3rd Armoured Division (Germany)
Encyclopedia
The 3rd Armoured Division was formed on 2 July 1956 in Hamburg
and was one of the first major formations of the new German Army or Bundeswehr
after the Second World War. The 3rd Armoured Division was stationed on the North German Plain
between the rivers Elbe and Weser. Its last headquarters
location was Buxtehude
. It was part of the I Corps alongside the 1st Panzer, 7th Panzer, and 11th Panzergrenadier Divisions.
The 3rd Armoured Division was disbanded on 30 September 1994. Its last commander was Generalmajor Gerd Schultze-Rhonhof
.
In the 1980s under Army Structures III and IV the division consisted of the 7th Panzergrenadier Brigade, 8th Panzer Brigade, and the Panzerlehrbrigade 9
(Armoured demonstration brigade). After the division's disbandment 9 PzL Bde eventually became part of 1st Armoured Division (Germany).
and 1976 as well as the flooding of the Elbe Lateral Canal. In January 1979 elements of the Division were deployed during the emergency caused by heavy snowfall in North Germany.
In 1993 parts of the Division were deployed to Somalia
as part of UNOSOM II
.
class="wikitable"
No.
Name
Took over
Handed over
15
Generalmajor Gerd Schultze-Rhonhof
12 September 1991
30 September 1994
14
Generalmajor Winfried Weick
6 January 1989
11 September 1991
13
Generalmajor Jörg Schönbohm
11 March 1988
5 January 1989
12
Generalmajor Harald Schulz
1 April 1985
10 March 1988
11
Brigadegeneral Klaus Nennecke
7 December 1984
31 March 1985
10
Generalmajor Wolfgang Tebbe
1 April 1983
6 December 1984
9
Generalmajor Franz-Joachim von Rodde
1 April 1978
31 March 1983
8
Generalmajor Eberhard Burandt
1. October 1974
31 March 1978
7
Generalmajor Horst Ohrloff
1 October 1970
30 September 1974
6
Generalmajor Walter Carganico
1 October 1967
30 September 1970
5
Generalmajor Bernd Freytag von Loringhoven
1 April 1967
21 September 1967
4
Generalmajor Hans-Georg von Tempelhoff
1 October 1962
31 March 1967
3
Generalmajor Hans-Ullrich Krantz
1 October 1961
30 September 1962
2
Generalmajor Christian Müller
15 July 1958
20 September 1961
1
Generalmajor Werner Hax
3 September 1956
14 July 1958
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
and was one of the first major formations of the new German Army or Bundeswehr
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
after the Second World War. The 3rd Armoured Division was stationed on the North German Plain
North German plain
The North German Plain or Northern Lowland is one of the major geographical regions of Germany. It is the German part of the North European Plain...
between the rivers Elbe and Weser. Its last headquarters
Headquarters
Headquarters denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the top of a corporation taking full responsibility managing all business activities...
location was Buxtehude
Buxtehude
Buxtehude is a town on the Este River in Northern Germany in the district of Stade and part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region . Buxtehude is a steadily growing medium-sized town and the second largest in the district of Stade. It lies on the southern borders of the Altes Land within easy reach of...
. It was part of the I Corps alongside the 1st Panzer, 7th Panzer, and 11th Panzergrenadier Divisions.
The 3rd Armoured Division was disbanded on 30 September 1994. Its last commander was Generalmajor Gerd Schultze-Rhonhof
Gerd Schultze-Rhonhof
Gerd Schultze-Rhonhof is a German author and former Generalmajor in the German Army of the Bundeswehr.-Biography:Schultze-Rhonhof was born in Weimar. He entered military service in 1959 a few years after the Bundeswehr was founded...
.
In the 1980s under Army Structures III and IV the division consisted of the 7th Panzergrenadier Brigade, 8th Panzer Brigade, and the Panzerlehrbrigade 9
Panzerlehrbrigade 9
The Panzerlehrbrigade 9 is a formation of about 5,000 men strong within the German Armed Forces or Bundeswehr, which is subordinated to the 1st Armoured Division in Hanover. The bulk of the brigade is stationed in Munster. Two battalions are based in Neustadt am Rübenberge...
(Armoured demonstration brigade). After the division's disbandment 9 PzL Bde eventually became part of 1st Armoured Division (Germany).
Operations
The Division provided support to numerous disasters, e. g. during serious floods in North Germany in 1962North Sea flood of 1962
The North Sea flood of 1962 was a natural disaster affecting mainly the coastal regions of Germany and in particular the city of Hamburg in the night from 16 February to 17 February 1962...
and 1976 as well as the flooding of the Elbe Lateral Canal. In January 1979 elements of the Division were deployed during the emergency caused by heavy snowfall in North Germany.
In 1993 parts of the Division were deployed to Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
as part of UNOSOM II
UNOSOM II
United Nations Operation in Somalia II was the second phase of the United Nations intervention in Somalia, from March 1993 until March 1995....
.
Commanders
{Gerd Schultze-Rhonhof
Gerd Schultze-Rhonhof is a German author and former Generalmajor in the German Army of the Bundeswehr.-Biography:Schultze-Rhonhof was born in Weimar. He entered military service in 1959 a few years after the Bundeswehr was founded...
Jörg Schönbohm
Jörg Schönbohm is a German politician and a retired Lieutenant General. He was the first commander of the Bundeswehr Eastern Command in 1990, which supervised the absorption of the East German National People's Army into the Federal German armed forces...
Bernd Freytag von Loringhoven
General Bernd Freiherr Freytag von Loringhoven , was an officer in the German Army during World War II and was later appointed to the German Federal Armed Forces, the Bundeswehr.-Early life:...