Let's Build: Panzer Abteilung 'Kummersdorf'!!!

[PanzerKing]

Panzer Abteilung Kummersdorf received five of the last Tiger Is to be issued on 23 February 1945.

On 15 April 1945, the unit reported 13 Tigers available of which:
10 were operational
3 were in need of repair

Source: Jentz, Doyle, Sarson. TIGER I: Heavy Tank. Osprey, 1997.


Let's see how much we can find out about this little known unit!

[Landsturm (GER)]

This could be difficult. I was born in this area (Brandenburg) and believe me you can find many many many "Kummersdorf" there (like Towns called Highland in the US for example) In the last days the collect many soldiers from different units and called these Troops "Alarmeinheit" To seperate them they got names from the highest officer or the town near where they was (like Kummersdorf, Dorf = village, Kummer = sad) So what we need is a Note where this unit was in action. At this time and with this name could be the battle of "Seelower Höhen" This Battle started at April 16 (look here for more information http://www.gedenkstaette-seelower-hoehen.de/)
Right in this area was a "Herresversuchsstelle" A Wehrmacht Test Ground for Heavy weaons. (look here: http://www.kaim-online.de/index.html) with a Kaserne, so that i belive that this unit was fighting at the Oderfront or at Seelow. I also have a good Book from a sodier who was there at this time (only in german) could be possible that he was something leaving about kummersdorf.

If you need more information plz let me know

Jens

[Ron Klages]

Initially formed in early February 1945 from the Panzerlehr-und-Versuchsgruppe Kummersdorf at Kummersdorf, Germany.

On 25 februsry 1945 it's inventory of panzers was:
4 Tiger IIs
1 Tiger I
1 Jagdtiger
and in transit were 5 Tiger Is from a maintenance organization.

On 5 March 194 an order by OKH/GenSt d.H./Org.Abt. I/1270/45 g.Kdos
This order was for the enlargement of the Panzerbrigade Müncheberg, which had existed since early February 1945, into Kampfgruppe Panzerdivision Müncheberg.
It was to include:
Panzerabteilung Müncheberg
Panzerabteilung Kummersdorf
Panzerregiment Stab z.b.V. Coburg
I./Panzerregiment 29

On 14 March 1945 Panzerabteilung Kummersdorf was integrated into Panzerabteilung Müncheburg along with the above mention units and the new Panzerabteilung Müncheburg now consisted of:

1.Kompanie with 11 Panzer IVs (varying models)
2. Kompanie with 10 Panthers
3.Kompanie with 11 Tigers.

The 3.Kompanie I believe was Panzerabteilung Kummersdorf and the breakout of the 11 Tigers would be:
6 Tiger Is
4 Tiger IIs
1 Jagdtiger

On 15 March 1945 it was reported 8 Tigers as operational, 1 in short term maintenance, 2 in long term maintenance and 1 in transit for delivery.

On 17 March 1945 the unit assembled for a relief attack on Küstrin.

On 22 March 1945 the Russian attack after a 90 minute artillery barrage south of Reichstraße 1. The 1. Kompanie is located at Tucheband, the 2. Kompanie is at Gorgast while the 3. Kompanie is in reserve in Golzow. The 3. Kompanie is late in starting an attack because of the Soviet artillery shelling of the rear zones but they are still able to destroy several Soviet tanks.

On 27 March 1945 they report 9 Operational Tigers out of 13 in total [appears they picked up another Tiger.]

6 April 1945 7 operational Tigers

10 April 1945 9 operational Tigers

15 April 1945 10 operational Tigers out of 13 plus another in transit.

14 to 17 April 1945 they arte in defense of the Seelow region taking up blocking positions around Müncheburg. After this they are in positions on the 'Hardenberg Line". Then withdrawal toward Berlin.

1 May 1945 The last 5 tanks are located in the area of the Zoobunker. The remaining elements are lost near the Tiergarten and the remining panzer crews continue to fight as infantry.
The last Tiger I is abandoned some 100 meters from the Brandenburg Gate.

Sources of this data is from Tigers in Cobat II by Wolfgang Schneider and Tessin Volume 14.


So as Panzerabteilung Kummersdorf it appears they existed only from late February 1945 to 14 March 1945.

Hope this dataa helps.

Best regards,

Ron Klages

[Landsturm (GER)]

Hello Ron,

thx for the detailed informatiosn. The Villages Golzow, Tucheband, Gorgast are all located in Front of Seelow near the Oder River. That and the Rest of this informations are clearly. i'm found also some informations.

---->Snip
From February 7 - 10. opened the 21. Panzerdivision the Russian Front around Küstrin. In the Night from February 7 to 8 theyre escorting Trucks with Food and Medical.
The Problem was, that theyre not succesfull opened the hole Front at this point, so that there was only a small Part along the Reichsstrasse 1 (now B1 in Germany - the Road still exists) This Part was starting in Gorgast and ending in Genschmar. The width was between 3 and 5 km the length 6km. The hole open part was under russian fire, so that they only at night starting with the support of the captured city Küstrin. The Source also wrote, that they only used "Mulis" (heavy transport tank/truck dont know) with tank escorts. The Defense of this Part was from Feb 10 to March 20 under order of the 25. PGD Generalmajor Arnold Burmeister.

and some pages later

After the fst Bigattack of the 1. Belorussian Front was following the sec and even bigger. The target was to destroy the open german part along the Reichsstrasse 1 including Küstrin. For this operation the 8. Russian Gardearmy was delivery 5 Gardeschützen Div. and the 5. Sta 3 Schützendivisions. Complete around 46 - to 54 000 Soldiers with ca 2000 Heavy artillery. On german side was ca. 15 - 20 000 Men with 500-800 artillery. At the end with planing and preparing of the battle, the 25 PGD was moved in reserve. For the 25 PGD was following the "not" complete PD Müncheberg (here they are!), 1 Bataillon LBST A. H. and the Füsilier Bataillon 303 of the Döberitz Division.

The artillery Attack was starting at March 21 (not 22) also up to 200 russian Bomber attack the front near Gorgast where the open part begun. In the morning of March 22 the russian attack the germans and closed the front near gorgast, genschmar. The russians loosing at both days 172 Tanks and 24 planes.

--->snap

Best regards
Jens

Sry for my bad english...