1st Panzer Division (Bundeswehr)

1. Panzerdivision
— 1. PzDiv —
XX
1st Armoured Division insignia
Active 1956–present
Country  Germany
Branch Army
Type Division
Role Conventional warfare, peacekeeping
Size 18,000 soldiers (+3000 dutch soldiers from 2019)
Part of German Army
Garrison/HQ Oldenburg (Oldenburg)
Nickname(s) The first one
Die Erste
Motto(s) Roughly: Go! Let's tackle it!
Man drup - man to! (Low German)
Anniversaries July 1st 1956
Engagements Kosovo War
War in Afghanistan
Commanders
Current
commander		 Generalmajor Markus Laubenthal
Notable
commanders		 General Henning von Ondarza, COMAFCENT 1991–1994
General Helge Hansen, COMAFCENT 1994–1996
General Wolf-Dieter Langheld, COMJFC-B 2010–2012

The 1st Panzer Division (German: "1. Panzerdivision", short: "1. PzDiv") is an armoured division of the German Army. It also bears the designation Intervention Force Division (Division Eingreifkräfte). Its staff is based at Hanover. In the course of the current reorganisation of the Bundeswehr it will become the backbone of Germany's newly formed intervention forces which will have a manpower of 35,000 soldiers in total. This division is equipped and trained for high intensity combat operations against militarily organized enemies as well as peacekeeping missions. The majority of all German troops assigned to EU-Battlegroups and Nato Response Forces will come from this division. It also represents Germany's permanent contribution to the binational I. German/Dutch Corps.

The 43rd Mechanized Brigade of the Royal Netherlands Army is being integrated into the 1st Panzer Division, and will be operational from 2019.

History

This division was formed on July 1, 1956, the day of the official inauguration of the Bundeswehr. It was the first fully operational unit of the new German Army. At first referred to as 1st Grenadier Division, it was reorganized in the 1980s and made fully armoured in 1981. During this period it was part of I Corps of the Bundeswehr Heer, in turn part of NATO's Northern Army Group, Allied Forces Central Europe.

1st Panzer Division has deployed to the Balkans, Afghanistan and to several peacekeeping operations. Troops of this division were also deployed to the support of civilian agencies during large natural disasters such as the Hamburg Floods of 1962, disastrous wild fires in Northern Germany in the 1970s and the 2002 Floods in Eastern Germany.

The division cultivates a partnership with the United States Army 28th Infantry Division.

Organisation

Locations of 1st Panzer Division units
  • 1st Panzerdivision in Oldenburg
    • HQ and Signal Company 1st Panzerdivision in Oldenburg
    • 325th Artillery Demonstration Battalion (Artillerielehrbataillon 325) in Munster with 16x PzH 2000 155mm self-propelled howitzers, 8x M270 MLRS multiple rocket launch systems, KZO drones and 2x Euro-Art COBRA counter-battery radars
    • 9th Panzer Demonstration Brigade (Panzerlehrbrigade 9) in Munster
    • 21st Panzer Brigade (Panzerbrigade 21) in Augustdorf
      • HQ and Signal Company 21st Panzer Brigade in Augustdorf
      • 7th Reconnaissance Battalion (Aufklärungsbataillon 7) in Ahlen with Fennek reconnaissance vehicles and KZO drones
      • 1st Rifles Battalion (Jägerbataillon 1), Schwarzenborn with GTK Boxer armored personnel carriers
      • 203rd Panzer Battalion (Panzerbataillon 203) in Augustdorf with 30x Leopard 2A6 and 14 x Leopard 2A7 main battle tanks
      • 212th Mechanized Infantry Battalion (Panzergrenadierbataillon 212) in Augustdorf with 44x Puma infantry fighting vehicles
      • 1st Armored Engineer Battalion (Panzerpionierbataillon 1) in Holzminden
      • 7th Supply Battalion (Versorgungsbataillon 7) in Unna
    • 41st Panzergrenadier Brigade in Neubrandenburg
      • HQ and Signal Company 41st Mechanized Infantry Brigade in Neubrandenburg
      • 6th Reconnaissance Battalion (Aufklärungsbataillon 6) in Eutin with Fennek reconnaissance vehicles and KZO drones
      • 401st Mechanized Infantry Battalion (Panzergrenadierbataillon 401) in Hagenow with 44x Puma infantry fighting vehicles
      • 411th Mechanized Infantry Battalion (Panzergrenadierbataillon 411) in Viereck with 44x Puma infantry fighting vehicles
      • 413th Rifles Battalion (Jägerbataillon 413) in Torgelow with GTK Boxer armored personnel carriers
      • 803rd Armored Engineer Battalion (Panzerpionierbataillon 803) in Havelberg
      • 142nd Supply Battalion (Versorgungsbataillon 142) in Hagenow
    • 43rd Mechanized Brigade in Havelte, (Royal Netherlands Army)
New organisation of the Army Air Defence Troops

References

  1. ↑ https://www.defensie.nl/organisatie/landmacht/eenheden/43-gemechaniseerde-brigade

Coordinates: 52°22′11.31″N 9°46′11.77″E / 52.3698083°N 9.7699361°E / 52.3698083; 9.7699361

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