20th Panzer Division

The 20th Panzer Division was an armored formation of the German Army during World War II. It was established on 15 October 1940 during a reorganization designed to increase the number of German armored divisions by dividing the resources of existing formations. Personnel and equipment came from several active and reserve units, including elements of the 19th Infantry Division, which was itself converted into the 19th Panzer Division. The new formation was intended to provide Germany with another mobile armored unit for offensive operations. The division was assigned to Army Group Center for the invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941. It advanced through the opening campaigns around Minsk and Smolensk and participated in Operation Typhoon, the German offensive toward Moscow. The failure of that offensive left the division committed to a difficult winter campaign characterized by defensive fighting, withdrawals, and severe losses. In March 1942 it was removed from the line and sent to the Bryansk area for rest and refitting. The reorganization did not fully restore its original strength; for substantial periods the division operated with only one tank battalion rather than the nominal complement of three. During 1942 the 20th Panzer Division remained in the central sector of the Eastern Front. It participated in the capture of Voronezh in the middle of the year but was otherwise heavily engaged in defensive operations. During the winter of 1942–43 it helped defend the Orel area. In July 1943 it formed part of the northern German striking force in the Battle of Kursk, one of the largest armored confrontations of the war. After the failure of the German offensive, the division began a prolonged retreat westward through areas including Orel, Gomel, Orsha, and Vitebsk. The formation continued to fight during the 1944 campaigns around Polotsk, Vitebsk, Babruysk, and Kholm. Soviet Operation Bagration inflicted especially heavy losses on German forces, including the 20th Panzer Division. In August 1944 the division was transferred to Romania for rebuilding. It was subsequently moved to East Prussia and, on 6 January 1945, sent to Hungary, where it fought in the Garam, or Hron, battles in the northern part of the country. Further retreats carried the division through Breslau, Schweinitz, and Neisse in Silesia, followed by movement toward Görlitz east of Dresden. It took part in a counterattack west of Görlitz toward Niesky beginning on 19 April 1945, disengaged after several days, and withdrew westward. In the Bautzen area it counterattacked again and helped relieve a local German garrison, although the operation incurred heavy losses. By late April the division was northwest of Dresden. It crossed into Czechoslovakia in early May, where its remaining components surrendered separately. Some units surrendered to the Red Army near Teplice-Šanov, while others, including elements of the 20th reconnaissance battalion, surrendered to the United States Army at Rokycany and were subsequently transferred to Soviet custody. The division ceased to exist as a German military formation in May 1945.

The 20th Panzer Division was formed on 15 October 1940 as part of the German Army's effort to create additional armored divisions. Its personnel and matériel were drawn from several existing active and reserve formations, including the 19th Infantry Division. The formation entered service as a mechanized division during a period when Germany was expanding its armored forces in preparation for continued continental warfare. The division was assigned to Army Group Center for Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, in June 1941. It participated in the advances through Minsk and Smolensk before joining Operation Typhoon, the offensive aimed at capturing Moscow. The failure of the Moscow campaign resulted in a prolonged winter crisis. The division conducted defensive actions and withdrawals while suffering substantial casualties. In March 1942 it was taken out of the line and sent to the Bryansk area for recovery and refitting. Even after reconstruction, it was frequently weaker than the formal establishment of a panzer division; at one stage it had only one tank battalion instead of the nominal three. In 1942 the formation remained in the central sector of the Eastern Front. It helped in the capture of Voronezh during the summer but spent much of the period holding defensive positions. It fought around Orel during the winter of 1942–43. In July 1943 it participated in the northern part of the German offensive at Kursk. When the offensive failed, the division joined the general German withdrawal through Orel, Gomel, Orsha, and Vitebsk. During the winter of 1944 it fought in the Polotsk, Vitebsk, Babruysk, and Kholm regions. The Soviet summer offensive known as Operation Bagration inflicted very heavy losses on German forces and left the division in need of extensive rebuilding. It was sent to Romania in August 1944 for refitting, moved to East Prussia in October, and then transferred to Hungary on 6 January 1945. There it fought in the Garam, or Hron, battles in northern Hungary. The division subsequently withdrew through Breslau, Schweinitz, and Neisse in Silesia and moved toward Görlitz. On 19 April 1945 it joined a counteroffensive west of Görlitz toward Niesky, but withdrew three days later. It later counterattacked in the Bautzen area and helped relieve a German garrison, though at considerable cost. By 26 April the division was northwest of Dresden. Its surviving elements crossed into Czechoslovakia by 6 May. Some surrendered to Soviet forces near Teplice-Šanov, while others, including elements of the divisional reconnaissance unit, surrendered to the U.S. Army at Rokycany and were later handed over to the Soviet authorities. The formation was dissolved by the German surrender in May 1945.

• 1945

  Final battles and surrender

  [1]20th Panzer Divisionen.wikipedia.org

  After fighting in Hungary, Silesia, Görlitz, and Bautzen, the division crossed into Czechoslovakia and surrendered in May.

• 1944

  Losses in Operation Bagration

  [1]20th Panzer Divisionen.wikipedia.org

  The Soviet summer offensive inflicted major losses on the division, which was subsequently sent to Romania for refitting.

• 1943

  Battle of Kursk

  [1]20th Panzer Divisionen.wikipedia.org

  The division served in the northern German spearhead during the July offensive at Kursk and then began a long retreat westward.

• 1942

  Refitting after winter losses

  [1]20th Panzer Divisionen.wikipedia.org

  After heavy winter casualties, the division was withdrawn to Bryansk for rest and reorganization and later operated with a reduced tank strength.

• 1941

  Advance with Army Group Center

  [1]20th Panzer Divisionen.wikipedia.org

  The division took part in the opening stages of Operation Barbarossa, advancing through Minsk and Smolensk before joining the offensive toward Moscow.

• 1940

  Division established

  [1]20th Panzer Divisionen.wikipedia.org

  The 20th Panzer Division was formed on 15 October from personnel and equipment redistributed from existing German formations.

A mobile armored formation of the German Army, organized for mechanized offensive and defensive operations during World War II.

• 1945Garam and Hron battles

  Northern Hungary

  After transfer to Hungary in January 1945, the division fought in the battles along the Garam, known in Slovak as the Hron.

  Outcome. The division was forced into further withdrawals toward Silesia and Germany.

  Source
• 1945Bautzen counterattack

  Saxony · Germany

  The division participated in a counterattack in the Bautzen area during the final weeks of the war.

  Outcome. It helped relieve a local German garrison but incurred heavy losses and soon withdrew toward Czechoslovakia.

  Source
• 1944Operation Bagration

  Belarus and the central Eastern Front

  The division fought in areas including Vitebsk and Babruysk during the Soviet offensive that destroyed or dislocated much of Army Group Center.

  Outcome. The formation suffered heavy losses and was withdrawn to Romania for refitting.

  Source
• 1943Battle of Kursk

  Kursk region · Soviet Union

  The division formed part of the northern German attack in the major armored offensive at Kursk.

  Outcome. The German offensive failed, after which the division participated in the retreat through the central Eastern Front.

  Source
• 1941Operation Barbarossa

  Soviet Union

  The division advanced with Army Group Center through the Minsk and Smolensk battles and subsequently participated in the German offensive toward Moscow.

  Outcome. The advance toward Moscow failed, and the division entered a costly winter defensive campaign.

  Source
• 1941Operation Typhoon

  Central Soviet Union

  The 20th Panzer Division took part in the German attempt to capture Moscow during the autumn and winter of 1941.

  Outcome. The offensive was unsuccessful and the division suffered severe losses during the subsequent retreat and defensive fighting.

  Source

• 1944

  Transfer to Romania for rebuildingStrategy

  Background

  Operation Bagration caused severe losses among German units in the central Eastern Front.

  Action taken

  The division was transferred to Romania in August for refitting before being moved again to East Prussia and Hungary.

  Aftermath

  The rebuilt formation returned to combat during the final German campaigns in Hungary and Central Europe.

  Source

• 1942

  Withdrawal for refittingStrategy

  Background

  The division had suffered substantial casualties during the winter fighting after the failed offensive against Moscow.

  Action taken

  It was removed from the front and sent to Bryansk for rest and reconstruction.

  Aftermath

  The division returned to operations in the central sector but remained vulnerable to shortages and reduced armored strength.

  Source

• 1940

  Creation through armored-force reorganizationStrategy

  Background

  The German Army sought to increase the number of panzer divisions by dividing and reallocating the resources of existing formations.

  Action taken

  The 20th Panzer Division was established using personnel and equipment from several units, including the 19th Infantry Division.

  Aftermath

  The division entered the Eastern Front campaign as a new armored formation but repeatedly operated below its nominal tank strength after battlefield losses.

  Source

1. 120th Panzer Divisionen.wikipedia.org