3rd Panzer Division (Bundeswehr)

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3rd Armoured Division
(3. Panzerdivision)
3. Panzerdivision (Bundeswehr).svg
Formation sign
Active2 July 1956 – 30 September 1994
CountryFlag of Germany.svg Germany
Allegiance Bundeswehr
Branch Bundeswehr Logo Heer with lettering.svg German Army
Type Armoured division
Garrison/HQEstetal Barracks, Buxtehude
Commanders
Last Commander Generalmajor Gerd Schultze-Rhonhof

The 3rd Armoured Division (German : 3. Panzerdivision) was formed on 2 July 1956 in Hamburg and was one of the first major formations of the new German Army or Bundeswehr after the Second World War. [1] The 3rd Armoured Division was stationed on the North German Plain between the rivers Elbe and Weser. Its last headquarters location was Buxtehude. [2] It was part of the I Corps alongside the 1st Panzer, 7th Panzer, and 11th Panzergrenadier Divisions.

Contents

The 3rd Armoured Division was disbanded on 30 September 1994. Its last commander was Generalmajor Gerd Schultze-Rhonhof.

In the 1980s under Army Structures III and IV the division consisted of the 7th Panzergrenadier Brigade, 8th Panzer Brigade, and the Panzerlehrbrigade 9 (Armoured demonstration brigade). After the division's disbandment 9 PzL Bde eventually became part of 1st Armoured Division (Germany). [3]

Operations

The Division provided support to numerous disasters, e. g. during serious floods in North Germany in 1962 and 1976 as well as the flooding of the Elbe Lateral Canal. In January 1979 elements of the Division were deployed during the emergency caused by heavy snowfall in North Germany.

In 1993 parts of the Division were deployed to Somalia as part of UNOSOM II.

Divisional Organization 1989

Commanders

No.NameTook overHanded over
15Generalmajor Gerd Schultze-Rhonhof 12 September 199130 September 1994
14Generalmajor Winfried Weick 6 January 198911 September 1991
13Generalmajor Jörg Schönbohm 11 March 19885 January 1989
12Generalmajor Harald Schulz 1 April 198510 March 1988
11Brigadegeneral Klaus Nennecke 7 December 198431 March 1985
10Generalmajor Wolfgang Tebbe 1 April 19836 December 1984
9Generalmajor Franz-Joachim von Rodde 1 April 197831 March 1983
8Generalmajor Eberhard Burandt 1. October 197431 March 1978
7Generalmajor Horst Ohrloff 1 October 197030 September 1974
6Generalmajor Walter Carganico 1 October 196730 September 1970
5Generalmajor Bernd Freytag von Loringhoven 1 April 196721 September 1967
4Generalmajor Hans-Georg von Tempelhoff 1 October 196231 March 1967
3Generalmajor Hans-Ullrich Krantz 1 October 196130 September 1962
2Generalmajor Christian Müller 15 July 195820 September 1961
1Generalmajor Heinrich Hax 3 September 195614 July 1958

References

  1. ↑ "Detailseite - Archivportal-D". www.archivportal-d.de. Retrieved 2025-10-19.
  2. ↑ "3. Panzerdivision (Bestand)". Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek (in German). Retrieved 2025-10-19.
  3. ↑ "Schünemann: Panzerlehrbrigade 9 leistet elementaren Beitrag zum Erhalt des Friedens".

53°27′43″N9°41′11″E / 53.462012°N 9.686412°E / 53.462012; 9.686412

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