In January 1943, the 331st Infantry Division was shifted from the Yukhnov sector to Velizh, where the division was subordinate to LIX Corps of 3rd Panzer Army in February 1943. Between March and April, the division served under XXXXIII Corps (also 3rd Panzer Army). On 22 February 1943, divisional command passed from Beyer to Karl Rhein, who held the command post until 1 January 1944 and briefly reassumed it between April and August 1944. On 17 March 1943, the 557th regiment was fully dissolved and its two remaining battalions given to the 558th and 559th, resulting in a division of two infantry regiments with a total of six battalions. This design was later reverted on 22 September 1943, and the 558th and 559th regiments each gave their third battalions back to a newly formed 557th regiment, preparing a reorganization of the division to fit the Division Neuer Art 44 archetype. The 331st Infantry Division was assigned to II Corps of 16th Army under Army Group North in the Nevel sector between May 1943 and February 1944. Additionally, the Infantry Regiments were redesignated Grenadier Regiments, as was the case for all Infantry Regiments of the German army in 1943.
