2nd Panzer Division (Germany)

The 2nd Panzer Division ("2. Panzer-Division") was created in 1935, and stationed in Austria after the Anschluss. It participated in the campaigns in Poland (1939) and France (1940), and then returned to Poland for occupation duties (1940-1941). It participated in the Balkans campaign (1941) and then transferred to the Russian Front, though it missed participating in Operation Barbarossa because most of its tanks and other heavy equipment were lost when the transport ships carrying them were sunk by British mines or submarines (1941). It fought with Army Group Center in the battles of Moscow (1941) and Kursk (1943). After heavy losses on the Russian Front it was sent to France for rehabilitation (1944). It fought in Normandy and was almost completely destroyed in the Falaise Pocket (1944). It was rebuilt once more and fought in the Battle of the Bulge (1944) and in the defense of the Rhine (1945), surrendering to the Americans at war's end.

Commanders

*Generalleutnant Heinz Guderian, creation - 31 January 1938
*Generalleutnant Rudolf Veiel, 1 February 1938 - 17 February 1942
*Generalleutnant Hans-Karl Freiherr von Esebeck, 17 February 1942 - 31 May 1942 (vacation)
*Generalmajor Arno von Lenski, 1 June 1942 - 30 June 1942
*Generalleutnant Hans-Karl Freiherr von Esebeck, 1 July 1942 - 10 August 1942 (wounded)
*Oberst Karl Fabiunke, 5 September 1942 - 30 September 1942
*Generalleutnant Vollrath Lübbe, 1 October 1942 - 31 January 1944
*Generalleutnant Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz, 1 February 1944 - 4 May 1944 (vacation)
*Generalleutnant Franz Westhoven, 5 May 1944 - 26 May 1944
*Generalleutnant Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz, 27 May 1944 - 31 August 1944
*Oberst Eberhard von Nostitz, 1 September 1944 - 4 September 1944
*Generalmajor Henning Schönfeld, 5 September 1944 - 14 December 1944
*Generalmajor Meinrad von Lauchert, 15 December 1944 - 19 March 1945
*Generalmajor Oskar Munzel, 20 March 1945 - 3 April 1945
*Major i.G. Waldemar von Gazen, 3 April 1945 - 4 April 1945
*Oberst Karl Stollbrock, 4 April 1945 - 8 May 1945

War crimes

During the September Campaign in Poland soldiers from the division took part in atrocities against Polish citizens. On the 5th of September 1939 near the village of Toporzysko-Bystra a Polish soldier surrendered after becoming separated from his unit. Soldiers from the 2nd Panzer Division ordered him to run, then shot him under the pretext of "attempted escape".Zbrodnie Wehrmachtu na jeńcach wojennych w II Wojnie Światowej Szymon Datner Warszawa 1961]

Trivia

See also

* Panzer, Panzer Division
* Division (military), Military unit
* Heer, Wehrmacht, List of German divisions in WWII
* [http://www.2ndpanzerdivision.com | The 2nd Panzer re-enactment group's website]

References

* Pipes, Jason. " [http://www.feldgrau.com/PzDiv.php?ID=2 2.Panzer-Division] ". Retrieved April 2, 2005.
* Wendel, Marcus (2004). " [http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=1274 2. Panzer-Division] ". Retrieved April 2, 2005.
* " [http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/Panzerdivisionen/2PD.htm 2. Panzer-Division] ". German language article at www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de, with photos. Retrieved April 2, 2005.
* " [http://www.fortunecity.com/campus/dixie/921/eschner/eschner.html Unteroffizer Franz Eschner] ". English language autobiographical notes from a veteran of 2nd Panzer Division, with photos. Retrieved April 2, 2005.
* Szymon Datner (1974). Zbrodnie Wehrmachtu (Crimes of the Wehrmacht)