17th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

17th Panzer Division was formed on November 1940 from 27th Infantry Division. It fought on the central sector of the Eastern front from June 1941 until November 1942 when it was sent to the southern sector where it took part in the failed attempt to relieve the surrounded troops at Stalingrad. It withdrew through the Ukraine and Poland before ending the war in eastern Germany.

Commanders

• Generalmajor Karl Ritter von Weber (Nov 1, 1940 – July 17, 1941)
• General der Panzertruppen Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma (July 17, 1941 – Sep 15, 1941)
• Generaloberst Hans-Jürgen von Arnim (Sep 15, 1941 – Nov 11, 1941)
• Generalleutnant Rudolf-Eduard Licht (Nov 11, 1941 – Oct 10, 1942)
• General der Panzertruppen Fridolin von Senger und Etterlin (Oct 10, 1942 – June 16, 1943)
• Generalleutnant Walter Schilling (June 16, 1943 – July 21, 1943)
• Generalleutnant Karl-Friedrich von der Meden (July 21, 1943 – Sep 20, 1944)
• Generalmajor Rudolf Demme (Sep 20, 1944 – Dec 2, 1944)
• Oberst Albert Brux (Dec 2, 1944 – Jan 19, 1945)
• Generalmajor Theodor Kretschmer (Feb 1, 1945 – May 8, 1945)

Area of operations

• Germany : Nov 1940 - June 1941
• Eastern front, central sector : June 1941 - Nov 1942
• Eastern front, southern sector :Nov 1942 - Mar 1944
• Eastern front, central sector : Mar 1944 - Aug 1944
• Poland : Aug 1944 - Mar 1945
• Eastern Germany : Mar 1945 - May 1945

Order of battle

HQ

• Divisional Staff

• Mapping Detachment (mot)

• Military Police Detachment (mot)

• Escort Company

39th Panzer Regiment

• Regimental Staff

• 2 x Battalion

• Panzer Maintenance Company

40th Panzergrenadier Regiment

• Regimental Staff

• 3 x Battalion

• Pioneer Company (mot)

• Infantry Support Gun Company (self-propelled)

27th Panzerjäger Battalion

• Battalion Staff

• Panzerjäger Battalion Staff Company

• 2 x Sturmgeschütz Company

• Panzerjäger Company (mot)

• Panzerjäger Supply Column (mot)

27th Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion

• Battalion Staff

• Battalion Staff Company

• Luchs Reconnaissance Company

• 2 x Reconnaissance Company (half-track)

• Heavy Reconnaissance Company (half-track)

• Reconnaissance Supply Company (mot)

27th Panzer Artillery Regiment

• Regimental Staff & Staff Battery

• Battalion (self-propelled)

• 2 x Battalion (mot)

297th Army Flak Battalion

• Battalion Staff & Staff Battery

• 2 x Heavy Flak Battery (mot)

• Llight Flak Battery (mot)

27th Panzer Signals Battalion

• Signals Battalion Staff

• Panzer Telephone Company

• Panzer Radio Company

• Signals Supply Company (mot)

27th Panzer Pioneer Battalion

• Battalion Staff (half-track)

• 2 x Pionner Company (mot)

• Pioneer Company (half-track)

• Support & Supply Units

See also

• Division (military)
• Eastern Front (World War II)
• List of German divisions in World War II
• Military unit
• Panzer
• Panzer Division
• Wehrmacht

References

• Wendel, Marcus (2004). "17. Panzer-Division".