German 17th Panzer Division
Encyclopedia
The 17th Panzer Division was a formation of the German Army
in World War II
. It was formed on November 1940 from 27th Infantry Division. It took part in Operation Barbarossa
, the invasion of the Soviet Union
in June 1941, and in the winter of 1941–42 participated in the abortive German attack on Moscow
. In November 1942, the Division was sent to the southern sector of the Eastern Front
where it participated in the failed attempt to relieve the surrounded troops
at Stalingrad. The Division was held in reserve during Germany's failed Kursk Offensive
in 1943, and thereafter contributed to the Wehrmacht
's fighting withdrawal through Ukraine
and Poland
, before ending the war in Czechoslovakia
.
The 27th Infantry Division was formed in October 1936 in Augsburg
, Bavaria
(Wehrkreis VII), as a peace-time division of the new German Wehrmacht
. The division was mobilised on 26 August 1939 and took part in the campaigns in Poland
and France
. In 1943, a propaganda
book was published about the 27th ID in France
1940, titled Über Somme, Seine, Loire (English: Across the Somme, the Seine, the Loire).
, then the Nazi Gau Swabia
, codenamed Operation Barbarossa
, and became part of the XXXXVII Panzer Corps, which in turn was part of the Panzergruppe 2, commanded by Heinz Guderian
. The division's commander, Hans-Jürgen von Arnim
, was seriously wounded within the first few days of the campaign, on 24 June, but later returned to his unit. His temporary replacement, Karl Ritter von Weber, was mortally wounded south of Smolensk on 17 July, putting Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma
in charge until von Arnim returned.
The division crossed the Bug River
and advanced south of Minsk
, where it made contact with the Panzergruppe 3. It took part in the Battle of Białystok–Minsk, where it recorded up to 100 Soviet tanks destroyed in a single day, 9 July, at Orsha
. It then crossed the river Dnjepr south of Orsha and took part in defensive operations south of Smolensk
in August and September.
In October, it took part in the run up to the Battle of Moscow
, taking Bryansk
on 15 October. The division was then concentrated at Orel
and advanced towards Tula
, where it was engaged in a failed attempt to encircle the city. With the Soviet counterattack on 5 December, the division had to take defensive positions and started retreating on the 8th, after having reached a point 120 km south east of Moscow
.
The 17th Panzer Division then took defensive positions west of Orel, where it remained until the Summer of 1942.
and Panzer IV
. It was engaged in minor attacks north of Orel in September but then went into defensive positions again. The division was then held in Army Group Centre reserve near Bolkhov
. At this stage, it only fielded 45 to 50 tanks of varying types (down from a nominal strength of around 200). On 5 July, consistent with changes throughout the Wehrmacht, the 40th Schützen-Regiment and 63rd Schützen-Regiment were renamed 40th Panzergrenadier Regiment and 63 Panzergrenadier Regiment.
In October 1942, when Fridolin von Senger und Etterlin took command of the division, it had only 30 operational tanks, and one-third of its trucks were unservicable.
After the Soviet counter attack
at Stalingrad, the division was quickly transferred to the Heersesgruppe B
in the area of Millerovo
. From there, it marched towards Kotelnikovo
and joined the 4th Panzer Armee for a relief attack, Operation Wintergewitter
, for the 6th Armee at Stalingrad, together with the 6th Panzer Division and the 23rd Panzer Division. The operation failed however, and the 17th Panzer Division was forced to retreat at the end of December. Losses were so heavy that the command of the 63rd Panzer Grenadier Regiment laid in the hands of a lieutenant, its original commander having been killed in action. By Christmas Eve 1942, the division fielded only eight operational tanks and one anti-tank gun.
The division continued its retreat towards the Don
bridgehead at Rostov
, which it reached at the end of January. The 39th Panzer Regiment was re-equipped with 50 new Panzer IV shortly after and the division took part in counter attacks between the Mius and the Donets
river. By 27 February, the division had been reduced to less than 2,000 men, six tanks and ten anti-tank guns but was saved by the Soviet forces retreating behind the Donets river. After this, it was engaged in tank battles near Belgorod
until the end of April.
The division did not take part in the Operation Zitadelle, the Battle of Kursk
. Instead, the 17th stayed in reserve, behind the front line, as part of the XXIV Panzer Corps. It did take part in some successful counter attacks after the battle, in the Donets-Izium
area. On 20 July, Generalleutnant Walter Schilling became the second division commander of the 17th to be killed in action. In July, the division had the following strength in tanks, of which 84% were operational:
In September, it retreated from the Donets to positions behind the Dnjepr river, taking up a defensive line on the western side of the river. Initially it was posted at Krivoi Rog, in November it moved to Kherson
, as part of the re-formed 6th Army.
, as part of the III Panzer Corps. In the end, the involved German tank divisions were halted by the Red Army
12 km from the pocket but the troops inside managed to break through, abandoning their heavy equipment. It was then part of the 1st Panzer Armee in the Kamenets-Podolsky Pocket
, where it lost most of its own heavy equipement, but escaped as a whole. On this occasion, 200,000 German soldiers were trapped in a pocket due to Hitlers orders against strategic withdrawals. Erich von Manstein
eventually convinced Hitler to let the army retreat but he was relieved from his command afterwards.
It remained in reserve again in April and May, stationed behind the frontline, before taking part in operations around Lviv
to counter the Soviet Lvov–Sandomierz Offensive.
Until the end of October, the unit took part in operations in the Tarnów
region and then south of the Baranow bridgehead, near Sandomierz
. From November, it became part of the reserves once more, receiving some badly needed re-supplies of tanks, 80 Panzer IV and Panzer V (Panthers). The 63rd Panzergrenadier Regiment of the division was disbanded, one of its battalions however stayed with the division.
restraining order, suffered heavy casualties through bombardment and had their communications destroyed. Their task, to throw back the Soviet advance, was impossible to achieve.
The division found itself in constant retreat as part of the XXIV Panzer Corps commanded by Walther Nehring
, first towards Łódź, then crossing the Oder, where it took positions near Głogów in February. It took part in defensive operations near the Ścinawa
(German: Steinau) bridgehead in mid-February.
The division had suffered heavy losses during those events and was re-supplied near Görlitz
, now renamed Kampfgruppe 17th Panzer Division due to being severely under strength and being no more in size than a regiment. It continued its defensive actions in the region during the Silesian Offensives
. The division was eventually forced to retreat into Czechoslovakia
, heading towards Brno
.
on 10 May 1945 near Olomouc
.
HQ
39th Panzer Regiment
40th Panzergrenadier Regiment
27th Panzerjäger Battalion
27th Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion
27th Panzer Artillery Regiment
297th Army Flak Battalion
27th Panzer Signals Battalion
27th Panzer Pioneer Battalion
The members of the 17th Panzer Division received the following awards (selection):
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...
in 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 formed on November 1940 from 27th Infantry Division. It took part in 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...
, 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....
in June 1941, and in the winter of 1941–42 participated in the abortive German attack on Moscow
Battle of Moscow
The Battle of Moscow is the name given by Soviet historians to two periods of strategically significant fighting on a sector of the Eastern Front during World War II. It took place between October 1941 and January 1942. The Soviet defensive effort frustrated Hitler's attack on Moscow, capital of...
. In November 1942, the Division was sent to the southern sector of 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...
where it participated in the failed attempt to relieve the surrounded troops
Operation Wintergewitter
Operation Winter Storm was a German offensive in World War II, undertaken between 12–23 December 1942, in which the German 4th Panzer-Armee failed to break the encirclement of Axis forces during the Battle of Stalingrad....
at Stalingrad. The Division was held in reserve during Germany's failed Kursk Offensive
Battle of Kursk
The Battle of Kursk took place when German and Soviet forces confronted each other on the Eastern Front during World War II in the vicinity of the city of Kursk, in the Soviet Union in July and August 1943. It remains both the largest series of armored clashes, including the Battle of Prokhorovka,...
in 1943, and thereafter contributed to 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:...
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
and Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, before ending the war in Czechoslovakia
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...
.
27th Infantry Division
Augsburg
Augsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. It is a university town and home of the Regierungsbezirk Schwaben and the Bezirk Schwaben. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a...
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
(Wehrkreis VII), as a peace-time division of the new German 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:...
. The division was mobilised on 26 August 1939 and took part in the campaigns in Poland
Invasion of Poland (1939)
The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe...
and 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 1943, a propaganda
Nazi propaganda
Propaganda, the coordinated attempt to influence public opinion through the use of media, was skillfully used by the NSDAP in the years leading up to and during Adolf Hitler's leadership of Germany...
book was published about the 27th ID in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
1940, titled Über Somme, Seine, Loire (English: Across the Somme, the Seine, the Loire).
Formation
The Panzer Division was formed in late 1940, when the 27th Infantry Division was converted to an armored division. In part, the 2nd Panzer Division provided personnel for the new division. The majority of its troops came from the Bavarian region of SwabiaSwabia (administrative region)
Swabia is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany.- Geography :Swabia is located in southwest Bavaria. It was formed out of the part of the historic region of Swabia which was annexed by Bavaria in 1803. It was once formally ruled by dukes of the Hohenstaufen dynasty. During...
, then the Nazi Gau Swabia
Gau Swabia
Gau Swabia was an administrative division of Nazi Germany in Swabia, Bavaria from 1933 to 1945. Previous to that, since 1926, it was the regional subdivision of the Nazi Party in Swabia....
1941
In May 1941, the division was transferred to the central sector of the planned attack on the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, codenamed 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...
, and became part of the XXXXVII Panzer Corps, which in turn was part of the Panzergruppe 2, commanded by Heinz Guderian
Heinz Guderian
Heinz Wilhelm Guderian was a German general during World War II. He was a pioneer in the development of armored warfare, and was the leading proponent of tanks and mechanization in the Wehrmacht . Germany's panzer forces were raised and organized under his direction as Chief of Mobile Forces...
. The division's commander, Hans-Jürgen von Arnim
Hans-Jürgen von Arnim
Hans-Jürgen Bernhard Theodor von Arnim was a German Generaloberst who served during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
, was seriously wounded within the first few days of the campaign, on 24 June, but later returned to his unit. His temporary replacement, Karl Ritter von Weber, was mortally wounded south of Smolensk on 17 July, putting Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma
Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma
Wilhelm Josef Ritter von Thoma was a German officer who served in World War I, in the Spanish Civil War, and as a General der Panzertruppe in World War II.-Early life:...
in charge until von Arnim returned.
The division crossed the Bug River
Bug River
The Bug River is a left tributary of the Narew river flows from central Ukraine to the west, passing along the Ukraine-Polish and Polish-Belarusian border and into Poland, where it empties into the Narew river near Serock. The part between the lake and the Vistula River is sometimes referred to as...
and advanced south of Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
, where it made contact with the Panzergruppe 3. It took part in the Battle of Białystok–Minsk, where it recorded up to 100 Soviet tanks destroyed in a single day, 9 July, at Orsha
Orsha
Orsha is a city in Belarus in Vitebsk voblast on the fork of the Dnieper and Arshytsa rivers.-Facts:*Location: *Population: 125,000 *Phone code: +375 216*Postal codes: 211030, 211381–211394, 211396–211398-History:...
. It then crossed the river Dnjepr south of Orsha and took part in defensive operations south of Smolensk
Smolensk
Smolensk is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River. Situated west-southwest of Moscow, this walled city was destroyed several times throughout its long history since it was on the invasion routes of both Napoleon and Hitler. Today, Smolensk...
in August and September.
In October, it took part in the run up to the Battle of Moscow
Battle of Moscow
The Battle of Moscow is the name given by Soviet historians to two periods of strategically significant fighting on a sector of the Eastern Front during World War II. It took place between October 1941 and January 1942. The Soviet defensive effort frustrated Hitler's attack on Moscow, capital of...
, taking Bryansk
Bryansk
Bryansk is a city and the administrative center of Bryansk Oblast, Russia, located southwest of Moscow. Population: -History:The first written mention of Bryansk was in 1146, in the Hypatian Codex, as Debryansk...
on 15 October. The division was then concentrated at Orel
Oryol
Oryol or Orel is a city and the administrative center of Oryol Oblast, Russia, located on the Oka River, approximately south-southwest of Moscow...
and advanced towards Tula
Tula, Russia
Tula is an industrial city and the administrative center of Tula Oblast, Russia. It is located south of Moscow, on the Upa River. Population: -History:...
, where it was engaged in a failed attempt to encircle the city. With the Soviet counterattack on 5 December, the division had to take defensive positions and started retreating on the 8th, after having reached a point 120 km south east of Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
.
The 17th Panzer Division then took defensive positions west of Orel, where it remained until the Summer of 1942.
1942
After the winter battles, the division was reconstituted near its front line positions in the early summer of 1942. It received approximately 50 tanks of the type Panzer IIIPanzer III
Panzer III was the common name of a medium tank that was developed in the 1930s by Germany and was used extensively in World War II. The official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen III translating as "armoured battle vehicle". It was intended to fight other armoured fighting vehicles and...
and Panzer IV
Panzer IV
The Panzerkampfwagen IV , commonly known as the Panzer IV, was a medium tank developed in Nazi Germany in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz...
. It was engaged in minor attacks north of Orel in September but then went into defensive positions again. The division was then held in Army Group Centre reserve near Bolkhov
Bolkhov
Bolkhov is a town and the administrative center of Bolkhovsky District of Oryol Oblast, Russia, located on the Nugr River , away from Oryol. Population: 12,800 ; 20,703 ....
. At this stage, it only fielded 45 to 50 tanks of varying types (down from a nominal strength of around 200). On 5 July, consistent with changes throughout the Wehrmacht, the 40th Schützen-Regiment and 63rd Schützen-Regiment were renamed 40th Panzergrenadier Regiment and 63 Panzergrenadier Regiment.
In October 1942, when Fridolin von Senger und Etterlin took command of the division, it had only 30 operational tanks, and one-third of its trucks were unservicable.
After the Soviet counter attack
Operation Uranus
Operation Uranus was the codename of the Soviet strategic operation in World War II which led to the encirclement of the German Sixth Army, the Third and Fourth Romanian armies, and portions of the German Fourth Panzer Army. The operation formed part of the ongoing Battle of Stalingrad, and was...
at Stalingrad, the division was quickly transferred to the Heersesgruppe B
Army Group B
Army Group B was the name of three different German Army Groups that saw action during World War II.-Battle for France:The first was involved in the Western Campaign in 1940 in Belgium and the Netherlands which was to be aimed to conquer the Maas bridges after the German airborne actions in Rotterdam...
in the area of Millerovo
Millerovo
Millerovo is a town and the administrative center of Millerovsky District of Rostov Oblast, Russia. Population: It was founded in 1786 and named after its founder, the army officer Ivan Abramovich Müller...
. From there, it marched towards Kotelnikovo
Kotelnikovo
Kotelnikovo is a town and the administrative center of Kotelnikovsky District of Volgograd Oblast, Russia, located on the Kurmoyarsky Aksay River , southwest of Volgograd...
and joined the 4th Panzer Armee for a relief attack, Operation Wintergewitter
Operation Wintergewitter
Operation Winter Storm was a German offensive in World War II, undertaken between 12–23 December 1942, in which the German 4th Panzer-Armee failed to break the encirclement of Axis forces during the Battle of Stalingrad....
, for the 6th Armee at Stalingrad, together with the 6th Panzer Division and the 23rd Panzer Division. The operation failed however, and the 17th Panzer Division was forced to retreat at the end of December. Losses were so heavy that the command of the 63rd Panzer Grenadier Regiment laid in the hands of a lieutenant, its original commander having been killed in action. By Christmas Eve 1942, the division fielded only eight operational tanks and one anti-tank gun.
1943
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....
bridgehead at Rostov
Rostov-on-Don
-History:The mouth of the Don River has been of great commercial and cultural importance since the ancient times. It was the site of the Greek colony Tanais, of the Genoese fort Tana, and of the Turkish fortress Azak...
, which it reached at the end of January. The 39th Panzer Regiment was re-equipped with 50 new Panzer IV shortly after and the division took part in counter attacks between the Mius and the Donets
Seversky Donets
Seversky Donets is a river on the south of the East European Plain. It originates in the Central Russian Upland, north of Belgorod, flows south-east through Ukraine and then again through Russia to join the Don River, about from the Sea of Azov...
river. By 27 February, the division had been reduced to less than 2,000 men, six tanks and ten anti-tank guns but was saved by the Soviet forces retreating behind the Donets river. After this, it was engaged in tank battles near Belgorod
Belgorod
-Twin towns/sister cities:Belgorod is twinned with: Wakefield, England, United Kingdom Herne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia Opole, Poland Vyshhorod, Ukraine Kharkiv, Ukraine-External links:...
until the end of April.
The division did not take part in the Operation Zitadelle, the Battle of Kursk
Battle of Kursk
The Battle of Kursk took place when German and Soviet forces confronted each other on the Eastern Front during World War II in the vicinity of the city of Kursk, in the Soviet Union in July and August 1943. It remains both the largest series of armored clashes, including the Battle of Prokhorovka,...
. Instead, the 17th stayed in reserve, behind the front line, as part of the XXIV Panzer Corps. It did take part in some successful counter attacks after the battle, in the Donets-Izium
Izium
Izyum , is a city situated on the Donets River in the Kharkiv Oblast of eastern Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Iziumsky Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast, and is located approximately 75 miles southeast of the oblast capital,...
area. On 20 July, Generalleutnant Walter Schilling became the second division commander of the 17th to be killed in action. In July, the division had the following strength in tanks, of which 84% were operational:
- 4 Panzer IIPanzer IIThe Panzer II was the common name for a family of German tanks used in World War II. The official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen II...
- 29 Panzer IIIPanzer IIIPanzer III was the common name of a medium tank that was developed in the 1930s by Germany and was used extensively in World War II. The official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen III translating as "armoured battle vehicle". It was intended to fight other armoured fighting vehicles and...
- 32 Panzer IVPanzer IVThe Panzerkampfwagen IV , commonly known as the Panzer IV, was a medium tank developed in Nazi Germany in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz...
- 2 T-34T-34The T-34 was a Soviet medium tank produced from 1940 to 1958. Although its armour and armament were surpassed by later tanks of the era, it has been often credited as the most effective, efficient and influential design of World War II...
In September, it retreated from the Donets to positions behind the Dnjepr river, taking up a defensive line on the western side of the river. Initially it was posted at Krivoi Rog, in November it moved to Kherson
Kherson
Kherson is a city in southern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Kherson Oblast , and is designated as its own separate raion within the oblast. Kherson is an important port on the Black Sea and Dnieper River, and the home of a major ship-building industry...
, as part of the re-formed 6th Army.
1944
In late January and early February 1944, the 17th Panzer Division took part in the relief operations for the Korsun-Cherkassy PocketKorsun-Cherkassy Pocket
The Korsun–Shevchenkovsky Offensive led to the Battle of the Korsun-Cherkassy Pocket which took place from 24 January to 16 February 1944. The offensive was part of the Dnieper–Carpathian Offensive...
, as part of the III Panzer Corps. In the end, the involved German tank divisions were halted by the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
12 km from the pocket but the troops inside managed to break through, abandoning their heavy equipment. It was then part of the 1st Panzer Armee in the Kamenets-Podolsky Pocket
Kamenets-Podolsky Pocket
The Battle of the Kamenets-Podolsky Pocket, also known as Hube's Pocket, was a Wehrmacht attempt on the Eastern Front of World War II to evade encirclement by the Red Army....
, where it lost most of its own heavy equipement, but escaped as a whole. On this occasion, 200,000 German soldiers were trapped in a pocket due to Hitlers orders against strategic withdrawals. Erich von Manstein
Erich von Manstein
Erich von Manstein was a field marshal in World War II. He became one of the most prominent commanders of Germany's World War II armed forces...
eventually convinced Hitler to let the army retreat but he was relieved from his command afterwards.
It remained in reserve again in April and May, stationed behind the frontline, before taking part in operations around Lviv
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
to counter the Soviet Lvov–Sandomierz Offensive.
Until the end of October, the unit took part in operations in the Tarnów
Tarnów
Tarnów is a city in southeastern Poland with 115,341 inhabitants as of June 2009. The city has been situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship since 1999, but from 1975 to 1998 it was the capital of the Tarnów Voivodeship. It is a major rail junction, located on the strategic east-west connection...
region and then south of the Baranow bridgehead, near Sandomierz
Sandomierz
Sandomierz is a city in south-eastern Poland with 25,714 inhabitants . Situated in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship , previously in Tarnobrzeg Voivodeship . It is the capital of Sandomierz County . Sandomierz is known for its Old Town, a major tourist attraction...
. From November, it became part of the reserves once more, receiving some badly needed re-supplies of tanks, 80 Panzer IV and Panzer V (Panthers). The 63rd Panzergrenadier Regiment of the division was disbanded, one of its battalions however stayed with the division.
1945
With the start of the Soviet Vistula–Oder Offensive on 12 January 1945, the 17th Panzer Division, alongside the 16th Panzer Division were the main reserve forces in the sector, retained for a counter attack to the Soviet advance. Both divisions, stationed too close to the front line due to HitlersAdolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
restraining order, suffered heavy casualties through bombardment and had their communications destroyed. Their task, to throw back the Soviet advance, was impossible to achieve.
The division found itself in constant retreat as part of the XXIV Panzer Corps commanded by Walther Nehring
Walther Nehring
Walther Kurt Josef Nehring , was a German general of World War II, known for his involvement with the Afrika Korps. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
, first towards Łódź, then crossing the Oder, where it took positions near Głogów in February. It took part in defensive operations near the Ścinawa
Scinawa
Ścinawa is a town and municipality on the Oder river in the Lower Silesian region of Poland. The town features a number of historic monuments including city hall and the town church . The Ścinawa train station is a key gateway for travel throughout the region, connecting major destinations such...
(German: Steinau) bridgehead in mid-February.
The division had suffered heavy losses during those events and was re-supplied near Görlitz
Görlitz
Görlitz is a town in Germany. It is the easternmost town in the country, located on the Lusatian Neisse River in the Bundesland of Saxony. It is opposite the Polish town of Zgorzelec, which was a part of Görlitz until 1945. Historically, Görlitz was in the region of Upper Lusatia...
, now renamed Kampfgruppe 17th Panzer Division due to being severely under strength and being no more in size than a regiment. It continued its defensive actions in the region during the Silesian Offensives
Silesian Offensives
The Silesian Offensives were two 1945 offensives conducted by the Soviet Red Army against the German Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front in World War II.-The offensives:...
. The division was eventually forced to retreat into Czechoslovakia
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...
, heading towards Brno
Brno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
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Surrender
The 17th Panzer Division surrendered to the Red ArmyRed Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
on 10 May 1945 near Olomouc
Olomouc
Olomouc is a city in Moravia, in the east of the Czech Republic. The city is located on the Morava river and is the ecclesiastical metropolis and historical capital city of Moravia. Nowadays, it is an administrative centre of the Olomouc Region and sixth largest city in the Czech Republic...
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27th Infantry Division
| Commander | Start | Finish | Notes |
| Generalleutnant Friedrich Bergmann | 1 January 1937 | 4 October 1940 | became commander of 137th Infantry Division, killed in action 21 December 1941 |
| Generaloberst Hans-Jürgen von Arnim Hans-Jürgen von Arnim Hans-Jürgen Bernhard Theodor von Arnim was a German Generaloberst who served during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross... |
5 October 1940 | 31 October 1940 | continued on as commander after division became 17th Panzer Division |
17th Panzer Division
| Commander | Start | Finish | Notes |
| Generaloberst Hans-Jürgen von Arnim | 1 November 1940 | 24 June 1941 | wounded in action 24 June 1941 |
| Generalmajor Karl Ritter von Weber | 24 June 1941 | 17 July 1941 | acting — wounded in action, died of his injuries 20 July 1941 |
| General der Panzertruppen Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma Wilhelm Josef Ritter von Thoma was a German officer who served in World War I, in the Spanish Civil War, and as a General der Panzertruppe in World War II.-Early life:... |
17 July 1941 | 15 September 1941 | Returned to command leader reserve after von Arnim's recovery |
| Generaloberst Hans-Jürgen von Arnim | 15 September 1941 | 11 November 1941 | second spell after recovering from his injuries, became commander of XXXIX Panzer Corps 11 November 1942 |
| Generalleutnant Rudolf-Eduard Licht | 11 November 1941 | 10 October 1942 | removed from command and returned to Germany to be put in charge of lower-key divisions |
| General der Panzertruppen Fridolin von Senger und Etterlin | 10 October 1942 | 16 June 1943 | became German liaison officer to Italian 6th Army in Sicily Sicily Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,... in June 1943 |
| Generalleutnant Walter Schilling Walter Schilling Walter Curt Gustav Schilling was a highly decorated Generalleutnant 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... |
16 June 1943 | 20 July 1943 | killed in action 20 July 1943 near Doljenjaja |
| Generalleutnant Karl-Friedrich von der Meden | 21 July 1943 | 20 September 1944 | became commander of 178th Reserve Panzer Division 1 October 1944 . |
| Generalmajor Rudolf Demme Rudolf Demme Rudolf August Demme was a German General during World War II.-Biography:Demme was born in Mühlhausen in Thuringia. He entered Army Service on September 15, 1914 as a volunteer in the 1st Recruitment-Depot of the 11th Pioneer Replacement Battalion. During the first years of World War I he served... |
20 September 1944 | 2 December 1944 | became commander of 132nd Infantry Division |
| Oberst Oberst Oberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti... Albert Brux Albert Brux Albert Brux was a highly decorated Oberstleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or... |
2 December 1944 | 19 January 1945 | captured by the Red Army January 1945 |
| Generalmajor Theodor Kretschmer Theodor Kretschmer Theodor Kretschmer 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... |
1 February 1945 | 8 May 1945 | Surrendered the division in May 1945 |
Area of operations
| Region | Start | Finish |
| Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
November 1940 | June 1941 |
| 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... — central sector Army Group Centre Army Group Centre was the name of two distinct German strategic army groups that fought on the Eastern Front in World War II. The first Army Group Centre was created on 22 June 1941, as one of three German Army formations assigned to the invasion of the Soviet Union... |
June 1941 | November 1942 |
| Eastern front — southern sector 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... |
November 1942 | March 1944 |
| Eastern front — central sector | March 1944 | August 1944 |
| Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... |
August 1944 | March 1945 |
| Eastern Germany | March 1945 | May 1945 |
Order of battle in 1944
The order of battle in 1944. The 63rd Panzergrenadier Regiment was disbanded in late 1944. The regiments first battalion replaced the third battalion of 40th Panzergrenadier Regiment. The second battalion of the 63rd became the second battalion of the 79th Panzer-Füsilier Regiment. The 297th Army Flak Battalion had only joined the division in 1943 and the Panzergrenadier Regiment had been called Schützen Regiment until July 1942.HQ
- Divisional Staff
- Mapping Detachment (mot)
- Military Police Detachment (mot)
- Escort Company
39th Panzer Regiment
- Regimental Staff
- 2 x Battalion
- Panzer Maintenance Company
40th Panzergrenadier Regiment
- Regimental Staff
- 3 x Battalion
- Pioneer Company (mot)
- Infantry Support Gun Company (self-propelled)
27th Panzerjäger Battalion
- Battalion Staff
- Panzerjäger Battalion Staff Company
- 2 x Sturmgeschütz Company
- Panzerjäger Company (mot)
- Panzerjäger Supply Column (mot)
27th Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion
- Battalion Staff
- Battalion Staff Company
- Luchs Reconnaissance Company
- 2 x Reconnaissance Company (half-track)
- Heavy Reconnaissance Company (half-track)
- Reconnaissance Supply Company (mot)
27th Panzer Artillery Regiment
- Regimental Staff & Staff Battery
- Battalion (self-propelled)
- 2 x Battalion (mot)
297th Army Flak Battalion
- Battalion Staff & Staff Battery
- 2 x Heavy Flak Battery (mot)
- Light Flak Battery (mot)
27th Panzer Signals Battalion
- Signals Battalion Staff
- Panzer Telephone Company
- Panzer Radio Company
- Signals Supply Company (mot)
27th Panzer Pioneer Battalion
- Battalion Staff (half-track)
- 2 x Pioneer Company (mot)
- Pioneer Company (half-track)
- Support & Supply Units
See also
- Division (military)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...
- List of German divisions in World War II
- Military unit
- PanzerPanzerA Panzer is a German language word that, when used as a noun, means "tank". When it is used as an adjective, it means either tank or "armoured" .- Etymology :...
- Panzer DivisionPanzer DivisionA 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....
- WehrmachtWehrmachtThe 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:...
Awards
| Award | Number |
| Close Combat Clasp Close Combat Clasp The Close Combat Clasp is a German military award instituted on 25 November 1942 for achievement in hand to hand fighting in close quarters. The Close Combat Clasp was worn above the upper left uniform pocket... in Gold |
21 |
| Commendation Certificate of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army | 11 |
| Commendation Certificate of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army for Shooting Down Aircraft | 1 |
| Unit-Level Commendation Certificate of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army for Shooting Down Aircraft | 1 |
| German Cross German Cross The German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit... in Gold |
164 |
| Honor Roll Clasp of the Heer | 38 |
| Knight's Cross Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II... |
27 |
| Iron Cross Iron Cross The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem.... , First class |
unknown number |
| Iron Cross, Second class | unknown number |
| Eastern Front Medal Eastern Front Medal The Eastern Front Medal, , more commonly known as the Ostmedaille was instituted on May 26, 1942 to mark service on the German Eastern Front during the period November 15, 1941 to April 15, 1942... |
unknown number |
Further reading
- Krieg in Europa (War in Europe), author: Fridolin von Senger und Etterlin, published: 1960, publisher: Kiepenheuer & Witsch
- Neither fear nor hope : the wartime career of General Frido von Senger und Etterlin, defender of Cassino (English translation of Krieg in Europa) translated: George Malcom, ISBN 0891413502
- The Panzer Legions author: Samuel W. Mitcham, publisher: Stackpole books
- Unternehmen Barbarossa im Bild Pictures of the Eastern Front 1941 – 45 with all divisional logos of the German units fighting there, author: Paul CarellPaul CarellPaul Carell was an Obersturmbannführer in the civilian Allgemeine SS. He worked as the chief press spokesman for Nazi Germany's Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop...
, publisher: Herbig, published: 1967, ISBN 3776617098 - Über Somme, Seine, Loire Propaganda book about the 27 ID in France 1940, publisher: Zentralverlag der NSDAP, published: 1943