It was redesignated Kommandant von Frankfurt shortly afterward, and took on its bona fide name when the formation of the Wehrmacht was announced in October 1935.

Redesignated the 3rd Motorized Infantry Division it took part in Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, advancing on Leningrad under Army Group North.

After the division moved to France, it continued to commit war crimes, including the massacre of 86 civilians in Couvonges.

He was found guilty of manslaughter by the Bundesgerichtshof , Germany's highest court but released because of the Statute of limitations had expired.

This caused considerable outrage in both Germany and Italy because of the particularly brutal nature of the crime, and was seen as a Miscarriage of justice.