He remained on the Army staff until February 1944 when he was given command of the 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian) and promoted to Oberführer. He was transferred to command the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Galician) in August 1944, when he was wounded and also awarded the Knight's Cross. He returned to command the 15th SS in January 1945.