17th Panzerdivision

The 17th Panzerdivision is one of the armor-plated division S of the German army (Wehrmacht) during the Second world war.

Creation

Divisional emblems

History of division

Within the framework of the plans of Hitler to double the number of Panzerdivisions after the countryside of France, the elements of the 27e division of infantry and the armoured tanks of the units of reserves of the 4th and 33e Panzer-Regiment are restructured in 17th Panzerdivision, created in November 1940, with Augsburg, in Germany.

The first action of division was to take part within 2nd Panzergruppe of Guderian in the first combat of the Opération Barbarossa in June 1941 in the sector centers and took part in the catch of Smolensk and in the battle of Kiev.

It takes part in the offensive of the summer 1942 named Fall Blau (Plane Blue) and walk towards Moscow. This operation turning to the fiasco, it is committed in the Opération Wintergewitter (storm of winter) for the release of the 6° Armée to Stalingrad which fails.

Then it takes share with the counter-attack of Kharkov within the 4th PanzerArmee and with the Bataille of Koursk within the 1e PanzerArmee in 1943, followed retirement through the Ukraine to the edge of the Dniepr.

Passing by again in the bosom of the 4th PanzerArmee , it fights in the pocket of Tcherkassy in beginning 1944 and succeeds in escaping from it. Ballotée of the 4th towards the 1e then return to the 4th PanzerArmee , 17th Panzerdivision continues its retirement in Poland and fights in the sectors of Opatov, Chmielnik and of Kielce. In November, it is put in reserve to reconstitute itself.

As of the beginning 1945, it faces the Soviet road roller in the head of Russian bridge of Baranow. Reduced to the state of a Kampfgruppe, it is found in Moravie where it ends up going to the west of Görlitz to the Soviet troops at the end of April 1945.

Commanders of 17th Panzerdivision

Battle order

In March 1941 composition

  • Schutzen-Brigade 17
    • Schutzen-Regiment 40
    • Schutzen-Regiment 63
  • Panzer-Regiment 39
    • Panzer-Abteilung I
    • Panzer-Abteilung II
  • Kradschutze-Battalion 17
  • Auklarung-Abteilung 27
  • Artillery-Regiment 27
    • Artillery-Abteilung I
    • Artillery-Abteilung II
    • Artillery-Abteilung III
  • Panzerjüger-Abteilung 27
  • Pioneer-Abteilung 27
  • Naschr-Abteilung 27
  • Versorgungsdienste 27

In March 1943 composition

  • Panzergrenadier-Regiment 40
  • Panzergrenadier-Regiment 63
  • Panzer-Regiment 39
    • Panzer-Abteilung I
    • Panzer-Abteilung II
  • Auklarung-Abteilung 17
  • Artillery-Regiment 27
    • Artillery-Abteilung I
    • Artillery-Abteilung II
    • Artillery-Abteilung III
  • Flak-Abteilung 297
  • Panzerjager-Abteilung 27
  • Pioneer-Abteilung 27
  • Naschr-Abteilung 82
  • Versorgungsdienste 27

Theaters of operations

  • November 1940 - June 1941
    • Germany
  • June 1941 - November 1942
    • Face of the East - central sector
      • Operation Barbarossa
  • November 1942 - March 1944
  • March 1944 - August 1944
    • Face of the East - central sector
  • August 1944 - March 1945
    • Poland
  • March 1945 - May 1945
    • East Germany

Rewards

  • 26 members of 17th Panzerdivision are made Chevalier of the iron Cross.
  • 2 becomes titular cross of knight of the iron cross with sheets of oak

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