battle of the bulge german tank commander

The division left Hungary on 1 May, and returned to France on to await the Allied invasion as a part of the OKW's armored reserve, along with the I SS Panzer Corps and the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Gotz von Berlichingen. The division absorbed the 901st Panzergrenadier-Lehr-Regiment while there. On 19 March 1944, Panzer Lehr division took part in the German occupation of Hungary codenamed Operation Margarethe, as well to continue its training. Orders received on 6 March 1944 made it clear that the unit was to first be transported to the Vienna area. In early 1944, Panzer Lehr division was to be prepared for training to take place in Southern France. As a result of this, Panzer Lehr was considered an elite unit from the time of its formation. These training and demonstration units were some of the most experienced and highly trained troops in the Panzerwaffe, with almost all having seen combat in the East, North Africa, Sicily or Italy and many having received decorations for bravery. Most of the division's original cadre was drawn from Panzertruppenschule I and Panzertruppenschule II, the Panzerwaffe's major training units. It was formed from several elite training and demonstration units. Panzer Lehr began forming on 30 December 1943 and moved to the Nancy– Verdun area in January 1944 to complete the process. On several occasions it fought almost to destruction, in particular during Operation Cobra, and by the end of the war in Europe bore little resemblance to the unit that had originally been activated. It was the only Wehrmacht Panzer division to be fully equipped with tanks and with halftracks to transport its mechanized infantry. On 4 April 1944, the division was officially designated as the 130th Panzer Division however, it is usually referred to as the Lehr Division.

It was formed in 1943 onwards from training and demonstration troops ( Lehr = 'teach') stationed in Germany, to provide additional armored strength for the anticipated Allied invasion of western Europe. The Panzer-Lehr-Division (in the meaning of: Armoured training division) was an elite German armoured division during World War II.

Battle of the bulge german tank commander