'Infantry Regiment "Greater Germany"') was an élite German Army ceremonial and combat unit which saw action during World War II.

Großdeutschland is sometimes mistakenly perceived to be part of the Waffen-SS, whereas it was actually a unit of the regular German Army (Heer).

The Kommando was based at Moabit Barracks, and every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, performed a changing of the guard ceremony for the public.

This ceremony was quite modest, but on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursdays the entire Wachtruppe, accompanied by the regimental band, marched from the barracks through the Brandenburg Gate and to the War Memorial at the Neue Wache, similar to the changing of the Queen's Guard at Buckingham Palace.

In World War I, Germany had been more of a political concept than a nation, and most divisions were still named for their region (e.g. Saxon, Prussian, Bavarian, Baden etc.).

Under the NSDAP, the country had been finally united as a true Deutschland, but this was only a part of the Party's plans for a Greater Germany, encompassing all Germanic peoples under one banner, and with its capital in Berlin, to be renamed Germania it was to become a Großdeutschland.

The Wach Regiment Berlin provided escorts and guards of honour for state visits, conferences and the Olympic Games.

On the first day of the invasion, the majority of the Großdeutschland regiment was attached to the 10th Panzer Division and engaged in fighting in Luxembourg in an attempt to outflank southern Belgian fortifications.

During the rout of the French Army, in June 1940, the regiment massacred African soldiers and their White officers it had taken prisoner near the Bois d'Eraine.

After a stopover in Paris to take part in the German victory parade, the regiment was then sent north to Celsace in preparation for Operation Sea Lion, the projected invasion of Britain.

After Sea Lion was called off, the regiment was moved to the south of France in preparation for Operation Felix, the planned invasion of Gibraltar.

After the cancellation of Felix, the Großdeutschland was moved east to Romania to take part in the Yugoslav campaign then in progress.

I. Battalion was involved in the occupation of Belgrade, before the regiment was moved back north into Poland in preparation for Operation Barbarossa.

Propaganda photos and film of the executions were used decades after the event to help chronicle the Wehrmacht's complicity in German atrocities during the war.

[3] For the invasion of the Soviet Union, the regiment was attached to Generalfeldmarschall Fedor von Bock's Heeresgruppe Mitte.

The end of the year saw Großdeutschland providing support to three Infantry divisions engaged holding the Oka River line near Orel.

In August, the division was pulled back to the north bank of the Donets and held as a mobile reserve and counterattack force.

After the Soviet Operation Uranus, the regiment was involved in heavy winter fighting with the rest of the division near Rzhev.

The newly re-equipped division was attached to the 4.Panzer-Armee of Generaloberst Hermann Hoth, in preparation to Operation Citadel, which aimed to sever the Kursk salient.

After the battle of Kursk, the division was transferred back to Heeresgruppe Mitte, and resumed its role as mobile reserve.

For the rest of 1943, Großdeutschland was engaged in the fighting withdrawal from the eastern Ukraine, taking part in battles around Kharkov, Belgorod, and finally on the Dnieper, ending the year near Michurin-Rog, east of Kryvyi Rih.

Großdeutschland continued fighting in the area of Krivoi-Rog early in January 1944 until it was transferred west for rest and refit.

Großdeutschland insignia consisted of intertwined GD displayed on the shoulder straps; a cuff title, of the type granted to Waffen-SS units, was also distributed.