General der Panzertruppe () was a

General of the branch A general of the branch, general of the branch of service or general of the ... (where instead of the ellipsis an appropriate name of the military branch is being put) is a three or four-star general officer rank in some armies. Several nations di ...

OF8 rank of the

German Army The German Army (, "army") is the land component of the armed forces of Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German ''Bundeswehr'' together with the ''Marine'' (German Navy) and the ''Luftwaf ...

, 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 o ...

'', ''

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 Württemberg. ...

'' and '' General der Infanterie''. 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-8. ...

'' (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), equiv ...

'' (engineers), '' General der Fallschirmtruppe'' (parachute troops), '' General der Flieger'' (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 Kavallerie ...

'' (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

, there is a ''General der Panzertruppen'', which is not a ''rank'' but a ''position'', who is usually a brigadier general ('' Brigadegeneral''). The General der Panzertruppen commands the Armoured Corps Training Centre. 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 (1889–1962) (promoted Generaloberst 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 (1882–1955) * Hermann Breith (1892–1964) * Hans Cramer (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 Karl Decker (30 November 1897 – 21 April 1945) was a general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II who committed suicide in the Ruhr Pocket on 21 April 1945. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Le ...

(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 (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 Hans von Funck (23 December 1891 – 14 February 1979) was a German general in the Wehrmacht during World War II, who commanded the 7th Panzer Division and the XXXXVII Panzer Corps. Career Hans von Funck joined the German army in August 1914 and ...

(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 __NOTOC__ General Sigfrid Henrici (10 May 1889 – 8 November 1964) was a German general during World War II. During the invasion of Poland in 1939, Henrici was the commander of the 16th Infantry Division (motorised). He commanded XXXX P ...

(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 (1890–1944) (promoted Generaloberst 20/4/1944, killed in plane crash 21/04/1944) * Georg Jauer (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 (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 General Friedrich Kühn (7 August 1889 – 15 February 1944) was a General der Panzertruppe in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. World War II At the start of World War I ...

(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 (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 (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 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 ended ...

(1890–1957) (promoted Generaloberst 30/11/1942, Generalfeldmarschall 30/1/1943) * Georg-Hans Reinhardt (1887–1963) (promoted Generaloberst 1/1/1942) *

Erwin Rommel Johannes Erwin Eugen Rommel () (15 November 1891 – 14 October 1944) was a German field marshal during World War II. Popularly known as the Desert Fox (, ), he served in the ''Wehrmacht'' (armed forces) of Nazi Germany, as well as servi ...

(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 191 ...

(1896–1960) * Dietrich von Saucken (1892–1980) * Ferdinand Schaal (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 (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 Sn ...

(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. Th ...

(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 (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 Hasso von Manteuffel in 1944 File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-209-0086-12, Russland-Nord, Erich von Manstein, Brandenberger.jpg, General der Panzertruppe Erich Brandenberger (left) with Generalfeldmarschall Erich von Manstein in 1941 File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-B17409, Nordafrika, Ludwig Crüwell, Fritz Bayerlein.jpg, General der Panzertruppe

(left) in North Africa in 1942

References

Literature

Reinhard Stumpf Reinhard Karl Stumpf (born 26 November 1961) is a German football manager and former player who was most recently the manager of Saudi Arabian club Al-Diriyah. He played as a centre-back. Playing career Stumpf's active career as a professiona ...