1st Light Division (Germany)

1st Light Division (Germany)

1.leichte-Brigade
1.leichte-Division
6.Panzer-Division

The German 1st Light Brigade was a mechanized unit established in October 1937 in imitation of the French "Division Légère Mécanique", intended to take on the roles of army-level reconnaissance and security that had traditionally been the responsibility of cavalry. It included mechanized recon units, motorized infantry, and a battalion of tanks. In 1938 it was enlarged to become the 1st Light Division (sometimes described as "Light Mechanized" or "Light Panzer" to distinguish it from the later "Light" infantry divisions). In 1939 the division fought in the Invasion of Poland. Due to shortcomings that the campaign revealed in the organization of the Light divisions, it was reorganized as the 6th Panzer Division afterward in October 1939.

As the 6th Panzer Division, it participated in the 1940 Battle of France and then transferred east for the rest of the year. In June 1941 it joined Operation Barbarossa, fighting at first under Army Group North but soon transferring to Army Group Center, where it fought in the Battle of Moscow and the Rzhev-Vyazma Salient. By May 1942, it had suffered such losses that it was withdrawn to France for rehabilitation. It returned to the Russian Front at the end of the year and participated in the failed attempt to relieve the Sixth Army at Battle of Stalingrad. Thereafter it fought in the battles of Kharkov and Kursk and the defensive battles back across the Ukraine and White Russia afterward. In early 1945 it was used in the attempts to relieve Budapest and then driven back into Austria, where it surrendered to the Soviets at the end of the war.

See also

* Erich Hoepner
* Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg
* Panzertruppe, Panzer, Panzer division
* Division (military), Military unit
* Heer, Wehrmacht, List of German divisions in WWII

References

Note: The Web references may require you to follow links to cover the unit's entire history.
* Wendel, Marcus (2004). " [http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=969 1. Leichte-Division] ". Retrieved April 11, 2005.
* " [http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/leichte%20Panzerdivisionen/1leDiv.htm 1. leichte Division] ". German language article at www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de. Retrieved April 11, 2005.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • 1st Armoured Division (Germany) — Division Intervention Forces/ 1st Armoured Division 1. Panzerdivision 1st Armoured Division insignia Active 1956 present Country …   Wikipedia

  • 1st Ski Division (Germany) — The German 1st Ski Division ( de. Skijäger division 1.) was an infantry unit trained to use skis for movement during winter, and was created on the Eastern Front in the autumn of 1943 in preparation for the upcoming winter operations. It was… …   Wikipedia

  • 1st Armored Division (United States) — Infobox Military Unit unit name=1st Armored Division caption=1st Armored Division shoulder sleeve insignia nickname= Old Ironsides motto= colors=red, yellow, and blue march= ceremonial chief= type=Armored branch=Regular Army dates=1932 01 16 1946 …   Wikipedia

  • 1st Infantry Division (United States) — Infobox Military Unit unit name=1st Infantry Division caption=1st Infantry Division shoulder sleeve insignia country=United States allegiance= type=Division branch=Regular Army dates=May 24, 1917 specialization=Heavy Mechanized command… …   Wikipedia

  • 1st Airborne Division (United Kingdom) — 1st Airborne Division …   Wikipedia

  • 1st Armoured Division (United Kingdom) — Infobox Military Unit unit name=1st Armoured Division caption=Insignia of the 1st Armoured Division dates=1939 1945 1976 Present country=United Kingdom allegiance= branch=British Army type=Armoured Division role= size= command structure= Land… …   Wikipedia

  • 1st Infantry Division (United Kingdom) — Infobox Military Unit unit name= 1st Infantry Division caption= dates= 1809 1978 country=United Kingdom allegiance= branch=British Army type=Infantry role= size= command structure= garrison= current commander= ceremonial chief= colonel of the… …   Wikipedia

  • 1st Light Infantry Regiment (Airmobile) — Infobox Military Unit unit name= 1st Light Infantry Regiment (Airmobile) caption=Insignia of 1st Light Infantry Regiment (Airmobile) country= Germany type= Air Assault branch= German Army Subordinate to 1st Airmobile Brigade, Division Aerial… …   Wikipedia

  • 1st Armoured Division (Poland) — Infobox Military Unit unit name=1st Armoured Division caption=Badge of the 1st Armoured Division country=Poland allegiance= type=Armoured branch=Land forces dates=1942 1947 specialization=Shock troops command structure= size=16,000 soldiers, 380… …   Wikipedia

  • 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler — Infobox Military Unit unit name= 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler caption= 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler dates= 9 November 1923 8 May 1945 country= Nazi Germany allegiance= branch= Infantry, Special Forces type= role …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”