890:. In total, the Red Army forces on the offensive numbered 436,180 men. The direction of the offensive was aimed towards the flanks of Vitebsk's defenses, foregoing a frontal assault in favor of an encirclement. Soviet infantry attacked German defenses repeatedly in densely-packed assaults, recorded by the 3rd Panzer Army's war diary as a numerical 8:1 infantry superiority in the Soviet favor, which reached as high as 16:1 in some sectors. Having exhausted themselves in high casualties, the Soviet forces, with only small territorial gains, attempted a final breakthrough on 16 February 1944, but were again repulsed. After the Second Winter Battle of Vitebsk ended on 17 February 1944, 3rd Panzer Army counted 11,688 combat casualties (2,128 KIA, 1,071 MIA, 8,489 WIA). With an infantry strength of only 19,150 before the battle, these casualty figures were painfully high. Official Soviet casualties of the Vitebsk Offensive Operation (which in the Soviet definition lasted until 13 March, but only saw minor clashes after 17 February) counted 135,012 combat casualties, including 27,639 killed or missing. Soviet infantry had been over-exposed to German defensive fire due to a comparatively low willingness by Soviet officers to commit their armored forces to the battle; the 3rd Panzer Army nonetheless recorded 332 tanks destroyed and another 31 immobilized between 3 and 17 February 1944.
635:
1144:
81:
174:
1057:
63:
841:, with another two field armies, with a total of 23 rifle divisions and 11 armored formations, had attacked in the north and northwest of Vitebsk for the purposes of an encirclement. The 3rd Panzer Army's war diary retrospectively claimed 1,205 tanks disabled for the entire of the First Winter Battle of Vitebsk (13 December 1943 – 17 January 1944), of which 1,114 were claimed as completely destroyed.
1014:
285:
1100:
513:
497:
267:
481:
333:
199:
317:
301:
219:
181:
397:
251:
447:
235:
349:
381:
465:
431:
415:
365:
1697:
1692:
967:
1363:
1687:
173:
904:
in July 1944, 3rd Panzer Army became part of the encirclement at Tekino, the Duna and
Vitebsk, where it was largely destroyed. Surviving units retreated through
1143:
528:
634:
1356:
1200:
Frieser, Karl-Heinz (2007). "Der Rückzug der
Heeresgruppe Mitte nach Weißrußland bis Frühjahr 1944". In Frieser, Karl-Heinz; et al. (eds.).
1336:
1283:
794:
1056:
1349:
785:
751:
705:
1209:
854:)) attacked the Vitebsk sector again, which was by now enveloped by the Red Army on three sides. The 1st Baltic Front, supported by
776:
1225:
742:
730:
693:
147:
1666:
1525:
1570:
812:
On 19 September 1943, 3rd Panzer Army passed off one of its remaining corps, leaving the formation with VI Army Corps and
871:
639:
1373:
86:
955:. On 25 April the Soviets broke through 3rd Panzer Army's line around the bridgehead south of Stettin and crossed the
924:
680:
540:
966:– the headquarters of 3rd Panzer Army. Manteuffel made negotiations with British generals including Field Marshall
674:
845:
763:
1204:. Das Deutsche Reich und der Zweite Weltkrieg. Vol. 8. Munich: Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt. pp. 297–338.
974:
on 3 May 1945 so that he with 300,000 German soldiers would surrender to the
British rather than Soviet forces.
893:
In March 1944, the 3rd Panzer Army took part in the forced assembly and deportation of
Russian civilians in the
887:
883:
867:
722:
685:
813:
1591:
1565:
879:
771:
746:
709:
837:) attacked with four field armies, with a total of 33 rifle divisions and 17 armored formations, east of
1586:
1540:
1535:
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1500:
1495:
1490:
1485:
1480:
1475:
1470:
1465:
948:
1445:
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1435:
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1425:
1420:
1415:
1410:
1405:
1159:
1072:
768:
755:
688:
628:
612:
600:
137:
1645:
901:
1276:
Hitler's
Commanders: Officers of the Wehrmacht, the Luftwaffe, the Kriegsmarine, and the Waffen-SS
1650:
920:
700:
697:
1013:
1279:
1205:
936:
820:
608:
596:
927:
was made the commander of the 3rd Panzer Army, which was assigned to defend the banks of the
1341:
1099:
952:
863:
830:
725:
717:
604:
568:
157:
142:
106:
1640:
1635:
1630:
1620:
1615:
962:
Following the defeat at
Stettin, 3rd Panzer Army was forced to retreat into the region of
913:
659:
588:
560:
152:
1236:
932:
859:
834:
823:, which began what in German parlance was called the "First Winter Battle of Vitebsk" (
789:
737:
537:
Red – Soviet forces, Orange – British forces, Green – U.S. forces, Grey – German forces
1681:
798:
734:
1560:
1377:
1029:
875:
855:
819:
On 13 December 1943, the army was involved in the defensive against the Red Army's
662:
572:
129:
68:
17:
1115:
963:
944:
919:
In
February 1945 the 3rd Panzer Army was one of the armies that made up the new
780:
928:
905:
909:
971:
894:
838:
671:
897:
area. The civilians were deported to
Germany for use as forced labor.
956:
940:
96:
943:. They then faced an overwhelming Soviet attack launched by General
633:
1264:, Vol. 10/1, pp. 653-654, München: Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt, 2008
1202:
Die
Ostfront 1943/44: Der Krieg im Osten und an den Nebenfronten
809:
was formed by redesignating 3rd Panzer Group on 1 January 1942.
595:) was formed on 16 November 1940. It was a constituent part of
116:
1345:
631:
the Group consisted of the XXXIX and LVII Army Corps (mot.).
1195:
1193:
1191:
848:(in German parlance: "Second Winter Battle of Vitebsk" (
611:, where it was placed under operational control of the
575:, formed from the 3rd Panzer Group on 1 January 1942.
1698:
Military units and formations disestablished in 1945
619:
was retitled the 3rd Panzer Army on 1 January 1942.
1659:
1608:
1579:
1553:
1518:
1458:
1398:
1391:
1384:
122:
112:
102:
92:
74:
56:
48:
34:
1693:Military units and formations established in 1940
607:in late 1941 and early 1942. Later it served in
1357:
1324:Geschichte des Zweiten Welt Krieges 1939–1945
396:
8:
849:
824:
446:
40:
1274:Mitcham Jr/Mueller, Samuel W./Gene (2012).
1262:Das Deutsche Reich und der Zweite Weltkrieg
1576:
1515:
1455:
1395:
1388:
1364:
1350:
1342:
1226:"Hamburger Institut für Sozial Forschung,
981:
266:
1278:. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 137.
912:, fighting and being defeated during the
332:
1688:Panzer armies of Germany in World War II
284:
1187:
989:
198:
844:Between 3 and 17 February, the Soviet
380:
31:
1326:, Berlin: Militärverlag der DDR, 1982
512:
7:
496:
316:
1319:, Stuttgart: Motorbuch Verlag, 1995
545:(1) – U.S. 84th Infantry Division,
480:
300:
218:
180:
935:, thus hampering Soviet access to
25:
851:Zweite Winterschlacht von Witebsk
534:Mecklenburg: Situation 2 May 1945
464:
430:
414:
364:
250:
1142:
1098:
1055:
1012:
878:, joined the offensive with the
826:Erste Winterschlacht von Witebsk
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1317:Das Ende zwischen Oder und Elbe
1337:12th Army Group situation maps
985:
1:
908:before reforming a line near
752:14.Infanterie-Division (Mot.)
706:36.Infanterie-Division (Mot.)
52:16 November 1940 – 3 May 1945
27:Military unit of Nazi Germany
923:. On 10 March 1945, General
1088:2 years, 315 days
925:Hasso-Eccard von Manteuffel
846:Vitebsk Offensive Operation
651:Part of Army Group Centre.
348:
1714:
797:under Lieutenant General
779:under Lieutenant General
708:under Lieutenant General
549:units are 3rd Panzer Army
539:Sources: Tieke – p. 447,
39:
1228:Verbrechen der Wehrmacht
1155:General der Panzertruppe
814:II Luftwaffe Field Corps
723:General of Panzer Troops
686:General of Panzer Troops
795:110.Infanterie-Division
747:Hans Freiherr von Funck
675:Walther von Hünersdorff
850:
825:
786:26.Infanterie-Division
710:Otto-Ernst Ottenbacher
643:
592:
564:
41:
1322:D. F. Ustinow et al.
949:2nd Belorussian Front
777:6.Infanterie-Division
637:
1242:on 28 September 2011
1160:Hasso von Manteuffel
1073:Georg-Hans Reinhardt
858:, attacked with the
788:under Major General
772:Otto-Wilhelm Förster
769:General of Engineers
754:under Major General
745:under Major General
689:Georg-Hans Reinhardt
629:Operation Barbarossa
601:Operation Barbarossa
599:and participated in
541:Allied Situation Map
529:class=notpageimage|
138:Operation Barbarossa
902:Operation Bagration
718:LVI Motorized Corps
681:XLI Motorized Corps
543:, Ustinow – Map 158
1260:Richard Lakowski,
968:Bernard Montgomery
921:Army Group Vistula
874:, with support by
701:Friedrich Kirchner
698:Lieutenant General
644:
603:and fought in the
1675:
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1604:
1603:
1600:
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1300:Panzer Operations
1285:978-1-4422-1154-4
1179:
1178:
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1152:Manteuffel, Hasso
1122:
1079:
1036:
937:Western Pomerania
821:Gorodok offensive
743:7.Panzer-Division
731:6.Panzer-Division
694:1.Panzer-Division
609:Operation Typhoon
597:Army Group Centre
571:formation during
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18:Third Panzer Army
16:(Redirected from
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1235:. Archived from
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1164:
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1102:
1077:
1066:
1065:Reinhardt, Georg
1059:
1039:16 November 1940
1034:
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1016:
987:
982:
953:Battle of Berlin
864:11th Guards Army
853:
831:1st Baltic Front
828:
726:Ferdinand Schaal
627:At the start of
623:Orders of battle
605:Battle of Moscow
585:3rd Panzer Group
579:3rd Panzer Group
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1575:
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1315:Wilhelm Tieke,
1312:
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1018:
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1002:Time in office
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931:, north of the
914:Battle of Memel
807:3rd Panzer Army
756:Friedrich Fürst
660:Colonel General
649:
638:Panther on the
625:
581:
567:) was a German
557:3rd Panzer Army
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35:3rd Panzer Army
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1331:External links
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1298:Raus, Erhard.
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916:in late 1944.
860:4th Shock Army
835:Ivan Bagramyan
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1211:9783421062352
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1169:11 March 1945
1168:
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1132:206 days
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1129:10 March 1945
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1111:Generaloberst
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1045:324 days
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1025:Generaloberst
1022:Hoth, Hermann
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872:Western Front
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799:Ernst Seifert
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735:Major General
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640:Eastern Front
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520:11th Armd Div
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167:Military unit
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148:Velikiye Luki
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1571:East Prussia
1378:World War II
1323:
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1244:. Retrieved
1237:the original
1227:
1220:
1201:
1175:53 days
1158:
1154:
1114:
1110:
1108:Raus, Erhard
1071:
1067:
1030:Hermann Hoth
1028:
1024:
961:
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876:1st Air Army
870:, while the
856:3rd Air Army
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811:
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663:Hermann Hoth
655:
650:
626:
616:
584:
582:
573:World War II
556:
554:
546:
533:
504:15th Inf Div
324:29th Inf Div
206:
188:
130:World War II
69:Nazi Germany
29:
1374:German Army
1165:(1897–1978)
1121:(1889–1956)
1116:Erhard Raus
1078:(1887–1963)
1035:(1885–1971)
999:Left office
996:Took office
964:Mecklenburg
951:during the
945:Rokossovsky
790:Walter Weiß
781:Helge Auleb
488:5th Inf Div
308:8th Inf Div
226:XXVII Corps
189:XXXII Corps
123:Engagements
87:German Army
1682:Categories
1310:References
1246:15 January
1172:3 May 1945
978:Commanders
929:Oder River
613:Ninth Army
454:3rd Guards
406:Tank Corps
404:3rd Guards
1660:Parachute
993:Commander
990:Portrait
906:Lithuania
888:39th Army
884:33rd Army
868:43rd Army
656:Commander
472:19th Army
456:Cav Corps
438:70th Army
422:49th Army
372:65th Army
276:12th Army
258:402nd Div
1392:Numbered
1230:, p. 18"
910:Courland
880:5th Army
764:VI Corps
569:armoured
274:Elements
242:CI Corps
209:Pz Corps
1646:11 (SS)
1592:Steiner
1561:Liguria
1519:20 – 25
1459:10 – 19
972:Hagenow
959:Swamp.
900:During
895:Borisov
839:Vitebsk
829:). The
672:Colonel
642:, 1944.
57:Country
1651:Africa
1609:Panzer
1566:Norway
1385:Armies
1302:p. 353
1282:
1208:
957:Randow
941:Berlin
886:, and
767:under
733:under
721:under
696:under
684:under
589:German
561:German
207:XXXXVI
158:Berlin
143:Moscow
97:Panzer
84:
75:Branch
66:
49:Active
1587:Kempf
1554:Named
1399:1 – 9
1240:(PDF)
1233:(PDF)
1182:Notes
153:Memel
1280:ISBN
1248:2012
1206:ISBN
939:and
866:and
583:The
555:The
547:Bold
117:Army
113:Size
103:Role
93:Type
1376:in
986:No.
970:at
947:'s
670::
658::
615:.
356:(1)
1684::
1541:25
1536:24
1531:21
1506:19
1501:18
1496:17
1491:16
1486:15
1481:14
1476:12
1471:11
1466:10
1190:^
882:,
862:,
816:.
591::
563::
1667:1
1641:6
1636:5
1631:4
1626:3
1621:2
1616:1
1446:9
1441:8
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1421:4
1416:3
1411:2
1406:1
1365:e
1358:t
1351:v
1288:.
1250:.
1214:.
1137:4
1093:3
1050:2
1007:1
833:(
587:(
559:(
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
