used decades after the event to help chronicle the Wehrmacht's complicity in German atrocities during the war. For the invasion of the Soviet Union, the regiment was attached to Generalfeldmarschall Fedor von Bock's Heeresgruppe Mitte. After crossing the border on 27 June 1941, the regiment was involved in the battles around Minsk and the creation of the Minsk pocket. Großdeutschland then crossed the Dnieper and advanced on Yelnya, where it was involved in heavy fighting and suffered heavy losses. After the reduction of the Yelnya salient, the regiment advanced again and took part in the Battle of Kiev. The end of the year saw Großdeutschland providing support to three Infantry divisions engaged holding the Oka River line near Orel. The Soviet winter offensive cost the regiment dearly, and in early February the skeletal II. Battalion was dissolved and the survivors used to bolster the other battalions. Later in the month, the two Grenadier Battalions were reformed into a single under strength battalion. After over 9 months of heavy fighting, Großdeutschland was pulled out of the line and reinforced. The disbanded battalions were reinstated and the regiment was allowed a few weeks rest. Infantry Regiment Großdeutschland 11 April 1942 On 1 Apr 1942, while resting and refitting near Orel, the regiment reorganized and expanded to become Infanterie-Division Großdeutschland (mot). The existing regiment was renamed Infanterie-Regiment Großdeutschland 1, and was joined in the division by Infanterie-Regiment Großdeutschland 2, which had been formed in Berlin. Supporting units in the form of a Panzer battalion, an assault gun battalion and increased flak, artillery and engineers were added with the upgrade to divisional status. After the reorganization, the Großdeutschland Division was assigned to XLVIII.Panzerkorps during the opening phases of Fall Blau, the assault on Stalingrad. The division took part in the successful attacks to cross the upper Don river and to capture Voronezh. In August, the division was pulled back to the north bank of the Donets and held as a mobile reserve and counterattack force. Grenadier Regiment Großdeutschland 1 October 1942 On 1 Oct 1942, the regiment was renamed "Grenadier Regiment Großdeutschland". Their counterparts became Füsilier Regiment GD. After the Soviet Operation Uranus, the regiment was involved in heavy winter fighting with the rest of the division near Rzhev. Kharkov In January–February 1943, Großdeutschland and XLVIII Panzerkorps, along with the II SS Panzer Corps took part in the Third Battle of Kharkov. The division