German Tanks Near Moscow

White winter camouflaged tanks of the 11. Panzer-Division in the village of Matronino near Volokolamsk. On the left, the first and third are Panzer III tanks, while between them and on the right is Panzer II tanks. The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Artur Grimm in Moscow area, November 1941. From 31 October to 13–15 November 1941, the Wehrmacht high command stood down while preparing to launch a second offensive towards Moscow. Although Heeresgruppe Mitte (Army Group Centre) still possessed considerable nominal strength, its fighting capabilities had thoroughly diminished because of wear and fatigue. While the Germans were aware of the continuous influx of Soviet reinforcements from the east as well as the presence of large reserves, given the tremendous Soviet casualties, they did not expect the Soviets to be able to mount a determined defense.

Source :
https://en.topwar.ru/189069-tanki-shli-naprolom-podvigu-geroev-panfilovcev-80-let.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Moscow

German Soldiers Warming Themselves

German soldiers at the Eastern Front warming themselves at a fire. In the background a tank. November / December 1941. Photographer: Artur Grimm. Despite their military successes, the German offensive stalled on the outskirts of Moscow in the end of November, 1941. They were not equipped for the Russian brutally cold winter. A Soviet counter offensive pushed the Nazis back before they could take Moscow. The Wehrmacht could no longer mount a simultaneous offensive along the entire strategic Soviet–Axis front, which contributed to their ultimate defeat.

Source :
https://www.jchb.org/neveragain-eastern-front-map/
https://twitter.com/dhkriegbericher?lang=en

Oberst Rudolf Sieckenius in his Command Tank

Oberst Rudolf Sieckenius (Kommandeur Panzer-Regiment 2 / 16.Panzer-Division). Oberst Sieckenius on his command tank "0", summer 1942. Oberst Sieckenius had been commanding his Panzer regiment of 16.Panzer-Division since May 1941 and had won Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes for his achievement on 17 September 1941. He would escape the Stalingrad tragedy and would be commanding reestablished 16.Panzer-Division next year as a Generalmajor. His command tank had been painted in dark gray but was camo'ed with one of Tropen brown colors in thick bands.

Source :
Akira Takiguchi photo collection
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10222753427217768&set=gm.1642500865935330

Tiger and Vehicle of sPz.Abt.508 in Italy

A Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger Ausf.E and battalion vehicle belonging to schwere Panzer-Abteilung 508 (508th Heavy Panzer Battalion), taking a rest at the Italian front. Notice the hasty camouflage on the Mercedes-Benz 170V staff car and the carefully applied camouflage on the Tiger. This color slide is one of a series of color images of the Werkstattkompanie taken by Hans Becker. In the mid-1970s Becker's son loaned the slides to a model maker, who displayed them in the booklet "Modell Magazin - Foto Archiv". Since then the photos have appeared regularly in publications about the Tiger. Unfortunately the slides have not been returned to the son! Hans Becker himself was attached to the headquarters staff of the Panzer-Regiment 8 in North Africa in 1942-43, and he extensively photographed front line operations there. After he was wounded, he was flown home, and after recovering from his wounds, in autumn 1943 he joined the sPz.Abt.508 during its formation. Soon afterwards, the battalion commander tasked him with “recording the battalion’s path photographically, to illustrate the war diary”. His experiences in France in a Werkstattkompanie (Work Company) and his thoughts on those who preferred the comfortable life over soldiering, to his experiences during the low level flight across the Mediterranean and the pranks of the Luftwaffe crew of his aircraft is well documented in the book "Als Panzermann in Afrika und Italien 1942-45" by Axel Urbanke. His trek across North Africa was well detailed. In the book, we even glimpse at life recuperating in Germany after being injured. Finally the action in Italy showing not only the war but the good and bad interaction with the civilians. The book ends with a short sojourn as an American POW. His photographs show him, his friends, units, and life on the front. He was an accomplished amateur photographer and this shows with the quality of his work.

Source :
Book "Als Panzermann in Afrika und Italien 1942-45: Panzer Regiment 8 und schwere Panzer-Abt. 508" by Axel Urbanke and Hans Becker
http://ftr.wot-news.com/2015/02/24/german-camouflage-and-tactical-markings-part-i-by-agarestretiak/

Tiger of sPz.Abt.508 Undergoing Repair in Italy

A rare color photo, taken in March-April 1944, showing a Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger from schwere Panzer-Abteilung 508 undergoing repairs in the Workshop Company's (Werkstattkompanie) position in front of the buildings of the former "Arco" bomb factory near the Forte Tiburtino, Rome (Italy). The camouflage finish and crosses are just visible on the Tiger. The exhaust boxes and cover plates have been removed. The cover plates are lying on the ground to the right of the tank. This color slide is one of a series of color images of the Werkstattkompanie taken by Hans Becker. In the mid-1970s Becker's son loaned the slides to a model maker, who displayed them in the booklet "Modell Magazin - Foto Archiv". Since then the photos have appeared regularly in publications about the Tiger. Unfortunately the slides have not been returned to the son!

Source :
Book "Als Panzermann in Afrika und Italien 1942-45: Panzer Regiment 8 und schwere Panzer-Abt. 508" by Axel Urbanke and Hans Becker

Panzer IVs in Southern Russia, Summer 1942

Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.F2 75 mm (2.95 in) KwK 40 L/43 tanks (Turmnummer 424 and 431) with a ball shaped muzzle brake from 4.Kompanie / II.Abteilung / Panzer-Regiment 36 / 14.Panzer-Division advance through an unidentified village in Don-Kuban area (Eastern Ukraine), summer 1942. 14. Panzer Division was unusual in the German Army for not forming in sequential order. It was formed in August 1940, while 12th Panzer and 13th Panzer were not formed until October 1940. The 14. Panzer Division was established using veteran units from 4. Infantry Division and 4. Panzer Division as a basis for its structure. 4. Infantry Division provided both Divisional Organisation and the infantry components, while 4. Panzer Division provided the tank element by transferring the 36. Panzer Regiment to the new 14. Panzer Division. In April 1941, the Division took part in the Invasion of Yugoslavia, reaching Sarajevo on 15 April. Soon after, it returned to Germany in preparation for Operation Barbarossa. In June 1941, now as part of Heeresgruppe Süd (Army Group South), the Division took part in the invasion of the Soviet Union. It was involved almost continuously in offensive and defensive engagements throughout 1941, including the first winter on the Eastern Front. In the spring of 1942, 14. Panzer took part in the German summer offensives as . Heeresgruppe Süd raced through the Kharkov and Don regions.The Division was transferred to Friedrich Paulus' 6. Armee, which was encircled at Stalingrad soon after. By February 1943, the Division was considered utterly obliterated in the fighting at the Battle of Stalingrad.

Source :
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_169-0084,_Russland,_Panzer_IV.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/14th_Panzer_Division_%28Wehrmacht%29

Jagdtiger No.331 of Leutnant Kasper Geoggler in Neustadt

Panzerjäger Tiger Ausf.B mit 12,8cm PaK 44 L/55 "Jagdtiger"(Sd.Kfz.186) Nr. 331 of schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung 653 after she was abandoned in Landauer Strasse in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse. The vehicles are shown here being examined by American soldiers from the 10th Armored Division, on 23 March 1945. Leutnant Kasper Geoggler commanded the Jagdtiger No.331, also the third Kampfgruppe from 3.Kompanie / sPzJg.Abt.653. Geoggler had nerves of steel, and was very keen to prove himself. He was awarded the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (German Cross in Gold) on 10 May 1943 whilst fighting on the Eastern Front. He had already had several kills to his credit with his Jagdtiger. In 22 March 1945, Geoggler had three Jagdtigers including his own placed into a good position north of Neustadt with a commmanding view of the approach roads to the town. From camouflage postions, the three Jagdtigers engaged in U.S. tank column; the first and last vehicles were shot up followed by the rest. The Shermans and M10 tank destroyer returned fire. Two Jagdtigers - Geoggler's and another, No.323 - were hit ten times between them. They withdrew into Neustadt. After the battle, 25 US tanks were claimed destroyed, while none of the Jagdtiger crew suffered any serious injuries! The thick sloping-armor had done its job.

Source:

"Jagdtiger, The Most Powerful Armoured Fighting Vehicle of World War II-Operational History" by Andrew Devey, page 227

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=70558&start=195
http://www.thirdreichruins.com/spjabt653.htm

Panzer IVs Pass Knocked Out Universal Carrier

Two Deutsche Afrikakorps Panzer IV ausf F including turmnummer (turret number) 413 pass a knocked-out captured Carden Lloyd Universal Carrier Mark 1 serial number T33417 armed with a Boys .55 caliber (13.9mm) anti-tank gun. The Universal Carrier is painted in the Caunter camouflage scheme, which used grey, blue, black, sand, and brown paint, or whatever was available, to form straight angular lines that were thought to "dazzle" whomever saw the vehicle in the desert, making it hard to judge size and distance. The Carrier has a Nazi flag over it to prevent an air attack by friendly German aircraft; this was common practice to mark captured vehicles with the Swastika flag

Source:
http://www.worldwar2database.com/gallery3/index.php/wwii0137

Oberleutnant Karl Hanke in a Panzerkampfwagen IV

Panzerkampfwagen IV ausf.D (turmnummer 432) commanded by Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant) Karl Hanke and assigned to the Panzer Regiment 25/7.Panzer Division under Generalmajor Erwin Rommel during the Battle of France. This propaganda photo appeared in Signal magazine in 1940

Source:
Signal magazine 1940

Panzerkampfwagen IVs of the Afrika Korps

A column of Panzerkampfwagen IVs on the move. Some of the men appear to be wearing the tropical hat (tropenhelm) first issued in 1941

Source:
Signal magazine

Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf N Unloaded in North Africa

Panzerkampfwagen III ausf N medium tanks are unloaded form a transport at Bizerte, Wilāyat Binzart, Tunisia, 23 November 1942

Source:
Signal magazine

Panzerkampfwagen III Crews at Rest and Playing Cards

The crews of a group of german panzers benefit from a pause during the advance to resume the never-ending card game, interrupted so many times. They were came from the 12. Armee commanded by Generalfeldmarschall Siegmund Wilhelm List during Operation Marita

Source:
Signal Magazine, June 1941 

German Armored Cars Passing Convoys of Tanks in Yugoslavia

 Unternehmen 25: An armoured column (visible are Sd.Kfz.251 and Panzer II) of the 11. Panzer-Division "Gespenster Division" (Ghost Division) passes the disabled vehicles and burning trucks of the Yugoslav 5th Army in the Serbian town of Niš, near Morava river. Four days later, after initially easy and then also heavy and exhausting battles, the division entered the Yugoslav capital. In the arrogant propaganda report about the advance of this unit, the Yugoslav Army had been referred to with great disrespect – however, in the end, a tribute was paid to the defenders of Belgrade after all: "We have to admit that they exploited the terrain remarkably and defended themselves bravely". The picture was taken in 9 April 1941 by Kriegsberichter Artur Grimm from Propaganda-Kompanie (PK) 691.

Source:
http://bandenkampf.blogspot.co.id/search?updated-min=2015-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2016-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=50
http://www.flickr.com/photos/16118167@N04/6788758214/in/set-72157629429929865
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=75080&start=420