8th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

The 8th Panzer Division was a formation of the Wehrmacht Heer. The division was formed by reorganising the 3rd Light Division in January 1940. It was transferred to the west and fought in the Battle of France, in May 1940, and the German invasion of the Balkans in April 1941. Soon after the division advanced towards Leningrad under Army Group North in Operation Barbarossa, and would remain on the eastern front for the remainder of the war. Staying on defensive fronts, it saw action in the relief of Kholm in 1942, Orel and the withdrawls of Army Group Centre in 1943, until transferred to Army group South. The division then fought in a seroius of retrograde movements, back through the Ukraine, into Hungary and finally into Silesia and surrender in May 1945.

During its existence, the division was headquartered in Cottbus, in the German military district Wehrkreis III.

Organization

History

Commanding officers
General der Panzertruppe Adolf-Friedrich Kuntzen, 16 October 1939 – 20 February 1941
General der Panzertruppe Erich Brandenberger, 20 February – 21 February 1941
Generalleutnant Walter Neumann-Silkow, 21 February 1941 – 26 May 1941
General der Panzertruppe Erich Brandenberger, 26 May – 8 December 1941
Generalleutnant Werner Hühner, 8 December 1941 – 28 January 1942
General der Panzertruppe Erich Brandenberger, 29 January 1942 – 6 August 1942
Generalleutnant Josef Schrötter, 6 August 1942 – 10 November 1942
General der Panzertruppe Erich Brandenberger, 10 November 1942 – 17 January 1943
Generalleutnant Sebastian Fichtner, 17 January 1943 – 20 September 1943
Generalmajor Gottfried Fröhlich, 20 September 1943 – 1 April 1944
Generalmajor Werner Friebe, 1 April 1944 – 21 July 1944
Generalmajor Gottfried Fröhlich, 21 July 1944 – 5 January 1945
Generalmajor Heinrich-Georg Hax, 5 January – 8 May 1945

Originally found at https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/8th_Panzer_Division_(Wehrmacht)

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