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23 January 1945, the official order was issued for the renaming of the 1st battalion of Panzer-Regiment 26 as 1st battalion of Panzer-Regiment Brandenburg (also known as Brandenburg Panther Abteilung). The battle hardened 1st company was transferred from Hungary to Fallingbostel training camp for new night vision device equipped on Panther G. The battalion HQ company and battle hardened 2nd company was transferred for refit from Hungary to Breslau-Masselwitz (Wrocław-Maślice in Poland at present) and then to Dachsberg Barracks in Sagan (Żagań in Poland at present) due to rapid Russian advance. The 3rd and 4th companies was detached to Panzer-Ersatz- und Ausbildungs Abteilung 5 at Neuruppin since November 1944 (1).
24 January 1945, Neuruppin, a battalion collection party travelled to the army arsenal in Sennelager near Paderborn to collect 22 factory new Panthers G. 30 January 1945, Sagan, the battalion collection party with 22 new Panthers G arrived with train transport. The crews of 3rd and 4th companies also arrived from Neuruppin to Sagan at the same time. The original destination of the Brandenburg Panther Abteilung was to join the Panzergrenadier-Division Brandenburg in Lausitz (Forst in German at present) in early February 1945. Because of the threatening situation at the Oder south of Küstrin (Kostrzyn nad Odrą in Poland at present), the OKH ordered the Brandenburg Panther Abteilung into the area east of Berlin (1). |
It happened here: Brandenburg Panther Abteilungen collection party travelled from Neuruppin to Sennelager.
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3 February 1945, Frankfurt/Oder, Oberst Langkeit moved his command post to old city hall. The new Ia Major Hans-Joachim von Hopffgarten (2) reported to duty with the order to establish Panzergrenadier-Division Kurmark effectively on 1 February. The previous Ia Major Spaeter returned to Cottbus and wait for new assignment (3). On the same day, Leutnant Ernst Habermann, adjutant of the Brandenburg Panther Abteilung also reported to duty with the order to attach the battalion to the Panzergrenadier-Division Kurmark. The Brandenburg Panther Abteilung just arrived in Rosengarten station from Sagan, west of Frankfurt/Oder. Oberst Langkeit was happy to said: “Thank God that we have been given a decent unit. Proceed to Rosengarten and unload your tanks there”. |
It happened here: Brandenburg Panther battalion travelled from Sagan to Rosengarten station by train.
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Reference:
1. Ockert, Wolfgang; Urbanke, Axel. Die Panther-Abteilung "Brandenburg" 1945, p112. Bad Zwischenahn: Luftfahrverlag-Start, 2015.
3. Spaeter, Helmuth. Panzerkorps Grossdeutschland, p220-221. West Chester: Schiffer Publishing, 1990. |
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