Panzer group
Panzer group was a common name in the Wehrmacht for the grouping of mainly armored or motorized large units under one high command, comparable to the army departments . The name was first used for the groupings of several motorized army corps during the Western campaign . The tank groups were later all brought up to date with armies and renamed tank armies . These then mostly also included non-motorized associations.
structure
Panzergruppe 1 or Panzergruppe Kleist : On March 5, 1940 under the command of Colonel General Ewald von Kleist from the General Command of the XXII. Army corps formed. The forerunner was the Kleist tank group from the French campaign. Renamed 1st Panzer Army on October 5, 1941 .
Panzergruppe 2 or Panzergruppe Guderian : On November 16, 1940 under the command of Colonel General Heinz Guderian from the General Command of the XIX. Army corps formed. The forerunner was the Guderian tank group from the French campaign. Renamed 2nd Panzer Army on October 5, 1941 .
Panzer Group 3 : On November 16, 1940 from the General Command of the XV. Army corps formed. Commander-in-chief was Colonel General Hermann Hoth until October 4, 1941. Renamed 3rd Panzer Army on January 1, 1942.
Panzer Group 4 : On February 17, 1941 from the General Command of the XVI. Army corpsset upunder Colonel General Erich Hoepner . Renamed 4th Panzer Army on January 1, 1942.
Panzergruppe Afrika : Set upin Libya on September 1, 1941 under General Erwin Rommel . Renamed Panzerarmee Afrika on January 30, 1942.
Panzer Group West : Formed on January 24, 1944 in France under General of the Panzer Troop Leo Geyr von Schweppenburg . Renamed 5th Panzer Army on August 5, 1944.
literature
- Anthony Tucker-Jones, Falaise: The Flawed Victory - the Destruction of Panzergruppe West, August 1944, 2008.
- Walter Chales de Beaulieu, The advance of Panzer Group 4 on Leningrad - 1941 , 1961.