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12th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)
The 12th Panzer Division was an armoured division in the German Army, established in 1940. In October 1940 the 2nd Motorised Infantry Division was reorganized as the 12th Panzer Division, and in June 1941 it joined Operation Barbarossa, fighting in the battles of Minsk and Smolensk. It fought the rest of the war on the Eastern Front and surrendered to the Red Army in the Courland Pocket in May 1945. History The division was formed from the 2nd Infantry Division, itself formed in 1921. The division was motorised in 1936–37 and participated in the invasions of Poland and France. It was reorganised as a Panzer Division in October 1940.Mitcham (2001), p. 109. The 12th Panzer Division participated in Operation Barbarossa, taking part in the drive towards Leningrad. Suffering heavy casualties during the Soviet counter offensive in the winter of 1941–42, the division was withdrawn to Estonia for a refit. It remained with Army Group North for the most part of the war except for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Panzer
This article deals with the tanks (german: panzer) serving in the German Army (''Deutsches Heer'') throughout history, such as the World War I tanks of the Imperial German Army, the interwar and World War II tanks of the Nazi German Wehrmacht, the Cold War tanks of the West German and East German Armies, all the way to the present day tanks of the Bundeswehr. Overview The development of tanks in World War I began as an attempt to break the stalemate which trench warfare had brought to the Western Front. The British and French both began experimenting in 1915, and deployed tanks in battle from 1916 and 1917 respectively. The Germans, on the other hand, were slower to develop tanks, concentrating on anti-tank weapons. The German response to the modest initial successes of the Allied tanks was the A7V, which, like some other tanks of the period, was based on caterpillar tracks of the type found on the American Holt Tractors. Initially unconvinced that tanks were a serious thr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Smolensk
Smolensk ( rus, Смоленск, p=smɐˈlʲensk, a=smolensk_ru.ogg) is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River, west-southwest of Moscow. First mentioned in 863, it is one of the oldest cities in Russia. Population: The city has been destroyed several times throughout its long history because it was on the invasion routes of various empires. Smolensk is known for its electronics, textiles, food processing, and diamond faceting industries. Etymology The name of the city is derived from the name of the Smolnya River. Smolnya river flows through Karelian and Murmansk areas of north-western Russia. The origin of the river's name is less clear. One possibility is the old Slavic word () for black soil, which might have colored the waters of the Smolnya. An alternative origin could be the Russian word (), which means resin, tar, or pitch. Pine trees grow in the area, and the city was once a center of resin processing and t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Organisation Of A SS Panzer Division
The SS Panzer Division (german: SS-Panzerdivision, short: SS-PzDiv) was an SS formation during World War II. The table below shows the order of battle to which an SS Panzer division aspired.Willamson, Gordon (1994). ''The SS Hitler´s Instrument of the Power''; appendix, p. 249, "Organisation of a SS Panzer Division", Brown Packaging Books Ltd., London. The 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend" was organized according to the above table, and served as a standard for all other SS panzer divisions during World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing .... The average complement was approximately 19,000. However, only two out of seven SS panzer divisions contained that strength. In the second half of the war in Europe, in particular close to the end of war, some divis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Horst Von Usedom
__NOTOC__ Horst von Usedom (9 March 1906 – 14 October 1970) was a general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II who commanded the 12th Panzer Division. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. von Usedom surrendered to the Soviet forces in the Courland Pocket in May 1945. He was held prisoner in the Soviet Union until 1955. Awards and decorations * Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (22 September 1939) & 1st Class (30 May 1940)Thomas 1998, p. 398. * German Cross in Gold on 29 January 1945 as ''Oberst'' in Panzergrenadier-Regiment 108 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves ** Knight's Cross on 31 December 1941 as ''Major'' and commander of Kradschützen Battalion 61 ** 809th Oak Leaves on 28 March 1945 as ''Oberst ''Oberst'' () is a senior field officer 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, Switzerl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Erpo Freiherr Von Bodenhausen
__NOTOC__ Erpo Freiherr von Bodenhausen (12 April 1897 – 9 May 1945) was a German general who commanded the 12th Panzer Division during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. Bodenhausen committed suicide on 9 May 1945 in the Courland Pocket. Awards * Iron Cross (1914) 2nd Class (12 October 1915) & 1st Class (6 October 1917) * Wound Badge (1914) in Black (27 September 1918) * Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (22 September 1939) & 1st Class (30 September 1939) * Panzer Badge in Bronze (1 November 1940) * German Cross in Gold on 31 January 1942 as ''Oberstleutnant () is a senior field officer rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Lieutenant colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway. The Swedi ...'' in Schützen-Regiment 28 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 17 December 1943 as '' Generalmajor'' and com ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Walter Wessel
__NOTOC__ Walter Wessel (21 April 1892 – 20 July 1943) was a general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II who commanded the 12th Panzer Division. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. Wessel was responsible for the Ciepielów massacre in Poland. He was killed in an auto accident on 20 July 1943 near Morano, Italy. Awards and decorations * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves ** Knight's Cross on 15 August 1940 as ''Oberst ''Oberst'' () is a senior field officer 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 ...'' and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 15 (mot.) ** 76th Oak Leaves on 17 February 1942 as ''Oberst'' and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 15 (mot.)Fellgiebel 2000, p. 53. References Citations Bibliography * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wessel, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Josef Harpe
Josef Harpe (21 September 1887 – 14 March 1968) was a German general during World War II who commanded the 9th Army. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords of Nazi Germany. Harpe served on the Eastern Front, where he commanded XXXXI Panzer Corps and the 9th Army. From September 1944 to January 1945 Army Group A, when he was relieved of his command due to the inability of German forces to stop the Soviet Vistula–Oder Offensive. He ended the war commanding the 5th Panzer Army on Western Front. Harpe was also responsible for establishing the Ozarichi death camps, which is considered by historians to be one of the worst atrocities committed by the Wehrmacht. Military career and war crimes Harpe joined the Prussian Army on 28 September 1909 and fought in World War I. After the war, Harpe remained in the Reichswehr military service. In 1931, under the pseudonym ''Direktor Hacker'', he held a position in the secret German-Russian ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paul Bader
Paul Bader (20 July 1883 – 28 February 1971) was a ''General der Artillerie'' (lieutenant general) of the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the 2nd Motorized Infantry Division in the invasions of Poland and France then served as a corps commander and as Military Commander in Serbia. During his time in occupied Yugoslavia troops under his command engaged in several major anti- Partisan operations, within both the Territory of the Military Commander in Serbia and in the Independent State of Croatia. Early service and World War I Bader joined the Prussian Army in 1903 at the age of 20, as an ''Einjährig-Freiwilliger'' (volunteer reserve officer) and was subsequently accepted as a ''Fahnenjunker'' (officer candidate) and attended the '' Kriegsschule'' (War School). While awaiting his commission he was appointed as a ''Fähnrich'' (junior non-commissioned officer) in the 66th Field Artillery Regiment of the 39th Division. He was commissioned into the regiment on ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a lieutenant general outranking a major general, whereas a major outranks a lieutenant. In the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth and in the United States, when appointed to a field command, a major general is typically in command of a Division (military), division consisting of around 6,000 to 25,000 troops (several regiments or brigades). It is a two-star general, two-star rank that is subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the rank of brigadier or brigadier general. In the Commonwealth, major general is equivalent to the navy rank of rear admiral. In air forces with a separate rank structure (Commonwealth), major general is equivalent to air vice-marshal. In some countries including much of Eastern Europe, major ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a captain general. In modern armies, lieutenant general normally ranks immediately below general and above major general; it is equivalent to the navy rank of vice admiral, and in air forces with a separate rank structure, it is equivalent to air marshal. A lieutenant general commands an army corps, made up of typically three army divisions, and consisting of around 60 000 to 70 000 soldiers (U.S.). The seeming incongruity that a lieutenant general outranks a major general (whereas a major outranks a lieutenant) is due to the derivation of major general from sergeant major general, which was a rank subordinate to lieutenant general (as a lieutenant outranks a sergeant major). In contrast, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Operation Bagration
Operation Bagration (; russian: Операция Багратио́н, Operatsiya Bagration) was the codename for the 1944 Soviet Byelorussian strategic offensive operation (russian: Белорусская наступательная операция «Багратион», Belorusskaya nastupatelnaya Operatsiya ''Bagration''), a military campaign fought between 22 June and 19 August 1944 in Soviet Byelorussia in the Eastern Front of World War II, just over two weeks after the start of Operation Overlord in the west, causing the Germans to have to fight on two major fronts at the same time. The Soviet Union destroyed 28 of 34 divisions of Army Group Centre and completely shattered the German front line. It was the biggest defeat in German military history, with around 450,000 German casualties, while 300,000 other German soldiers were cut off in the Courland Pocket. On 22 June 1944, the Red Army attacked Army Group Centre in Byelorussia, with the objective of encirclin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Battle Of Kursk
The Battle of Kursk was a major World War II Eastern Front engagement between the forces of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union near Kursk in the southwestern USSR during late summer 1943; it ultimately became the largest tank battle in history. The battle began with the launch of the German offensive Operation Citadel (german: Unternehmen Zitadelle), on 5 July, which had the objective of pinching off the Kursk salient with attacks on the base of the salient from north and south simultaneously. After the German offensive stalled on the northern side of the salient, on 12 July the Soviets commenced their Kursk Strategic Offensive Operation with the launch of Operation Kutuzov (russian: Кутузов) against the rear of the German forces on the same side. On the southern side, the Soviets also launched powerful counterattacks the same day, one of which led to a large armoured clash, the Battle of Prokhorovka. On 3 August, the Soviets began the second phase of the Kursk Strategi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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