rd Division served initially on the Western Front, seeing action in the invasion of Belgium, the First Battle of the Marne and the Race to the Sea.
The division was then transferred to the Eastern Front, and remained there until the end of the war with Russia.
It then served in occupation duty in Russia until October 1918, when it returned to the Western Front for the final few weeks of the war.
These changes reflected the division's primary role as occupation troops late in the war.