The 20th Panzer Division ( en, 20th Tank Division) was an armoured division in the German Army 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 World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. It was created from parts of the 19th Infantry Division. The division fought exclusively on the Eastern Front, taking part in the battles of

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...

and

Kursk Kursk ( rus, Курск, p=ˈkursk) is a city and the administrative center of Kursk Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Kur, Tuskar, and Seym rivers. The area around Kursk was the site of a turning point in the Soviet–German str ...

. It eventually surrendered to US and Soviet forces in Czechoslovakia in May 1945.

History

The 20th Panzer Division was formed on 15 October 1940 after the decision had been made to weaken the existing German tank divisions to create new ones. The new division drew units from various active and reserve units, among them the 19th Infantry Division which had been converted to a tank division itself, having become the

19th Panzer Division The 19th Panzer Division ( en, 19th Tank Division) was an armoured division in the German Army, the Wehrmacht, during World War II. It was created from the 19th Infantry Division. The division fought exclusively on the Eastern Front, except for ...

Attached to Army Group Center, the division participated in the opening stages of

Operation Barbarossa Operation Barbarossa (german: link=no, Unternehmen Barbarossa; ) was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and many of its Axis allies, starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during the Second World War. The operation, code-named afte ...

and remained in the front echelon of attack during the series of advances on

Minsk Minsk ( be, Мінск ; russian: Минск) is the capital and the largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach (Berezina), Svislach and the now subterranean Nyamiha, Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative stat ...

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 ...

and took part in

Operation Typhoon The Battle of Moscow was a military campaign that consisted of two periods of strategically significant fighting on a sector of the Eastern Front during World War II. It took place between September 1941 and January 1942. The Soviet defensive e ...

, the failed attack on Moscow. It remained on the central front during the winter of 1941–42, engaged in defensive operations and retreat. In March 1942 it was withdrawn to

Bryansk Bryansk ( rus, Брянск, p=brʲansk) is a city and the administrative center of Bryansk Oblast, Russia, situated on the River Desna, southwest of Moscow. Population: Geography Urban layout The location of the settlement was originally ...

for refitting and a rest after heavy casualties during the winter that lead to disbanding of a number of its units.Mitcham, p. 152 The 20th Panzer Division, consisting of just one of the nominal three tank battalions, remained in the central sector of the Eastern Front, taking part in the capture of

Voronezh Voronezh ( rus, links=no, Воро́неж, p=vɐˈronʲɪʂ}) is a city and the administrative centre of Voronezh Oblast in southwestern Russia straddling the Voronezh River, located from where it flows into the Don River. The city sits on ...

in mid-1942 but otherwise engaged in defensive operations. It took part in the defence of Orel in the winter of 1942–43 and, in July 1943, was part of the northern spearhead during the

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 rest of 1943 was spent in a long retreat between Orel,

Gomel Gomel (russian: Гомель, ) or Homiel ( be, Гомель, ) is the administrative centre of Gomel Region and the second-largest city in Belarus with 526,872 inhabitants (2015 census). Etymology There are at least six narratives of the or ...

, Orsha, and

Vitebsk Vitebsk or Viciebsk (russian: Витебск, ; be, Ві́цебск, ; , ''Vitebsk'', lt, Vitebskas, pl, Witebsk), is a city in Belarus. The capital of the Vitebsk Region, it has 366,299 inhabitants, making it the country's fourth-largest ci ...

. The 20th Panzer Division spent the winter of 1944 fighting in the

Polotsk Polotsk (russian: По́лоцк; be, По́лацк, translit=Polatsk (BGN/PCGN), Polack (official transliteration); lt, Polockas; pl, Połock) is a historical city in Belarus, situated on the Dvina River. It is the center of the Polotsk Dist ...

, Vitebsk,

Bobruisk Babruysk, Babrujsk or Bobruisk ( be, Бабруйск , Łacinka: , rus, Бобруйск, Bobrujsk, bɐˈbruɪ̯s̪k, yi, באָברויסק ) is a city in the Mogilev Region of eastern Belarus on the Berezina River. , its population was 20 ...

and Cholm areas. Having suffered heavy losses during the

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian language, Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist R ...

Operation Bagration Operation Bagration (; russian: Операция Багратио́н, Operatsiya Bagration) was the codename for the 1944 Soviet Byelorussian strategic offensive operation (russian: Белорусская наступательная оп� ...

, the division was sent to Romania for refitting in August 1944. In October, the division was sent to East Prussia, and then sent to Hungary on 6 January, 1945, to partake in the Garam (S:

Hron The Hron ( sk, Hron; german: Gran; hu, Garam; la, Granus) is a long left tributary of the DanubeBreslau, Schweinitz and Neisse in

Silesia Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. Silesia is spli ...

(now part of Poland). The division was transferred to

Görlitz Görlitz (; pl, Zgorzelec, hsb, Zhorjelc, cz, Zhořelec, East Lusatian dialect: ''Gerlz'', ''Gerltz'', ''Gerltsch'') is a town in the German state of Saxony. It is located on the Lusatian Neisse River, and is the largest town in Upper Lusa ...

(east of

Dresden Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label=Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth ...

on the post-1945 German frontier with Poland). On 19 April 1945, the division was involved in a counteroffensive west of Görlitz in the direction of

Niesky Niesky ( Sorbian and pl, Niska, cz, Nízké) is a small town in Upper Lusatia in eastern Saxony, Germany. It has a population of about 9,200 (2020) and is part of the district of Görlitz. Historically considered part of Upper Lusatia, it was ...

, but disengaged three days later and retreated west. It counterattacked again in the

Bautzen Bautzen () or Budyšin () is a hill-top town in eastern Saxony, Germany, and the administrative centre of the district of Bautzen. It is located on the Spree river. In 2018 the town's population was 39,087. Until 1868, its German name was ''Bu ...

area, succeeding in relieving the local garrison at heavy cost to Soviet forces. By 26 April 1945, the division was situated northwest of Dresden; by 6 May it retreated south across the Czechoslovakian border. Some divisional elements surrendered to the Red Army near Teplice-Sanov (northwest of

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

), whilst the rest, including elements of ''Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 20.'' surrendered to the U.S. Army at

Rokycany Rokycany (; german: Rokitzan) is a town in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 14,000 inhabitants. The town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument zone. Administrative parts Rokycany is made up o ...

, (between Prague and Plzeň); they were handed over to the Soviet forces.

Organization

The organisation of the division:

1941

* ''Schützen-Brigade 20'' ** ''Schützen-Regiment 59'' *** ''Schützen-Battalion I'' *** ''Schützen-Battalion II'' ** ''Schützen-Regiment 112'' *** ''Schützen-Battalion I'' *** ''Schützen-Battalion II'' ** ''Kradschützen-Battalion 20'' * ''Panzer-Regiment 21'' ** ''Panzer-Abteilung I'' ** ''Panzer-Abteilung II'' ** ''Panzer-Abteilung III'' * ''Artillerie-Regiment 92'' ** ''Artillerie-Abteilung I'' ** ''Artillerie-Abteilung II'' ** ''Artillerie-Abteilung III'' * ''Aufklärungs-Abteilung 20'' * ''Panzerjäger-Abteilung 92'' * Pionier-Battalion 92 * Nachrichten-Abteilung 92

1942

* ''Panzergrenadier-Regiment 59'' ** ''Panzergrenadier-Battalion I'' ** ''Panzergrenadier-Battalion II'' * ''Panzergrenadier-Regiment 112'' ** ''Panzergrenadier-Battalion I'' ** ''Panzergrenadier-Battalion II'' * ''Panzer-Regiment 21'' ** ''Panzer-Abteilung I'' ** ''Panzer-Abteilung II'' * ''Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 92'' ** ''Panzer-Artillerie-Abteilung I'' ** ''Panzer-Artillerie-Abteilung II'' ** ''Panzer-Artillerie-Abteilung III'' * ''Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 20'' * ''Heeres-Flak-Artillerie-Abteilung 295'' * ''Panzerjäger-Abteilung 92'' * ''Panzer-Pionier-Battalion 92'' * ''Panzer-Nachrichten-Abteilung 92''

Commanding officers

The commanders of the division:Mitcham, p. 155–156 *''

Generalleutnant is the Germanic variant of lieutenant general, used in some German speaking countries. Austria Generalleutnant is the second highest general officer rank in the Austrian Armed Forces (''Bundesheer''), roughly equivalent to the NATO rank of ...

'' Horst Stumpff, 13 November 1940 – 10 September 1941 *''

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 Swe ...

'' Georg von Bismarck, 10 September 1941 – 13 October 1941 (acting) *''

Generalmajor is the Germanic variant of major general, used in a number of Central and Northern European countries. Austria Belgium Denmark is the second lowest general officer rank in the Royal Danish Army and Royal Danish Air Force. As a tw ...

'' Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma, 14 October 1941 – 30 June 1942 *''Generalmajor'' Walter Düvert, 1 July 1942 – 10 October 1942 *''Oberst'' Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz, 10 October 1942 – 30 November 1942 (acting) *''Generalmajor'' Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz, 1 December 1942 – 11 May 1943 *''Generalleutnant'' Mortimer von Kessel, 12 May 1943 – 1 January 1944 *''Oberst'' Werner Marcks, 1 January 1944 – 1 February 1944 (acting) *''Generalleutnant'' Mortimer von Kessel, 2 February 1944 – 5 November 1944 *''Oberst'' Hermann von Oppeln-Bronikowski, 6 November 1944 – 31 December 1944 (acting) *''Generalmajor'' Hermann von Oppeln-Bronikowski, 1 January 1945 – 8 May 1945

References

Bibliography

* * * *Windrow, Martin. "The Panzer Divisions", Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1982, *Cornish, Nik. "Images of Kursk", Brassey's, 2002,

External links

* {{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017 2*20 Military units and formations established in 1940 Military units and formations disestablished in 1945