From December 1941, the division was shifted to the southern sector of the Eastern Front, where it fought until February 1944 when it was encircled near Cherkassy and virtually destroyed.

[1] By May 1940 the division was deemed ready for combat, transferred to the western front and subsequently took part in the battle for France.

Soon after the battle, the division was sent back to southern Germany for further training, and some of its personnel were allowed to return to their peacetime professions in industry and agriculture.

German reaction was swift: using infantry and 3rd and 23rd Panzer divisions, part of the forces gathered for the summer offensive, they hit the northern attack with repeated counterattacks, whilst blocking advancement in the south.

After the front was finally stabilised for the Germans by Erich von Manstein counter stroke at Karkov, the 88th division was again in defensive positions, this time along the Minus river, whilst dramatic events unfolded around the Kursk salient.

The failure of the German offensive preceded the start of a prolonged period of Soviet attacks, and by September, von Manstein was no longer confident that the forces of AGS could defeat them without substantial reinforcement.

The 88th pulled back and crossed the river Dnieper as part of VII Armycorps, and was inserted into the new defensive line on the western bank.

In mid-July, Soviet 1st Ukrainian Front started a series of offensives and the German forces were driven back into southern Poland.