5th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

German 5th Panzer Division
Unit insignia
Active	24 November 1938 – 8 May 1945
Country	Nazi Germany
Allegiance	Wehrmacht
Branch	Heer
Type	Panzer
Role	Armoured warfare
Size	Division
Engagements	World War II
Decorations	3 references in the Wehrmachtbericht
Insignia
1940
1941–1945
at Kursk

The 5th Panzer Division was an armored formation of the German Army from 1938 to 1945.

History

The 5th Panzer Division of the German Army was formed on 24 November 1938 in Opole and dissolved on 8 May 1945. It fought in Poland, France, the Balkans and in Russia; first as part of Army Group Centre (1941–44) and then Army Group North. The division surrendered to the Russians in Gdańsk on 16 April 1945.

Commanding officers

• Generalleutnant Heinrich von Vietinghoff (2 September 1939 – 8 October 1939)
• Generalleutnant Max von Hartlieb-Walsporn (8 October 1939 – 29 May 1940)
• General der Panzertruppen Joachim Lemelsen (29 May 1940 – 25 November 1940)
• General der Panzertruppen Gustav Fehn (25 November 1940 – 10 August 1942)
• Generalleutnant Eduard Metz (10 August 1942 – 1 February 1943)
• Generalmajor Johannes Nedtwig (1 February 1943 – 20 June 1943)
• Generalleutnant Ernst Felix Fäckenstedt (20 June 1943 – 7 September 1943)
• General der Panzertruppen Karl Decker (7 September 1943 – 16 October 1944)
• Generalmajor Rolf Lippert (16 October 1944 – 5 February 1945)
• Generalmajor Günther Hoffmann-Schönborn (5 February 1945 – April 1945)
• Oberst der Reserve Hans-Georg Herzog (April 1945)

Order of Battle

On 1 September 1939 the 5th Panzer Division was organized as follows:

• 5th Schützen Brigade
  • 13th Schützen Regiment
  • 14th Schützen Regiment
• 8th Panzer Brigade
  • 15th Panzer Regiment
  • 31st Panzer Regiment
• 8th (mot) Reconnaissance Battalion
• 116th Artillery Regiment
• 53rd Panzerabwehr Battalion (anti tank)
• 77th Panzer Signals Battalion
• 89th Pioneer Battalion
• 85th Divisional Support Units

In addition, the division had two Luftwaffe units attached to it:

• 2nd (H)/31 Luftwaffe Reconnaissance Staffel
• 1/38th Flak Regiment (anti aircraft)

Inventory of Tanks

On 1 September 1939 the inventory of tanks assigned to the division was as follows:

• 15th Panzer Regiment
  • Panzer I: 57
  • Panzer II: 74
  • Panzer III: 3
  • Panzer IV: 7
  • SdKfz 265, SdKfz 267 and SdKfz 268: 9
• 31st Panzer Regiment
  • Panzer I: 80
  • Panzer II: 63
  • Panzer III: 0
  • Panzer IV: 6
  • SdKfz 265, SdKfz 267 and SdKfz 268: 11