An SS Panzer Division (German: SS-Panzerdivision, short: SS-PzDiv) was a Waffen-SS formation during World War II. The table below shows the order of battle to which an SS panzer division aspired.[1]
SS Panzer Division | |
---|---|
SS-Panzerdivision (1943) SS-PzDiv | |
Active | 1943 |
Country | Germany |
Branch | Waffen-SS |
Type | Panzer |
Role | Armoured warfare |
Size | Division, up to 20,000 soldiers |
Part of | Waffen-SS |
Engagements | World War II |
Unit[2] | Designation in German[3] | ||
Division headquarters | Divisionsstab | ||
---|---|---|---|
|
| ||
Quartermaster | Quartiermeister (Qu) | ||
| |||
Panzer regiment | Panzerregiment (PzRgt) | ||
I Battalion |
|
I. Abteilung |
|
II battalion |
|
II. Abteilung |
|
Anti-tank battalion | Panzerjägerabteilung (PzJgAbt) | ||
3 companies of assault guns (1–3) | 3 Kompanien von Sturmgeschützen (1–3) | ||
Panzergrenadier regiment | Panzergrenadierregiment (PzGrenRgt) | ||
I battalion | 4 companies (1–4) | I. Bataillon | 4 Kompanien (1–4) |
II battalion | 4 companies (5–8) | II. Bataillon | 4 Kompanien (5–8) |
III battalion |
|
III. Bataillon |
|
Panzergrenadier regiment (as above) | Panzergrenadierregiment | ||
Armoured reconnaissance battalion | Panzeraufklärungsabteilung (PzAufklAbt) | ||
|
| ||
Panzer artillery regiment | Panzerartillerieregiment (PzArtRgt) | ||
I battalion |
|
I. Abteilung |
|
II battalion |
|
II. Abteilung |
|
III battalion |
|
III. Abteilung |
|
Rocket launcher battalion | Werferabteilung | ||
|
| ||
Anti-aircraft battalion | Flakabteilung (FlakAbt) | ||
|
| ||
Armoured engineer battalion | Panzerpionierabteilung (PzPiAbt) | ||
|
| ||
Armoured signals battalion | Panzernachrichtenabteilung | ||
|
| ||
Divisional supply troops | Divisions-Nachschubtruppe | ||
|
| ||
Panzer maintenance battalion | Panzer-Instandsetzungsabteilung | ||
|
| ||
Provisioning battalion | Wirtschaftsbataillon | ||
|
| ||
Medical battalion | Sanitätsabteilung | ||
|
| ||
Replacement battalion | Feldersatzbataillon |
The 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend was organized according to the above table, and served as a standard for all other SS panzer divisions during World War II. The average complement was approximately 19,000. However, only two out of seven SS panzer divisions contained that strength. In the second half of the war in Europe, in particular close to the end of war, some divisions achieved only the complement of regiment sized units.
See also
edit- German heavy tank battalion German: "schwere Panzerabteilung"
- Panzer division
- List of Waffen-SS divisions
References
edit- ^ Willamson, Gordon (1994). The SS Hitler´s Instrument of the Power; appendix, p. 249, "Organisation of a SS Panzer Division", Brown Packaging Books Ltd., London.
- ^ MILITÄRISCHES STUDIENGLOSAR ENGLISCH Teil II/ Teil III, Deutsch – Englisch, Abkürzung Begriff, Bundessprachenamt (Stand Januar 2001).
- ^ Official designation as to "Bundesarchiv-Militärarchiv" in Freiburg im Breisgau, stores of the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS.