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Printed in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Geschichte der 3.
Panzer-Division, Berlin-Brandenburg, 1935–1945. English Armored Bears : the
German 3rd Panzer Division in World War II. Vol. 1 / Veterans of the 3rd Panzer
Division.
p. cm.
Originally published: Geschichte der 3. Panzer-Division, Berlin-
Brandenburg, 1935–1945. 1967.
ISBN 978-0-8117-1170-8
eISBN 978-0-8117-4847-6
1. Germany. Heer. Panzer-Division, 3. 2. World War, 1939–1945—Tank
warfare. 3. World War, 1939–1945—Campaigns—Eastern Front. 4. World War,
1939–1945—Regimental histories—Germany. I. Traditionsverband der
Ehemaligen Dritten Panzer-Division. II. Title. III. Title: German 3rd Panzer
Division in World War II.
D757.563rd.G47 2012
940.54’1343—dc23
2012033432
CONTENTS
Foreword
Chapter 1 From Training to Baptism of Fire: The 3. Panzer-Division in
Peacetime
Chapter 2 From the Spree to the Bug: The Campaign in Poland, 1939
Chapter 3 From East Prussia to Westphalia: Between the Campaigns,
1939–40
Chapter 4 From the Rhine to the Somme
Chapter 5 From the Somme to the South of France
Chapter 6 The Return Home
Chapter 7 From the Spree to the Bug, Part 2: The Eve of Operation
Barbarossa
Chapter 8 From the Bug to the Dnjepr: Fighting along the Routes of
Advance, 1941
Chapter 9 From the Dnjepr to the Dessna: Breaking through the Stalin
Line
Chapter 10 From the Dessna to the Ssula: The Battle for Kiev
Chapter 11 From the Ssula to the Upa: The Advance on Moscow
Chapter 12 From the Upa to the Schat: The Battle for Tula
Chapter 13 From the Schat to the Tim: The Winter Fighting for Kursk
Appendices
FOREWORD
The veteran’s association of the former 3. Panzer-Division presents its history of
the division.
This is the result of an analysis of daily logs, diaries, individual letters from
the time, firsthand accounts, maps, and a gratifying number of images from
Werner Haupt of the Bibliothek für Zeitgeschichte in Stuttgart. Official daily
logs were not available to any great extent. New items of information made
numerous revisions necessary. The many collaborators—from General on down
to Obergefreiter—need to be thanked one more time here. Thanks are also
extended to our comrade, Günther Richter, for his time-consuming preparations
for printing and distributing the book.
If some formations are mentioned with differing degrees of emphasis—some
achievements and noteworthy events are not even mentioned at all—it results
from the incompleteness of the source material.
Despite that, the book will evoke many memories among those still living,
since it names so many persons and locations. It will also provide those left
behind of the fallen with a picture of the experiences and the suffering of their
loved ones.
Continuously renewed trust and proven comradeship have molded our
community together and enable it to do what it has done. The victims discussed
in this book are a reminder to those responsible to do everything in their power
to spare us the horrors of a new war.
1
Franz Westhoven
2
Generalleutnant a.D.
Honorary Chairman of the Veterans
Organization of the former 3. Panzer-Division
__________________
1. In addition to commanding the 3. Panzer-Division (1 October 1942 to 15
October 1943), he also commanded the 2. Panzer-Division in May 1944. He was
awarded the Knight’s Cross on 25 October 1943 for his command of the 3.
Panzer-Division. Westhoven survived the war and passed away on 9 October
1983. (All notes are by the translator.)
2. a.D. = außer Dienst = Retired.
CHAPTER 1
From Training to Baptism of Fire: The 3. Panzer-Division in Peacetime
The Activation of the Division
The German government issued the “Law Concerning the Build-Up of the
Armed Forces” on 16 March 1935. That signaled the start of the new German
armored force, which would steer the conduct of warfare into new avenues a few
years later. The already existing motorized elements of the army conducted their
training and exercises more intensively in order to perfect their organization and
weaponry. Assorted formations were consolidated into an exercise division in
May 1935 at Döberitz. The training exercises took place under the direction of
1
Generalmajor Hoth. The I./Kraftfahr-Lehrkommando of Oberstleutnant Harpe
and other motorized forces under the command of Major Breith were issued the
first German fighting vehicle, the Panzer I.
The 15th of October 1935 was the birth date of the German armored force. It
was established on that date as its own combat arm within the framework of the
army and not just as an accompanying weapon of the infantry or a part of the
cavalry. The 3. Kavallerie-Division in Weimar, the two motorized instructional
commands, all of the motorized battalions, a few artillery regiments, and, later
on, the cavalry divisions in Frankfurt and Breslau all reassigned complete units
as cadre for the first three armored divisions.
2 3
The 1. Panzer-Division was activated in Weimar. Generalleutnant Freiherr
von Weichs was its commander. Oberst Guderian assumed acting command of
the 2. Panzer-Division in Würzburg. The 3. Panzer-Division under
Generalleutnant Fessmann was established in Berlin.
The 3. Panzer-Division had been in the process of being formed since the
summer of 1935; by 15 October 1935, it had completed its initial activation. A
division had been created within the Germany Army that was intended to
continue the long-standing traditions of the best regiments. The division
headquarters was located in Berlin, with the staff and support agency offices
located at the high rise at the corner of Kurfürstenstraße and Burggrafenstraße.
Generalleutnant Fessmann was fifty-four years old and a longtime cavalryman,
hailing from the 2. Bayerisches Chevaulegers-Regiment. He had already been
the commander of the first armored brigade established in Germany.
The division staff consisted of the following officers and civilian officials in
1935:
4
Operations (Ia): Hauptmann i.G. Graf von Sponeck
Logistics (Ib): Hauptmann Keppel
5
Adjutant for Officer Personnel (IIa): Rittmeister von Necker
6
Judge Advocate General (III): Kriegsgerichtsrat Dr. Schweinsberger
7
Administration (IVa): Intendanturrat Zur Neiden
8
Division Surgeon (IVb): Oberstarzt Dr. Muntsch
One armored and one rifle brigade were assigned to the division. Oberst
9
Kühn was assigned as the commander of Panzer-Brigade 3, while Oberst
10
Bernard assumed command of Schützen-Brigade 3. Hauptmann Thomas
served as Kühn’s adjutant, while Hauptmann Schulte-Mönting served in the
same capacity for Bernard.
The most important and most powerful formations assigned to the division
and serving under the command and control of Panzer-Brigade 3 were Panzer-
Regiment 5 and Panzer-Regiment 6. Both regiments combined old German
cavalry tradition with the modern capabilities of a motorized force.
Panzer-Regiment 5: The regiment was formed by the reassignment of
elements from Kraftfahr-Lehrkommando Zossen and Reiter-Regiment 4
(Potsdam). The latter regiment had already transitioned from being horse-
mounted to motorized in the spring of 1935. Panzer-Regiment 5, which, out of
fairness, should have received the numerical designation of Panzer-Regiment
11
1, since its tank companies were the very first ones in the Reichswehr, carried
on the traditions of the Guard Cuirassiers in its 1st Battalion and the 2nd Guards
Ulan Regiment in its 2nd Battalion. Oberst Zuckertort, who had previously
12
commanded the Kraftfahr-Lehrkommando, became its first commander. Major
Breith and Major Streich were the battalion commanders. The regimental
adjutant was Oberleutnant Kühlein. The signals officer was Oberleutnant Voss.
Company commanders were Hauptmann Thomale, Hauptmann Volckheim,
Hauptmann Schenk, Hauptmann Wagner, Oberleutnant von Heinemann, and
