25th Panzergrenadier Division fought in the central sector of the Eastern front from June 1943 to July 1944. It was destroyed in the encirclement east of Minsk and was reformed in October 1944. It then fought in France in October 1944 to January 1945 and in eastern Germany January to May 1945. Most of the survivors of the division surrendered to western allies.
[edit] History
The 25th started as an infantry division formed from Swabians and Bavarians, it participated in the Polish Campaign and the Battle of France. In late 1940, it was reorganized as a motorized infantry division and took part in Operation Barbarossa the invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, attached to Army Group Center and fought in the Soviet Union for two years before being reorganized as the 25th Panzergrenadier Division in June, 1943. After another year of heavy fighting, the division was almost destroyed near Minsk during the Soviet Minsk Offensive; the survivors were reorganized at the training area at Mielau as Panzer Brigade 107. In November 1944, the brigade was upgraded to divisional status at the Baumholder training area, and was re christened the 25th Panzergrenadier Division.
The new division was moved to France in the area of the German Luxembourg French border at Sierck-les-Bains. Where it fought a delaying action against the US Third Army, until December when it was moved to Bitche. There it fought on the Maginot line fortifications at Forts Ouvrage Simserhof and Ouvrage Schiesseck, under the command of the XIII SS Corps and Obergruppenführer Max Simon.
After the US Seventh Army's offensive operations were halted in December as a result of the German Ardennes Offensive, the 25th was pulled out of the line and assembled near Zweibrücken. It then took part in Operation Nordwind, along with the 21st Panzer Division. Together, these divisions were to exploit the penetrations made by either the XIII SS Corps in the west, or the LXXXIX and XC Corps in the east, with the intention of cutting the US Seventh Army off from the 1st French Army. It was then sent back to the eastern front to defend against the Soviet attack on the Oder north of Berlin, most of the survivors managed to escape to the west and surrendered to the British or Americans. [1][2][3]
[edit] Commanders
[edit] Order of battle
- Division Staff
- 25. Mapping Detachment (mot)
- 35. Panzergrenadier Regiment
- Staff Company
- Panzerjäger Platoon
- Motorcycle Platoon
- Signals Platoon
- Pioneer Platoon
- 3 x Battalion
- Battalion Staff
- 3 x Company (mot)
- Machine Gun Company (mot)
- Infantry Gun Company
- 119. Panzergrenadier Regiment
- Staff Company
- Panzerjäger Platoon
- Motorcycle Platoon
- Signals Platoon
- Pioneer Platoon
- 3 x Battalion
- Battalion Staff
- 3 x Company (mot)
- Machine Gun Company (mot)
- Infantry Gun Company
- 25. Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion
- Battalion Staff
- Light Armored Car Company
- 3 x Motorcycle Company
- Heavy Company (mot)
- Pioneer Platoon
- 2 x Panzerjäger Platoon
- Light Infantry Gun Section
- 125. Panzerjäger Battalion
- 3 x Panzerjäger Company (self-propelled)
- Flak Company (self-propelled)
- 8. Panzer Battalion
- Staff Company
- Flak Platoon
- 3 x Sturmgeschütz Battery
- Panzer Maintenance Platoon
- 25. Artillery Regiment
- Staff Battery
- 3 x Battalion
- Staff Battery (mot)
- 3 x Battery (mot)
- 25. Pioneer Battalion
- Battalion Staff
- 3 x Company (mot)
- Light Pioneer Column (mot)
- 25. Signals Battalion
- Battalion Staff
- Telephone Company (mot)
- Radio Company (mot)
- Signals Column (mot)
- Supply and Support Units [2]
[edit] References
- Mitchum, Samuel W (2007). German Order of Battle: Panzer, Panzer Grenadier, and Waffen SS divisions in World War II. Stackpole Books. ISBN 0811734382.
[edit] Further reading
- Erwin Bodhm - Geschichte der 25. Division (in German)
- Wilhelm Schrode - Geschichte der 25. Division: Die Wiederaufstellung der 25. Pz.Gren.Div. (in German)
 Heer Infantry Divisions of the Wehrmacht | | | Panzergrenadier Division | | | | Mountain Division | | | | Grenadier Division | | | | Jäger Division | | | | Motorised Division | | | | Light Division | | | | Infantry Division | | |
