1st Panzergrenadier Brigade (Germany)

The 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade (German: Panzergrenadierbrigade 1) in Hildesheim was a formation in the Bundeswehr, which was subordinated to the 1st Armoured Division in Hanover. The Brigade was disbanded on 31 December 2007. During its lifetime the Brigade was stationed between the Lüneburg Heath, Harz Mountains, the Solling hills and the River Weser.

1st Panzergrenadier Brigade
German: Panzergrenadierbrigade 1
Formation sign
Founded1 April 1958
Disbanded31 December 2007
CountryGermany
BranchGerman Army
Part ofBundeswehr
Last headquartersMackensen-Kaserne in Hildesheim
Commanders
Last commanderBrigGen Ernst-Otto Berk

Formation sign

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The formation sign displays the white Sachsenross or Saxon steed on a red background within a yellow and white shield. The steed recalls the Welf dukes and the Kingdom of Hanover. The original Saxon tribal emblem was adopted in 1235 by the Welf dukes, the Dukes of Brunswick and Lüneburg, as an additional coat of arms. Through the amalgamation of part of the Lüneburg-Brunswick region with the Principality, later Kingdom, of Hanover the Saxon steed appeared in 1705 on the escutcheon of the kingdom's coat of arms surrounded by the main yellow and white shield. On the foundation of the state of Lower Saxony in 1952 the Saxon steed on a red field became the coat of arms of the state. The white border of the coat of arms, in embroidery shown as a white cord - represents the usual heraldic custom of the German Army: white borders were always the formation signs of the "first" brigades in a division. The superior division as well as the other two brigades in the division traditionally bore an identical formation sign apart from the white border. On the disbandment of the Brigade the sign continued to be worn by Panzerlehrbrigade 9, which gave up its old sign in 2006. The white border remains.

Composition 2007

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In 2007, just before disbanding the brigade was organised as:

  • Headquarters Company Stabskompanie, in Hildesheim
  • 33rd Tank Battalion
  • 421st Panzergrenadier Battalion
  • 10th Armoured Engineer Company
  • 15th Armoured Artillery Battalion
  • 803rd Armoured Engineer Battalion
  • 141st Logistics Battalion

Commanders

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The brigade commanders were (rank on taking over):

No. Name Date took over Date handed over
16 Oberst Ernst-Otto Berk 27 March 2003 13. April 2006
15 Brigadegeneral Dieter Skodowski 26 March 1999 26 March 2003
14 Brigadegeneral Dr. Dirk Oetting 1 January 1995 25 March 1999
13 Oberst Jürgen Ruwe 1 October 1991 31 December 1994
12 Oberst Manfred Dietrich 1 December 1989 30 September 1991
11 Oberst Hans-Theodor Dingler 1 October 1987 20 December 1989
10 Oberst Istvan Csoboth 1 April 1984 30 September 1987
9 Brigadegeneral Johann Adolf (Hanno) Graf von Kielmansegg jun. 26 March 1982 31 March 1984
8 Brigadegeneral Detlef Ahrens 1 October 1977 26 March 1982
7 Oberst Walter Hoffmann 1 April 1973 30 September 1977
6 Brigadegeneral Johannes Poeppel 1 January 1970 31 March 1973
5 Brigadegeneral Carl-Gero von Ilsemann 1 October 1966 31 December 1969
4 Brigadegeneral Eicke Middeldorf 15 October 1963 30 September 1966
3 Brigadegeneral Heinz-Helmut Hinckeldey 1 October 1962 14 October 1963
2 Brigadegeneral Hans-Georg Tempelhoff 1 November 1959 30 September 1962
1 Oberst Hans-Heinz Fischer 1 April 1958 31 October 1959
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52°09′15″N 9°58′16″E / 52.154123°N 9.971015°E / 52.154123; 9.971015