2nd Panzergrenadier Division (Bundeswehr)

The 2nd Panzergrenadier Division (2. Panzergrenadierdivision) was a West German mechanized infantry formation. It was part of the III Corps of the Bundeswehr, which also incorporated in 1985 the 5th Panzer Division and 12th Panzer Division.[1] III Corps was part of NATO's Central Army Group (CENTAG), along with the Bundeswehr's II Corps and the American V and VII Corps. In the wake of military restructuring brought about by the end of the Cold War, the 2nd Panzergrenadier Division was disbanded in 1994.

2nd Panzergrenadier Division
2nd Panzergrenadier Division insignia
Active1 July 1956 – 31 March 1994
CountryFederal Republic of Germany
RoleMechanized infantry
SizeDivision
Part ofGerman III Corps
Nickname(s)Hessische Division, Die Zwote

The division was constituted as the 2nd Grenadier Division in Kassel on 1 July 1956 as part of the II Corps (then called "Army Staff II") of the Bundeswehr. At that time, it commanded the "A2" and "B2" battle-groups. In 1957, the division was subordinated to the German III Corps and one year later it received a third battle-group, "C2". The battle-groups later became the 6th Panzer, 5th Panzergrenadier, and 4th Panzergrenadier Brigades. As part of an army reorganization in 1959, the division was renamed the 2nd Panzergrenadier Division and division headquarters was quartered at Marburg.

In 1970, the division was renamed the 2nd Jäger (light infantry) Division. In 1974, the division headquarters was moved back to Kassel. The division once again became the 2nd Panzergrenadier Division in 1980. Following the end of the Cold War, the 2nd Panzergrenadier Division was disbanded in 1994.

Commanders
Nr. Name Start of command End of command
15 Wolfgang Estorf 1991 1994
14 Hans Grillmeier 1987 1991
13 Carl-Helmut Lichel 1984 1987
12 Manfred Fanslau 1981 1984
11 Werner Schäfer 1979 1981
10 Fritz von Westermann 1976 1979
9 Carl-Gero von Ilsemann 1971 1976
8 Rolf Juergens 1970 1971
7 Ernst Ferber 1967 1969
6 Werner Drews 1964 1967
5 Klaus Müller 1961 1964
4 Ottomar Hansen 1960 1961
3 Alfred Zerbel 1958 1960
2 Friedrich Foertsch 1957 1958
1 Otto Schaefer 1956 1957

References
  1. Isby and Kamps, Armies of NATO's Central Front, Jane's Publishing Company, 1985, p.196

Literature
  • Erinnerungsbuch 2. Panzergrenadierdivision, Herausgeber: 2. Panzergrenadierdivision (Major i. G. Dr. phil. Gert-Detlef Feddern), erschienen beim Verlag Moritz Diesterweg, Frankfurt am Main, 1962
  • 2. Panzergrenadierdivision/Die "Zwote"/Eine Chronik der Geschichte der "Hessischen Division", 1. Auflage 1994, Herausgeber: Kameradschaft 2. Panzergrenadierdivision e. V.

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