History of the 2nd Panzer
Division
History of the 2nd Panzer Division
The Division was originally formed in Würzburg in 1935 and then transferred to Vienna in 1938. By the time that war broke out in 1939 most of the personnel were Austrians. The Division took part in the Polish campaign of 1939, suffering heavy losses. Then fought in the French campaign of 1940 as part of Guderian's XLX motorised corps. Capturing Abbeville on the English Channel and thus isolating the B.E.F in the Dunkirk Pocket. Later the Division took part in the Balkan campaign, taking Athens alongside the 6th Mountain Division. As part of the XLI Panzer corps. 2nd Panzer crossed into Russia in 1941, reaching as far as the small river port of Khimki some five miles from Moscow, some elements even reported being able to see the Kremlin itself.
2nd Panzer, in the central sector, was thrown back by the Russian winter offensive of 1941-2. Later the Division was to take part in the Rzhev withdrawal, the battle of Kursk, and the middle Dniepr battles of 1943-44.
Having suffered heavy losses the Division was transferred to France for rest and refitting, but in June 1944 the 2nd Panzer Division was cast into the battle against the invading Western Allied armies in Normandy.
Involved in the unsuccessful Mortain counterattack and narrowly escaping from the Falaise pocket, the shattered Division was reformed at Wittlich in the Eiffel area of western Germany.
Incidentally the Division during this period, temporarily absorbed the remains of the 352 Infantry Division before they were reformed as the 352. Volks-Grenadier Division.
In 1945 2nd Panzer was central to the Ardennes offensive, again suffering heavy losses. In its final battles against the U.S Army the Divisional strength was down to four tanks, three assault guns and only two hundred men.
The survivors were absorbed into Panzer Brigade Thuringen and ended the war defending Fulda in April 1945.
Divisional Commanders
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15.10.35 to 04.02.38 - Oberst Heinz Guderian
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01.03.38 to 16.02.42 - Generalmajor Rudolf Veiel
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17.02.42 to 01.06.42 - Generalmajor Hans-Karl Frhr. von Esebeck
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01.06.42 to 05.09.42 - Generalmajor Arno von Lenski
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05.09.42 to 01.02.44 - Oberst Vollrath Lubbe
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01.02.44 to 05.05.44 - Generalleutnant Heinrich Frhr. von Lüttwitz
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05.05.44 to 27.05.44 - Generalleutnant Franz Westhoven
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27.05.44 to 31.08.44 - Generalleutnant Heinrich Frhr. von Lüttwitz
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01.09.44 to 20.09.44 - Oberst Gustaf-Adolf von Nostitz-Wallwitz
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21.09.44 to 14.12.44 - Oberst Henning Schonfeld
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15.12.44 to 19.03.45 - Oberst Meinrad von Lauchert
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20.03.45 to 01.04.45 - Generalmajor Oskar Munzel
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01.04.45 to 08.05.45 - Oberst Carl Stollbrock