The division fought exclusively on the Eastern Front, taking part in the battles of Moscow and Kursk. It eventually surrendered to US and Soviet forces in Czechoslovakia in May 1945.
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.[1][2]
Operation Barbarossa, 3 July 1941
Attached to Army Group Center, the division participated in the opening stages of Operation Barbarossa and remained in the front echelon of attack during the series of advances on Minsk, Smolensk and took part in Operation Typhoon, 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 In March 1942 it was withdrawn to Bryansk for refitting and a rest after heavy casualties during the winter that lead to disbanding of a number of its units.[3]
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 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 rest of 1943 was spent in a long retreat between Orel, Gomel, Orsha, and Vitebsk.[3]
The 20th Panzer Division spent the winter of 1944 fighting in the Polotsk, Vitebsk, Bobruisk and Cholm areas. Having suffered heavy losses during the Red Army's Operation Bagration, 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) battles raging in northern Hungary.[4] It then retreated through Breslau, Schweinitz and Neisse in Silesia (now part of Poland). The division was transferred to Görlitz (east of Dresden 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, but disengaged three days later and retreated west. It counterattacked again in the Bautzen 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), whilst the rest, including elements of Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 20. surrendered to the U.S. Army at Rokycany, (between Prague and Plzeň); they were handed over to the Soviet forces.[3]
20th, panzer, division, wehrmacht, 20th, panzer, division, english, 20th, tank, division, armoured, division, german, army, during, world, created, from, parts, 19th, infantry, division, 20th, panzer, division20, panzer, divisionunit, insigniaactive15, october. The 20th Panzer Division English 20th Tank Division was an armoured division in the German Army during World War II It was created from parts of the 19th Infantry Division 20th Panzer Division20 Panzer DivisionUnit insigniaActive15 October 1940 8 May 1945Country GermanyBranchArmyTypePanzerRoleArmoured warfareSizeDivisionGarrison HQWehrkreis IX JenaEngagementsWorld War II Operation Barbarossa Battle of Kursk Operation BagrationCommandersNotablecommandersHermann von Oppeln Bronikowski The division fought exclusively on the Eastern Front taking part in the battles of Moscow and Kursk It eventually surrendered to US and Soviet forces in Czechoslovakia in May 1945 Contents 1 History 2 Organization 2 1 1941 2 2 1942 3 Commanding officers 4 References 4 1 Bibliography 5 External linksHistory EditThe 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 1 2 Operation Barbarossa 3 July 1941 Attached to Army Group Center the division participated in the opening stages of Operation Barbarossa and remained in the front echelon of attack during the series of advances on Minsk Smolensk and took part in Operation Typhoon 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 for refitting and a rest after heavy casualties during the winter that lead to disbanding of a number of its units 3 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 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 rest of 1943 was spent in a long retreat between Orel Gomel Orsha and Vitebsk 3 The 20th Panzer Division spent the winter of 1944 fighting in the Polotsk Vitebsk Bobruisk and Cholm areas Having suffered heavy losses during the Red Army s Operation Bagration 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 battles raging in northern Hungary 4 It then retreated through Breslau Schweinitz and Neisse in Silesia now part of Poland The division was transferred to Gorlitz east of Dresden on the post 1945 German frontier with Poland On 19 April 1945 the division was involved in a counteroffensive west of Gorlitz in the direction of Niesky but disengaged three days later and retreated west It counterattacked again in the Bautzen 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 whilst the rest including elements of Panzer Aufklarungs Abteilung 20 surrendered to the U S Army at Rokycany between Prague and Plzen they were handed over to the Soviet forces 3 Organization EditThe organisation of the division 5 1941 Edit Schutzen Brigade 20 Schutzen Regiment 59 Schutzen Battalion I Schutzen Battalion II Schutzen Regiment 112 Schutzen Battalion I Schutzen Battalion II Kradschutzen 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 Aufklarungs Abteilung 20 Panzerjager Abteilung 92 Pionier Battalion 92 Nachrichten Abteilung 92 1942 Edit 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 Aufklarungs Abteilung 20 Heeres Flak Artillerie Abteilung 295 Panzerjager Abteilung 92 Panzer Pionier Battalion 92 Panzer Nachrichten Abteilung 92Commanding officers EditThe commanders of the division 6 Generalleutnant Horst Stumpff 13 November 1940 10 September 1941 Oberst Georg von Bismarck 10 September 1941 13 October 1941 acting Generalmajor Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma 14 October 1941 30 June 1942 Generalmajor Walter Duvert 1 July 1942 10 October 1942 Oberst Heinrich Freiherr von Luttwitz 10 October 1942 30 November 1942 acting Generalmajor Heinrich Freiherr von Luttwitz 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 1945References Edit Mitcham p 149 Mitcham p 153 a b c Mitcham p 152 Szamveber Norbert 2013 Days of Battle Armoured Operations North of the River Danube Hungary 1944 45 Budapest Peko Publishing Organizational History of the German Armored Formation 1939 1945 PDF cgsc edu United States Army Command and General Staff College Archived from the original PDF on 8 December 2011 Retrieved 15 June 2016 Mitcham p 155 156 Bibliography Edit Mitcham Samuel W 2000 The Panzer Legions Mechanicsburg Stackpole Books ISBN 978 0 8117 3353 3 Stoves Rolf 1986 Die Gepanzerten und Motorisierten Deutschen Grossverbande 1935 1945 Bad Nauheim Podzun Pallas Verlag ISBN 3 7909 0279 9 Williamson Gordon 2002 Panzer Crewman 1939 45 Osprey ISBN 1 84176 328 4 Windrow Martin The Panzer Divisions Osprey Publishing Ltd 1982 ISBN 0 85045 434 4 Cornish Nik Images of Kursk Brassey s 2002 ISBN 1 57488 576 6External links Edit 20 Panzer Division Bestand 20th Panzer Division Inventory deutsche digitale bibliothek de in German German Federal Archives Portals Military of Germany Tanks World War II Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 20th Panzer Division Wehrmacht amp oldid 1120014884, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
