Panzertruppenschule I
Encyclopedia
Panzertruppenschule I was the first of two major schools set up by the German
Panzerwaffe
in World War II
to train German armour officers to operate Panzer
s. It was based in Munster, Lower Saxony
, Germany
.
The Panzertruppenschule was a 'branch school', where officer candidates were sent after 12–16 weeks spent in basic training, and having successfully undertaken an 8 week course at a Kriegsschule
.
Prospective panzer
troops, known as Fähnrich undertook a 16 week training course which aimed to familiarise the officer candidates with the nuances and workings of a Panzer, and also with the tactics to be used when commanding panzers in the field.
Upon graduation, the recruit was promoted to Oberfähnrich and sent on field probation.
The Instructors were chosen because of their skill, and many had seen action and received decorations.
In June 1943, the only known flame-throwing
versions of the StuG III, designated StuG III (Flamm) were delivered to the school, but were shortly thereafter destroyed by a fire started by a faulty flamethrower.
In late 1943, the school was stripped of its experienced instructors, who were used to form the élite Panzer-Lehr-Division.
The Panzertruppenschule I is still in use today, as the Deutsches Panzermuseum Munster.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Panzerwaffe
Panzerwaffe
Panzerwaffe refers to a command within the Heer of the German Wehrmacht, responsible for the affairs of panzer and motorized forces shortly before and during the Second World War...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
to train German armour officers to operate Panzer
Panzer
A Panzer is a German language word that, when used as a noun, means "tank". When it is used as an adjective, it means either tank or "armoured" .- Etymology :...
s. It was based in Munster, Lower Saxony
Munster, Lower Saxony
Munster, also called Munster , is a small town in the district of Heidekreis, in Lower Saxony, Germany almost equidistant from Hamburg and Hanover. The town is home to the German Army's largest garrison and is situated between the two training areas of Munster North and Munster South. It is also...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
The Panzertruppenschule was a 'branch school', where officer candidates were sent after 12–16 weeks spent in basic training, and having successfully undertaken an 8 week course at a Kriegsschule
Kriegsschule (Wehrmacht)
A Kriegschule was a General Military School used for basic officer training in Nazi Germany up until the defeat in 1945. All Wehrmacht officers in World War II had passed through a Kriegsschule during their training....
.
Prospective panzer
Panzer
A Panzer is a German language word that, when used as a noun, means "tank". When it is used as an adjective, it means either tank or "armoured" .- Etymology :...
troops, known as Fähnrich undertook a 16 week training course which aimed to familiarise the officer candidates with the nuances and workings of a Panzer, and also with the tactics to be used when commanding panzers in the field.
Upon graduation, the recruit was promoted to Oberfähnrich and sent on field probation.
The Instructors were chosen because of their skill, and many had seen action and received decorations.
In June 1943, the only known flame-throwing
Flamethrower
A flamethrower is a mechanical device designed to project a long controllable stream of fire.Some flamethrowers project a stream of ignited flammable liquid; some project a long gas flame. Most military flamethrowers use liquids, but commercial flamethrowers tend to use high-pressure propane and...
versions of the StuG III, designated StuG III (Flamm) were delivered to the school, but were shortly thereafter destroyed by a fire started by a faulty flamethrower.
In late 1943, the school was stripped of its experienced instructors, who were used to form the élite Panzer-Lehr-Division.
The Panzertruppenschule I is still in use today, as the Deutsches Panzermuseum Munster.
See also
- Panzertruppe, KriegsschuleKriegsschuleKriegsschule can refer to:* Kriegsschule , military academies used by the Wehrmacht for training officers until 1945...
, PanzerPanzerA Panzer is a German language word that, when used as a noun, means "tank". When it is used as an adjective, it means either tank or "armoured" .- Etymology :...
, Panzer divisionPanzer DivisionA panzer division was an armored division in the army and air force branches of the Wehrmacht as well as the Waffen-SS of Nazi Germany during World War II.... - HeerGerman ArmyThe German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
, WehrmachtWehrmachtThe Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
, PanzerwaffePanzerwaffePanzerwaffe refers to a command within the Heer of the German Wehrmacht, responsible for the affairs of panzer and motorized forces shortly before and during the Second World War... - Panzertruppenschule IIPanzertruppenschule IIPanzertruppenschule II was the second of two major schools set up by the German Panzerwaffe in World War II to train German armour officers to operate Panzers...
, Panzer-Lehr-Division - Panzertruppenschule KamaPanzertruppenschule KamaPanzertruppenschule Kama was a top-secret research and training facility, located near Kazan in the USSR, jointly operated by the Soviets and Germans between 1926 and 1933. The Panzertruppenschule means "School for Armored Forces" in the German language...