Panzer Lehr Division

Panzer-Lehr-Division
Panzer-Lehr-Division
130. Panzer-Lehr-Division ; Panzer-Lehr-Division
	Unit insignia
Active	30 December 1943 – 15 April 1945
Country	Germany
Branch	Army
Type	Panzer
Role	Armoured warfare
Size	Division; 14,699 (1 June 1944); 11,018 (1 August 1944); 14,892 (16 December 1944)
Nickname(s)	Parade Division
Engagements	World War II Operation Margarethe; Battle of Normandy; Battle of the Bulge;
Commanders
Notable; commanders	Fritz Bayerlein

The Panzer-Lehr-Division (tank teaching division) was an elite German armoured division during World War II. It was formed in 1943 onwards from training and demonstration troops (Lehr = "teach") stationed in Germany, to provide additional armored strength for the anticipated Allied invasion of western Europe.^[7] On 4 April 1944, the division was officially designated as the 130th Panzer Division; however, it is usually referred to as the Lehr Division.^[8] It was the only Wehrmacht Panzer division to be fully equipped with tanks and with halftracks to transport its mechanized infantry. On several occasions it fought almost to destruction, in particular during Operation Cobra,^[9] and by the end of the war in Europe bore little resemblance to the unit that had originally been activated.^{[citation needed]}

^ Zetterling 2000, p. 384.
^ Cite error: The named reference :3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Bergstrom 2014, p. 70.
^ Cole 1997, p. 466.
^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Nafziger, George. "German Army, Battle of the Bulge, 15 December 1944" (PDF). Combined Arms Research Library Digital Library. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 July 2015. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
^ Ritgen 1995, pp. 20–21.
^ Mitcham, Samuel (2001). The Panzer Legions: A Guide to the German Army Tank Divisions of World War II and Their Commanders. Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-31640-6.
^ Blumenson 1961, p. 273.

[FOOTNOTEZetterling2000384-1] Zetterling 2000, p. 384.

[:3-2] Cite error: The named reference :3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[FOOTNOTEBergstrom201470-3] Bergstrom 2014, p. 70.

[FOOTNOTECole1997466-4] Cole 1997, p. 466.

[:0-5] Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[6] Nafziger, George. "German Army, Battle of the Bulge, 15 December 1944" (PDF). Combined Arms Research Library Digital Library. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 July 2015. Retrieved 28 June 2016.

[FOOTNOTERitgen199520–21-7] Ritgen 1995, pp. 20–21.

[8] Mitcham, Samuel (2001). The Panzer Legions: A Guide to the German Army Tank Divisions of World War II and Their Commanders. Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-31640-6.

[FOOTNOTEBlumenson1961273-9] Blumenson 1961, p. 273.

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Panzer-Lehr-Division
130. Panzer-Lehr-Division Panzer-Lehr-Division
Unit insignia
Active	30 December 1943 – 15 April 1945
Country	Germany
Branch	Army
Type	Panzer
Role	Armoured warfare
Size	Division 14,699 (1 June 1944)^[1] 11,018 (1 August 1944)^[2] 14,892 (16 December 1944)^[3]
Nickname(s)	Parade Division^[4]
Engagements	World War II Operation Margarethe Battle of Normandy Battle of the Bulge
Commanders
Notable commanders	Fritz Bayerlein