The Panzer Division "Kempf" (german: Panzer-Division "Kempf"), also ''East Prussia Panzer Formation'' (de: ''Panzerverband Ostpreußen'') was an ''ad hoc''
combined arms
Combined arms is an approach to warfare that seeks to integrate different combat arms of a military to achieve mutually complementary effects (for example by using infantry and armour in an urban environment in which each supports the other) ...
formation consisting of regular German Army personnel and SS. It was created for operations out of
East Prussia during the
Invasion of Poland
The invasion of Poland (1 September – 6 October 1939) was a joint attack on the Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union which marked the beginning of World War II. The German invasion began on 1 September 1939, one week aft ...
in 1939. The formation was generally called ''Panzer Division "Kempf"'' after
General der Panzertruppe
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 ran ...
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 ...
assumed command, though it was only about half the strength of the other Panzer Divisions of the time.
The division participated in the
Battle of Mława
The Battle of Mława, otherwise known as the Defence of the Mława position, took place to the north of the town of Mława in northern Poland between 1 and 3 September 1939. It was one of the opening battles of the Invasion of Poland and World Wa ...
. The SS components of the division committed war crimes against Polish Jews (
Massacre in Krasnosielc ) on September 6, 1939, and against the Polish soldiers, civilians, including Polish Jews in the
Massacre in Zakroczym
The Massacre in Zakroczym, Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 ...
on September 28, 1939.
[Kazimierz Szczerbatko: Za życie oddane w ofierze. Zakroczym: Urząd Gminy w Zakroczymiu, 2002. .]
See also
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List of German divisions in World War II
This article lists divisions of the Wehrmacht (German Armed Forces) and Waffen-SS active during World War II, including divisions of the Heer (army), Luftwaffe (air force), and the Kriegsmarine (navy).
Upgrades and reorganizations are shown only ...
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List of Waffen-SS divisions
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List of SS personnel
Between 1925 and 1945, the German ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) grew from eight members to over a quarter of a million ''Waffen-SS'' and over a million '' Allgemeine-SS'' members. Other members included the ''SS-Totenkopfverbände'' (SS-TV), which ran ...
References
Bibliography
Military units and formations of the Waffen-SS
German panzer divisions
Military units and formations established in 1939
Ad hoc units and formations
Military units and formations disestablished in 1939
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