Скачать с ютуб Combat Footage from the Panzergrenadier-Division “Großdeutschland” - 17 May 1944 в хорошем качестве

Combat Footage from the Panzergrenadier-Division “Großdeutschland” - 17 May 1944

The Panzergrenadier-Division „Großdeutschland“ (Greater Germany) was one of the most elite divisions of the Wehrmacht in WWII. In July 1939, the Guard Regiment in Berlin was re-named Infantry-Regiment “Großdeutschland”, and, together with the parts from the Infantry-Training Regiment from the Army School in Döberitz, the new “Infantry Regiment Großdeutschland (motorized)”, was formed. The name “Greater Germany” refers to the idea that all ethnic German should live in a single country called Greater Germany. For the sake of readability, the abbreviation “GD” will be used in this text. The GD Regiment was used for the first time in combat in France, first as part of Guderians tank group, fighting at Sedan and Dunkirk, and then as part of von Kleists tank group, where it took part in the capture of Lyon. During Operation Barbarossa, it was strategical reserve of Tank Group 2, and thus only took part in combat from mid-July onwards. It took part during the encirclement of Smolenks and Kiev, and fought in December 1941 in front of Moscow, where it suffered heavy losses, in late February 1942, only three officers and 30 NCOs and enlisted soldiers remained in the regiment. In April/May 1942 the Regiment was upscaled to a Division, and used in Operation Blue, the German summer offensive, and then later took part in Battle of Rzhev, where it again suffered heavy losses, up to 80% of its combat vehicles were lost. In February 1943, the Division took part in the Third Battle of Kharkov, before being reformed in June 1943 to a Panzergrenadier-Division. Despite officially a Panzergrenadier-Division, the Division had three tank detachments, 11 tank companies, a strength of nominally 232 tanks and 21,823 men, making it better equipped than most German tank divisions. It was used in the Battle of Kursk, then again deployed in the area of Kharkov and retreated westwards in late 1943/early 1944, before taking part in defensive battles in Romania, most notably at the Battle of Targu Frumos. In late 1944 used in Memel on the northern part of the Eastern Front, it fought in East Prussia in 1945, where it was effectively wiped out until April 1945. The GD division was basically the elite division of the German Army, and therefore always equipped with modern equipment, in 1944, despite the general shortages of weapons and vehicles, it had modern Tiger and Panther tank, a lot of Sd.Kfz.251 APC, including specialized versions with AA, AT and howitzer guns, AA-tanks and SPGs. This footage here, which was shown in a German propaganda Newsweek on May 17th, 1944, shows combat scenes of the GD Division, a lot of scenes with Panther tanks and Sd.Kfz. 251 APCs and was taken during defensive fights in Eastern Romania in Spring 1944. - Subtitles made by me.