8th Panzer Division (Germany)
Encyclopedia
The 8th Panzer Division was a panzer division
of the Wehrmacht
Heer
. The division was only active during World War II, and came into existence after 3rd Light Division was reorganized in January 1940. During its existence, the division was headquartered in Cottbus
, in the German military district
Wehrkreis III.
s, or mechanized infantry
, were grouped into the 28th Panzer Grenadier Regiment and the 8th Panzer Grenadier Regiment. The 80th Panzer Artillery Regiment, the 8th Motorcycle Battalion, the 59th Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion, the 43rd Tank Destroyer Battalion, the 59th Panzer Engineer Battalion, the 59th Signal Battalion, and the 59th Panzer Divisional Supply Troops were also assigned to the division.
The division was sent to participate in the 1939 Invasion of Poland. In the winter of 1939 it was converted to the 8th Panzer Division, losing its two reconnaissance battalions to the 10th Panzer Division, but gained the 10th Panzer Regiment from East Prussian forces. It gained the 8th Rifle Brigade, controlling the 8th Rifle Regiment and the 8th Motorcycle Battalion. The battalion was equipped primarily with Czech
tanks.
It was made a part of XLI Motorized Corps for the Battle of France
. In the Battles of the Meuse Crossings, the as French forces were initially able to repel German attacks. Eventually, however, the French were forced to retreat in the face of overwhelming attack by German Panzer tanks. The division was involved in the destruction of the French 1st Army and the French 7th Army in May 1940, and remained on the line in France until the country's conquest in June 1940.
Panzer 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....
of the Wehrmacht
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:...
Heer
Heer (1935-1945)
The Heer was the Army land forces component of the German armed forces from 1935 to 1945, the latter also included the Navy and the Air Force...
. The division was only active during World War II, and came into existence after 3rd Light Division was reorganized in January 1940. During its existence, the division was headquartered in Cottbus
Cottbus
Cottbus is a city in Brandenburg, Germany, situated around southeast of Berlin, on the River Spree. As of , its population was .- History :...
, in the German military district
Military district
Military districts are formations of a state's armed forces which are responsible for a certain area of territory. They are often more responsible for administrative than operational matters, and in countries with conscript forces, often handle parts of the conscription cycle.Navies have also used...
Wehrkreis III.
Organization
For most of its history, the division was organized into three regiments. The tanks were organised into the 10th Panzer Regiment, and the panzergrenadierPanzergrenadier
is a German term for motorised or mechanized infantry, as introduced during World War II. It is used in the armies of Austria, Chile, Germany and Switzerland.-Forerunners:...
s, or mechanized infantry
Mechanized infantry
Mechanized infantry are infantry equipped with armored personnel carriers , or infantry fighting vehicles for transport and combat ....
, were grouped into the 28th Panzer Grenadier Regiment and the 8th Panzer Grenadier Regiment. The 80th Panzer Artillery Regiment, the 8th Motorcycle Battalion, the 59th Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion, the 43rd Tank Destroyer Battalion, the 59th Panzer Engineer Battalion, the 59th Signal Battalion, and the 59th Panzer Divisional Supply Troops were also assigned to the division.
History
In 1938, the 3rd Light Division was formed, consisting of the 67th Panzer Battalion, and the 8th and 9th Mechanized Cavalry Regiments as well as the 8th Reconnaissance Regiment.The division was sent to participate in the 1939 Invasion of Poland. In the winter of 1939 it was converted to the 8th Panzer Division, losing its two reconnaissance battalions to the 10th Panzer Division, but gained the 10th Panzer Regiment from East Prussian forces. It gained the 8th Rifle Brigade, controlling the 8th Rifle Regiment and the 8th Motorcycle Battalion. The battalion was equipped primarily with Czech
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
tanks.
It was made a part of XLI Motorized Corps for the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
. In the Battles of the Meuse Crossings, the as French forces were initially able to repel German attacks. Eventually, however, the French were forced to retreat in the face of overwhelming attack by German Panzer tanks. The division was involved in the destruction of the French 1st Army and the French 7th Army in May 1940, and remained on the line in France until the country's conquest in June 1940.
Commanding officers
- General der Panzertruppe Adolf-Friedrich KuntzenAdolf-Friedrich KuntzenGeneral Adolf-Fiedrich Kuntzen was a Panzer General in the German army during World War II who served as the Commanding General of the LXXXI Army-Corps under Erwin Rommel in Normandy in 1944....
, 16 October 1939 – 20 February 1941 - General der Panzertruppe Erich BrandenbergerErich BrandenbergerAdolf Robert Erich Brandenberger was a German General der Panzertruppe. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves....
, 20 February – 21 February 1941 - Generalleutnant Walter Neumann-SilkowWalter Neumann-SilkowWalter Neumann-Silkow was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded several divisions. 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...
, 21 February 1941 – 26 May 1941 - General der Panzertruppe Erich Brandenberger, 26 May – 8 December 1941
- Generalleutnant Werner HühnerWerner HühnerWerner Hühner was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded several divisions. 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...
, 8 December 1941 – 28 January 1942 - General der Panzertruppe Erich Brandenberger, 29 January 1942 – 6 August 1942
- Generalleutnant Josef Schrötter, 6 August 1942 – 10 November 1942
- General der Panzertruppe Erich Brandenberger, 10 November 1942 – 17 January 1943
- Generalleutnant Sebastian Fichtner, 17 January 1943 – 20 September 1943
- Generalmajor Gottfried FröhlichGottfried FröhlichGottfried Fröhlich was a highly decorated Generalmajor 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...
, 20 September 1943 – 1 April 1944 - Generalmajor Werner FriebeWerner FriebeWerner Friebe was a highly decorated Generalmajor in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded 8. Panzer-Division. 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...
, 1 April 1944 – 21 July 1944 - Generalmajor Gottfried Fröhlich, 21 July 1944 – 5 January 1945
- Generalmajor Heinrich-Georg Hax, 5 January – 8 May 1945