14th Panzer Division (Germany)
Encyclopedia
The German 14th Panzer Division (14. Panzer-Division) was an armoured division
in the German Army
during World War II
. It was created in 1940 by the conversion of the 4th Infantry Division.
was unusual in the German Army for not forming in sequential order. 14. Panzer Division was formed in August 1940, 12th Panzer and 13th Panzer were not formed until October 1941. The 14. Panzer Division was established using veteran units from 4. Infantry Division and 4. Panzer Division as a basis for its structure.
4. Infantry Division provided both Divisional Organisation and the infantry components while 4. Panzer Division provided the tank element by transferring the 36. Panzer Regiment to the new 14. Panzer Division.
, reaching Sarajevo
on the 15th April. Soon after it returned to Germany in preparation for Operation Barbarossa
. In June 1941, now as part of Army Group South
, the Division took part in the invasion of the Soviet Union
. It was involved almost continuously in offensive and defensive engagements throughout 1941, including the first winter on the Eastern Front
. In of June 1942 14. Panzer took part in the German summer offensives as Army Group South raced through the Kharkov and Don
regions.
' VI Army which was encircled at Stalingrad soon after. By February 1943 the Division was considered completely destroyed in the fighting at the Battle of Stalingrad
.
. By November 1943 it was considered combat ready, transferring back to Army Group South on the Eastern Front. It now had an additional Battalion of StuG assault gun
s, the III/36 Panzer Regiment. It had been planned to equip this 3rd Battalion with Tigers, however the order was changed before deployment to the Eastern Front.
to take part in the defence of the Courland
area (now Latvia
and Lithuania
). The refit included the I/36 Panzer Regiment taking delivery of a battalion of Panther Tanks.
In January 1945 the Soviets launched a number of major attacks across the Eastern Front. Much of Army Group North - including 14. Panzer Division - was bypassed and became trapped in the Courland Pocket
, and remained there until Germany’s surrender in May 1945.
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
in the German Army
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was created in 1940 by the conversion of the 4th Infantry Division.
Commanding officers
- Generalleutant Erick-Oskar HansenErick-Oskar HansenErick-Oskar Hansen was a highly decorated General der Kavallerie in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
, 15 August 1940 - Generalleutnant Heinrich von Prittwitz und Gaffron, 1 October 1940
- General der Panzertruppen Friedrich KühnFriedrich Kühn (general)General Friedrich Kühn was an Panzer General in the German army during World War II who was the chief of Wehrmacht Motor Transport and mechanization....
, 22 March 1941 - Generalleutnant Ferdinand HeimFerdinand HeimFerdinand Heim was a World War II German general.-War service:Heim served as a junior artillery officer in the XIII Corps during the whole of the First World War After 1918 he remained in the much smaller army as a career officer, reaching the rank of Oberst in June 1939, just before the start of...
, 1 July 1942 - Generalleutnant Hans Freiherr von Falkenstein, 1 November 1942
- Generalleutnant Johannes Baeßler, 16 November 1942
- Generalmajor Martin Lattmann, 26 November 1942
- Generalleutnant Friedrich Sieberg, 1 April 1943
- Generalleutnant Martin UnreinMartin UnreinGeneralleutnant Martin Unrein was a general officer of the German Army during the Second World War.-Early career:...
, 29 October 1943 - Generalmajor Oskar MunzelOskar MunzelOskar Munzel was a highly decorated Generalmajor in the Wehrmacht during World War II and a General der Kampftruppen in the Bundeswehr who commanded several divisions. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
, 5 September 1944 - Generalleutnant Martin UnreinMartin UnreinGeneralleutnant Martin Unrein was a general officer of the German Army during the Second World War.-Early career:...
, 1 December 1944 - Oberst Friedrich-Wilhelm Jürgen, 10 February 1945
- Oberst Karl Gräßel, 15 March 1945
Formation
14. Panzer DivisionPanzer Division
A panzer division was an armored division in the army and air force branches of the Wehrmacht as well as the Waffen-SS of Nazi Germany during World War II....
was unusual in the German Army for not forming in sequential order. 14. Panzer Division was formed in August 1940, 12th Panzer and 13th Panzer were not formed until October 1941. The 14. Panzer Division was established using veteran units from 4. Infantry Division and 4. Panzer Division as a basis for its structure.
4. Infantry Division provided both Divisional Organisation and the infantry components while 4. Panzer Division provided the tank element by transferring the 36. Panzer Regiment to the new 14. Panzer Division.
In the East - Army Group South
In April 1941 the Division took part in the Invasion of YugoslaviaInvasion of Yugoslavia
The Invasion of Yugoslavia , also known as the April War , was the Axis Powers' attack on the Kingdom of Yugoslavia which began on 6 April 1941 during World War II...
, reaching Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
on the 15th April. Soon after it returned to Germany in preparation for Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
. In June 1941, now as part of Army Group South
Army Group South
Army Group South was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II.- Poland campaign :Germany used two army groups to invade Poland in 1939: Army Group North and Army Group South...
, the Division took part in the invasion of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. It was involved almost continuously in offensive and defensive engagements throughout 1941, including the first winter on the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
. In of June 1942 14. Panzer took part in the German summer offensives as Army Group South raced through the Kharkov and Don
Don River (Russia)
The Don River is one of the major rivers of Russia. It rises in the town of Novomoskovsk 60 kilometres southeast from Tula, southeast of Moscow, and flows for a distance of about 1,950 kilometres to the Sea of Azov....
regions.
In the East - Stalingrad
The Division was transferred to Friedrich PaulusFriedrich Paulus
Friedrich Wilhelm Ernst Paulus was an officer in the German military from 1910 to 1945. He attained the rank of Generalfeldmarschall during World War II, and is best known for having commanded the Sixth Army's assault on Stalingrad during Operation Blue in 1942...
' VI Army which was encircled at Stalingrad soon after. By February 1943 the Division was considered completely destroyed in the fighting at the Battle of Stalingrad
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in southwestern Russia. The battle took place between 23 August 1942 and 2 February 1943...
.
Division Reforms in France
Not long after the destruction of the Division at Stalingrad 14. Panzer began reforming in Brittany, FranceBrittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
. By November 1943 it was considered combat ready, transferring back to Army Group South on the Eastern Front. It now had an additional Battalion of StuG assault gun
Assault gun
An assault gun is a gun or howitzer mounted on a motor vehicle or armored chassis, designed for use in the direct fire role in support of infantry when attacking other infantry or fortified positions....
s, the III/36 Panzer Regiment. It had been planned to equip this 3rd Battalion with Tigers, however the order was changed before deployment to the Eastern Front.
In the East
The Division took part in a number of actions with Army Group South up to June 1944. In August, after being refitted, it was transferred to Army Group NorthArmy Group North
Army Group North was a German strategic echelon formation commanding a grouping of Field Armies subordinated to the OKH during World War II. The army group coordinated the operations of attached separate army corps, reserve formations, rear services and logistics.- Formation :The Army Group North...
to take part in the defence of the Courland
Courland
Courland is one of the historical and cultural regions of Latvia. The regions of Semigallia and Selonia are sometimes considered as part of Courland.- Geography and climate :...
area (now Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
and Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
). The refit included the I/36 Panzer Regiment taking delivery of a battalion of Panther Tanks.
In January 1945 the Soviets launched a number of major attacks across the Eastern Front. Much of Army Group North - including 14. Panzer Division - was bypassed and became trapped in the Courland Pocket
Courland Pocket
The Courland Pocket referred to the Red Army's blockade or encirclement of Axis forces on the Courland peninsula during the closing months of World War II...
, and remained there until Germany’s surrender in May 1945.
Reference, sources and further reading
- German Wehrmacht Panzer Divisions 1939-1945-Jorge Rosado and Chris Bishop
- Stalingrad-Antony Beevor
- Osterfront-Charles Winchester