General der Panzertruppe () was a General of the branch OF8 rank of the German Army, introduced in 1935. A ''General der Panzertruppe'' was a Lieutenant General, above Major General (Generalleutnant), commanding a Panzer corps.

Rank and rank insignia

The rank was equivalent to the long established ''

General der Kavallerie General of the Cavalry (german: General der Kavallerie) was a General officer rank in the cavalry in various states of which the modern states of German and Austria are successors or in other armies which used the German model. Artillery officers ...

'', ''

General der Artillerie General der Artillerie ( en: General of the artillery) may mean: 1. A rank of three-star general, comparable to modern armed forces OF-8 grade, in the Imperial German Army and its contingency armies of Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony and Württembe ...

'' and ''

General der Infanterie General of the Infantry is a military rank of a General officer in the infantry and refers to: * General of the Infantry (Austria) * General of the Infantry (Bulgaria) * General of the Infantry (Germany) ('), a rank of a general in the German Imp ...

''. The Wehrmacht also introduced ''

General der Gebirgstruppe General der Gebirgstruppe (Literally: General of the Mountain Troops) was a category of German Army three-star, a new example of the traditional German 'General der' rank introduced by the Wehrmacht in 1940, comparable to the NATO grade OF- ...

'' (mountain troops), ''

General der Pioniere ''General der Pioniere'' (en: ''General of the engineers'') was a General of the branch rank of the German Army in Nazi Germany. Until the end of World War II in 1945, this particular general officer rank was on three-star level ( OF-8), equi ...

'' (engineers), ''

General der Fallschirmtruppe ''General der Fallschirmtruppe'' (en: ''General of the parachute corps'') was a General of the branch rank of the Deutsche Luftwaffe (en: German Air Force) in Nazi Germany. Until the end of World War II in 1945, this particular general officer ra ...

'' (parachute troops), ''

General der Flieger ''General der Flieger'' ( en, General of the aviators) was a General of the branch rank of the Luftwaffe (air force) in Nazi Germany. Until the end of World War II in 1945, this particular general officer rank was on three-star level ( OF-8), e ...

'' (aviators), ''

General der Nachrichtentruppe General der Nachrichtentruppe (Literally: General of the Communications Troops) was a General of the branch OF8-rank of German Army, introduced by the Wehrmacht in 1940. The rank was equivalent to the long established ''General der Kavalle ...

'' (communications troops) and ''

General der Luftnachrichtentruppe ''General der Luftnachrichtentruppe'' (en: ''General of air force communications troops'') was a General of the branch rank of the Deutsche Luftwaffe (en: German Air Force) in Nazi Germany. Until the end of World War II in 1945, this particular g ...

'' (air communications troops).

Position

In the present-day German Army, there is a ''General der Panzertruppen'', which is not a ''rank'' but a ''position'', who is usually a brigadier general (''

Brigadegeneral Brigadier general ( da, Brigadegeneral; german: Brigadegeneral) is the Germanic variant of Brigadier general. Belgium The rank of ( nl-BE, Brigadegeneraal; french: Général de Brigade) is used by the Belgian Land Component, Air Component and ...

''). The General der Panzertruppen commands the

Armoured Corps Training Centre The Armoured Corps Training Centre (german: Ausbildungszentrum Panzertruppen) in Munster is one of the German Army's training centres ('' Zentren des Heeres'') with particular responsibility for the basic and continuation training of armoured tro ...

. In the Nazi-era Army, the equivalent position was called ''Generalinspekteur der Panzertruppe''.

List

The following officers were ''General der Panzertruppe'': *

Hans-Jürgen von Arnim Hans-Jürgen Bernard Theodor von Arnim (; 4 April 1889 – 1 September 1962) was a German general in the Nazi Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded several armies. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Early life ...

(1889–1962) (promoted

Generaloberst A ("colonel general") was the second-highest general officer rank in the German ''Reichswehr'' and ''Wehrmacht'', the Austro-Hungarian Common Army, the East German National People's Army and in their respective police services. The rank was ...

4/12/1942) *

Hermann Balck Georg Otto Hermann Balck (7 December 1893 – 29 November 1982) was a highly decorated officer of the German Army who served in both World War I and World War II, rising to the rank of General der Panzertruppe. Early career Balck was born in ...

(1893–1982) *

Erich Brandenberger __NOTOC__ Erich Brandenberger (15 July 1892 – 21 June 1955) was a German general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. Biography In World War I Br ...

(1882–1955) *

Hermann Breith __NOTOC__ Hermann Albert Breith (7 May 1892 – 3 September 1964) was a German general during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords of Nazi Germany. Breith commanded the III Army Corps. ...

(1892–1964) *

Hans Cramer Hans Cramer (13 July 1896 – 28 October 1968) was a German general in the Wehrmacht during World War II. Career Cramer enlisted in the Prussian Army on 10 August 1914 and served in World War I; he was retained in the Reichsheer. In September 1 ...

(1896–1968) *

Ludwig Crüwell Ludwig Crüwell (20 March 1892 – 25 September 1958) was a German army general who served in the Afrika Korps of Nazi Germany during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. Crüwell surrendered to ...

(1892–1958) * Karl Decker (1897–1945) (committed suicide) *

Heinrich Eberbach Heinrich Eberbach (24 November 1895 – 13 July 1992) was a German general during World War II who commanded the 5th Panzer Army during the Allied invasion of Normandy. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves o ...

(1895–1992) *

Maximilian Reichsfreiherr von Edelsheim __NOTOC__ Maximilian von Edelsheim (6 July 1897 – 26 April 1994) was a general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. He negotiated the ...

(1897–1994) *

Hans-Karl Freiherr von Esebeck Hans-Karl Freiherr von Esebeck (10 July 1892 – 5 January 1955) was a German general who commanded the 15th Panzer Division in the Afrika Korps. Esebeck had knowledge of and was sympathetic to the anti-Hitler conspiracy in the military. He was a ...

(1892–1955) *

Gustav Fehn __NOTOC__ Gustav Fehn (21 February 1892 – 5 June 1945) was a German general during World War II. Fehn served in the Afrika Korps from November 1942 to January 1943, LXXVI Panzer Corps from July–August 1943, the XXI Army Corps from October 194 ...

(1892–1945) (executed by partisans) *

Ernst Feßmann Ernst Feßmann (6 January 1881 – 25 October 1962) was a German general of the ''Heer'' (German Army) who led the 267th Infantry Division in the early stages of World War II. Prior to the war, he was also notable for commanding one of the first ...

(1881–1962) *

Wolfgang Fischer __NOTOC__ Wolfgang Fischer (11 December 1888 – 1 February 1943) was an officer in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II. He was killed on 1 February 1943 near Mareth in Tunisia when his staff car drove into a poorly marked Italian ...

(1888–1943) *

Walter Fries __NOTOC__ Walter Fries (22 April 1894 – 6 August 1982) was a German general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. Awards * Iron Cross (1914) 2 ...

(1894–1982) * Hans Freiherr von Funck (1891–1979) *

Leo Geyr von Schweppenburg Leo Dietrich Franz Reichsfreiherr Geyr von Schweppenburg (2 March 1886 – 27 January 1974), was a German general during World War II, noted for his pioneering stance and expertise in the field of armoured warfare. He commanded the 5th Panzer Arm ...

(1886–1974) * Fritz-Hubert Graeser (1888–1960) * Heinz Wilhelm Guderian (1888–1954) (promoted Generaloberst 1941) *

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 ...

(1887–1968) (promoted Generaloberst 20/5/1944) * Sigfrid Henrici (1889–1964) *

Traugott Herr Traugott Herr (16 September 1890 – 13 April 1976) was a German general during World War II who commanded the 14th Army and the 10th Army of the Wehrmacht. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. ...

(1890–1976) *

Alfred Ritter von Hubicki __NOTOC__ Alfred Ritter von Hubicki (5 February 1887 – 14 July 1971) was a Hungarian-born general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II. By the time of the Anschluss of Austria in 1938 he had reached the rank of Generalmajor as ...

(1887–1971) *

Hans-Valentin Hube Hans-Valentin Hube (29 October 1890 – 21 April 1944) was a German general during World War II who commanded armoured forces in the invasions of Poland, France and the Soviet Union. In the course of the war, Hube led the 16th Infantry Divisi ...

(1890–1944) (promoted Generaloberst 20/4/1944, killed in plane crash 21/04/1944) *

Georg Jauer __NOTOC__ Georg Jauer (25 June 1896 – 5 August 1971) was a general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. At the outbreak of World War II Jauer served ...

(1896–1971) *

Werner Kempf Werner Kempf (9 March 1886 – 6 January 1964) was a general in the German Army rising to corps-level command during World War II. Kempf is best known for commanding the Army Detachment Kempf during the Battle of Kursk. Career Kempf joined the ...

(1886–1964) *

Mortimer von Kessel __NOTOC__ Mortimer von Kessel (25 May 1893 – 8 January 1981) was a German general in the Wehrmacht during the Second World War. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of Nazi Germany. Biography Kessel j ...

(1893–1981) *

Friedrich Kirchner Friedrich Kirchner (26 March 1885 – 6 April 1960) was a German general during World War II who commanded 1st Panzer Division and the LVII Panzer Corps. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. Ca ...

(1885–1960) *

Ulrich Kleemann Ulrich Kleemann (23 March 1892 – 1 January 1963) was a German general during World War II and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. He commanded the 90th Light Africa Division in North Africa from 10 April 1942 t ...

(1892–1963) *

Otto von Knobelsdorff Otto von Knobelsdorff (31 March 1886 – 21 October 1966) was a German general during World War II who led the 19th Panzer Division and then held a series of higher commands. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Le ...

(1886–1966) * Walter Krüger (1892–1973) * Friedrich Kühn (1889–1944) (killed in bombing raid) *

Adolf-Friedrich Kuntzen __NOTOC__ General Adolf-Friedrich Kuntzen (26 July 1889 – 10 July 1964) was a German general in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the LXXXI Army-Corps under Erwin Rommel in Normandy in 1944. He saw service in World War I, and ...

(1889–1964) *

Willibald Freiherr von Langermann und Erlencamp Willibald von Langermann und Erlencamp (29 March 1890 – 3 October 1942) was a German general during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of Nazi Germany. Biography Born in 1890, Erlencamp joi ...

(1890–1942) *

Joachim Lemelsen Joachim Lemelsen (28 September 1888 – 30 March 1954) was a German general during World War II who rose to army-level command. During Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, troops of the XLVII Motorized Corps under his ...

(1888–1954) *

Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz Diepold Georg Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz (6 December 1896 – 9 October 1969) was a Prussian Junker, Olympic equestrian, and German officer who served in both World Wars, retiring as a ''General der Panzertruppe''. Lüttwitz's team competed a ...

(1896–1969) *

Smilo Freiherr von Lüttwitz Smilo Walther Hinko Oskar Constantin Wilhelm Freiherr von Lüttwitz (23 December 1895 – 19 May 1975) was a German general during World War II and son of Walther von Lüttwitz. After World War II he joined the Bundeswehr on 1 June 1957 and retir ...

(1895–1975) *

Oswald Lutz Oswald Lutz (6 November 1876 – 26 February 1944) was a German General who oversaw the motorization of the German Army in the late 1920s and early 1930s and was appointed as the commander of the Wehrmacht's Panzer Troops Command in 1935. B ...

(1876–1944) *

Hasso von Manteuffel Freiherr Hasso Eccard von Manteuffel (14 January 1897 – 24 September 1978) was a German baron born to the Prussian noble von Manteuffel family and was a general during World War II who commanded the 5th Panzer Army. He was a recipient of th ...

(1897–1978) *

Karl Mauss Karl Mauss (17 May 1898 – 9 February 1959) was a German general during World War II. He commanded the 7th Panzer Division and was one of only 27 German military men to receive the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and ...

(1898–1959) *

Walter Model Otto Moritz Walter Model (; 24 January 1891 – 21 April 1945) was a German field marshal during World War II. Although he was a hard-driving, aggressive panzer commander early in the war, Model became best known as a practitioner of defen ...

(1891–1945) (promoted Generaloberst 28/2/1942,

Generalfeldmarschall ''Generalfeldmarschall'' (from Old High German ''marahscalc'', "marshal, stable master, groom"; en, general field marshal, field marshal general, or field marshal; ; often abbreviated to ''Feldmarschall'') was a rank in the armies of several ...

1/3/1944) *

Walther Nehring Walther Nehring (15 August 1892 – 20 April 1983) was a German general in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the Afrika Korps. Early life Nehring was born on 15 August 1892 in Stretzin, West Prussia. Nehring was the descendant of a ...

(1892–1983) *

Friedrich Paulus Friedrich Wilhelm Ernst Paulus (23 September 1890 – 1 February 1957) was a German field marshal during World War II who is best known for commanding the 6th Army during the Battle of Stalingrad (August 1942 to February 1943). The battle ende ...

(1890–1957) (promoted Generaloberst 30/11/1942, Generalfeldmarschall 30/1/1943) *

Georg-Hans Reinhardt Georg-Hans Reinhardt (1 March 1887 – 23 November 1963) was a German general and war criminal during World War II. He commanded the 3rd Panzer Army from 1941 to 1944, and Army Group Centre in 1944 and 1945, reaching the rank of colonel general ...

(1887–1963) (promoted Generaloberst 1/1/1942) * Erwin Rommel (1891–1944) (promoted Generaloberst 24/1/1942, Generalfeldmarschall 2/6/1942, committed suicide 14/10/1944) *

Hans Röttiger Hans Röttiger (16 April 1896 – 15 April 1960) was a Panzer General in the German Army during the Second World War and the first Inspector of the Army of the Bundeswehr. Biography Röttiger joined the Prussian Army in 1914 and served from 1 ...

(1896–1960) *

Dietrich von Saucken Dietrich Friedrich Eduard Kasimir von Saucken (16 May 1892 – 27 September 1980) was a German general during World War II who commanded the 2nd Army and the Army East Prussia. Turning down an offer to escape by air, he surrendered to the Re ...

(1892–1980) *

Ferdinand Schaal Ferdinand Friedrich Schaal (7 February 1889 – 9 October 1962) was a German general during World War II. He commanded the 10th Panzer Division in the 1939 Invasion of Poland and directed the successful Siege of Calais in 1940. Schaal was i ...

(1889–1962) *

Rudolf Schmidt Rudolf Schmidt (12 May 1886 – 7 April 1957) was a general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II who commanded the 2nd Panzer Army on the Eastern Front. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leav ...

(1886–1957) (promoted Generaloberst 1/1/1942) *

Gerhard von Schwerin Gerhard Helmut Detleff Graf von Schwerin (23 June 1899 – 29 October 1980) was a German General der Panzertruppe during World War II. World War I Gerhard von Schwerin was born to a Prussian aristocratic family in 1899. His father was a civil ...

(1899–1980) *

Frido von Senger und Etterlin Fridolin von Senger und Etterlin (4 September 1891 – 9 January 1963) was a general in the army of Nazi Germany during World War II. Biography Fridolin Rudolph von Senger und Etterlin was born on 4 September 1891, in Waldshut near the Swiss bo ...

(1891–1963) *

Georg Stumme Georg Stumme (29 July 1886 – 24 October 1942) was a general in the of Nazi Germany during the Second World War who briefly commanded the Axis forces at the beginning of the Second Battle of El Alamein, and died during the Defence of Outpost Sni ...

(1886–1942) *

Horst Stumpff __NOTOC__ Horst Stumpff (20 November 1887 – 25 November 1958) was a German general in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. On 1 January 1938 Stumpff was given command of the 3rd Panzer B ...

(1887–1958) *

Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma Wilhelm Josef Ritter von Thoma (11 September 1891 – 30 April 1948) was a German army officer who served in World War I, in the Spanish Civil War, and as a general in World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. T ...

(1891–1948) *

Gustav von Vaerst __NOTOC__ Gustav von Vaerst (19 April 1894 – 10 October 1975) was a German general during World War II. He was the last commander of the 5th Panzer Army, which was trapped in Northern Tunisia, between 28 February and 9 May 1943. He surrendere ...

(1894–1975) *

Rudolf Veiel Rudolf Veiel (10 December 1883 – 19 March 1956) was a German general (General der Panzertruppe) during World War II. Career Veiel joined the army 1904, and was commissioned as an officer in 1905, serving in the Württemberg cavalry during ...

(1883–1956) *

Heinrich von Vietinghoff Heinrich Gottfried Otto Richard von Vietinghoff genannt Scheel (6 December 1887 – 23 February 1952) was a German general (''Generaloberst'') of the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oa ...

(1887–1952) (promoted Generaloberst 1/9/1943) *

Nikolaus von Vormann __NOTOC__ Nikolaus von Vormann (24 December 1895 – 26 October 1959) was a German general who served in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany. General von Vormann was born in Neumark, West Prussia, German Empire. He joined the Prussian Army in 1914 and ...

(1895–1959) *

Walther Wenck Walther Wenck () (18 September 1900 – 1 May 1982) was a German officer and industrialist. He was the youngest General of the branch (''General der Truppengattung'') in the German Army and a staff officer during World War II. At the end of the w ...

(1900–1982)

Gallery

File:Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1979-035-19, Hasso von Manteuffel.jpg, General der Panzertruppe

in 1944 File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-209-0086-12, Russland-Nord, Erich von Manstein, Brandenberger.jpg, General der Panzertruppe

(left) with Generalfeldmarschall

Erich von Manstein Fritz Erich Georg Eduard von Manstein (born Fritz Erich Georg Eduard von Lewinski; 24 November 1887 – 9 June 1973) was a German Field Marshal of the ''Wehrmacht'' during the Second World War, who was subsequently convicted of war crimes and ...

in 1941 File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-B17409, Nordafrika, Ludwig Crüwell, Fritz Bayerlein.jpg, General der Panzertruppe

(left) in North Africa in 1942

References

Literature