Hausser served during the 1939 invasion of Poland as an observer with the mixed "Wehrmacht"/SS Panzer Division "Kempf". In October 1939 the SS-VT was formed as a motorized infantry division known as the SS-"Verfügungs"-Division with Hausser in command. He led the division, later renamed 2nd SS Division Das Reich, through the French campaign of 1940 and in the early stages of Operation Barbarossa. For his service in the Soviet Union, Hausser was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross in 1941 and the Oak Leaves in 1943 (he received the Swords for his service in Normandy) and was severely wounded, losing an eye.