In March 1941, the division was recalled to Germany, and moved to the border with the Soviet Union in June of that year in preparation for Operation Barbarossa. Once the invasion was launched, the division participated in the Battle of Białystok–Minsk, in engagements at Smolensk and Vyasma, and in the Battle of Moscow. During the Soviet winter offensive of 1941–1942, it held positions at Yukhnov, near Rzhev, against repeated Soviet counterattacks from January to April 1942. Afterwards, the depleted division was withdrawn to Amiens, France to be reformed.