At the beginning of 1943 it was reorganised as the 78th "Sturm" Division (a new divisional symbol, an armoured fist, being adopted, derived from the artificial hand of Götz von Berlichingen) with additional adjustments to its strength and organisation over the next several months. Each of its three infantry regiments was redesignated as a "Sturm-Regiment". The designation "Sturm" (assault) reflected the division's increased strength, which eventually included subordinate "Sturmgeschutz" (assault gun) "Heavy Mortar" and "Nebelwerfer" (rocket launcher) battalions and a tank destroyer unit equipped with "Marder II"s, as well as extra regimental artillery support. With its new organisation, the division took part in Operation Citadel as part of the XXIII Corps of the Ninth Army, being involved in the fighting at Ponyri. During the following Soviet Counteroffensive the division was first transferred from the Ninth Army to the Second Panzer Army in July, then again to the Fourth Army in September where the division was forced back to the Panther-Wotan line East of Orsha.