25. tanková divize [1942-1944]

The formation of 25. Panzer-Division was initiated on the date of 25.2.1942 in Norway. Initially, the division was armed with captured british and French technique. Although not in the summer of 1943, the construction division completed, it was at the turn of August and September moved into northern France. After the big losses sustained by the German ground forces in the summer of 1943 on the eastern front, he was on 25. the tank division developed by the pressure on the speedy achievement of combat capability, and the division was completely re-equipped with German weapons and combat equipment. Yet she had to fall forward 550 vehicles to other services, compensation for them, however, until the transfer to the eastern front in October 1943, received. This had a negative impact on its future combat results.
During October, the division gradually moved to Ukraine in zhitomir area to the assembly army Group South. The first contact with the enemy got 6. November 1943.
In December 1943 had a division of heavy fighting in the Zhytomyr. Although suffered heavy losses (mainly due to inexperience and lack of armaments), has played a division a major role in stopping the soviet advance in the area of Fastov - Kiev. In early 1944, the division lost all offensive capability, the exit of the fighting participated with only 8 000 men and during the battle of Kamenec Podolsky was almost completely destroyed.
After emerging from the battle were the remnants of the division concentrated at Medvedova between the rivers Dniester and Strypa and serve as a backup army Group North Ukraine in the area southeast of the Lviv. Followed the official order to cancel the division.


The remnants of the division were concentrated in the military training areas Esztergom (Hungary), Grafenwöhr and Senne and 10. may, 1944 after the issuance of the warrant to the new formation of the division under the same name moved to Denmark. Here it strengthened the part of the staff and techniques Panzer division Norway. At the end of August, although not its construction yet completed, got 25. tank division (about the strength of the battle group) command to move to the eastern front. Was deployed in the warsaw area as a backup OKH and continued in the formation and training. At the beginning of October 1944 was 25. tank division together with 3. panzer division, 252. infantry division and Tank brigade 104 eliminate the soviet bridgehead on the river Narev at the town of Serock. A German counterattack, however, failed and the Soviets a beachhead keep. This was followed by further fighting in the warsaw area. The division participated in the defense of the Warsaw and its units participated in the suppression of the warsaw uprising. 6. November 1944, after a month of heavy fighting, the division was finally strengthened. The torso of the brigades and the battalions were complemented by the team and the division received 25 the much-needed tanks Panther.
During the fighting that December suffered division more heavy losses and the beginning of January 1945 had only 68 tanks, assault, spgs and cannons. Yet she was doing counterattacks against the advancing Red army. At the end of January was forced to retreat to the Oder. In just six weeks of defensive battles 622 members of the division fell 2 318 were injured and 6 030 missing, the total losses thus amounted to € 8 970 men.
After the start of the soviet winter offensive in January 1945, the division was deployed north of the Radom. After three days of fighting had to retreat to the west and at the end of January 1945 exceeded the north of the Hlohova the Oder. During these exit battles suffered again heavy losses. In mid-February was 25. a panzer division is released from the queue and moved into the area Görlitz to rest and replenish losses. For lack of material and personnel, however, the division did not materialize, the planned states. At the end of February followed by a move to the area southeast of the Szczecin and the task of defending the access routes to the Berlin in the assembly 11. army, a month later, with 9. army fought on the line of the Oder – Neisse. In early April 1945, the division was not in bojeschopném condition. Remnants of division have been concentrated in the area of Zgorzelec, were subsequently reassigned to the area between the Vienna and Mikulov and deployed into the fighting on the Vienna, Laa an der Thaya, Ebendorf-Mistelbach. 8. in may 1945, the then 25. panzer division received final orders to move – towards the west into american captivity.

Tessin, Georg: Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939-1945
en.wikipedia.org(the Wehrmacht)
www.axishistory.com
www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de

.

25. Panzer-Division

OOB - 1942


Panzer-Abteilung 214
- Panzerjäger-Kompanie 514
Schützen-Regiment 146
- Schützen-Bataillon I
- Schützen-Bataillon II
- Schützen-Bataillon III
Kradschützen-Bataillon
Batterie 10cm Kanone (Mot) 91

OOB - 1943


Panzergrenadier-Regiment 146
- Panzergrenadier-Bataillon I
- Panzergrenadier-Bataillon II
Panzergrenadier-Regiment 147
- Panzergrenadier-Bataillon I
- Panzergrenadier-Bataillon II
Panzer-Regiment 9
- Panzer-Abteilung I
- Panzer-Abteilung II
Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 91
- Panzer-Artillerie-Abteilung I
- Panzer-Artillerie-Abteilung II
- Panzer-Artillerie-Abteilung III
Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 9
Heeres-Flak-Artillerie-Abteilung 279
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 87
Panzer-Pionier-Bataillon 87
Panzer-Nachrichten-Abteilung 87

Holders of the Knight's Cross who were members of the 25th Panzer Division:




Otto Jedermann 5/14/1944
Erich Schneider 2/10/1944
Heinz-Willi Wittenstein 2/14/1945