Also known as:
Panzer Group West
Panzer Group Eberbach

The Fifth Panzer Army was a German panzer army which saw action in the Western and North African Fronts. The remnants of the army surrendered in the Ruhr pocket in 1945. In German, its name was at various times the 5.Panzer-Armee, Panzergruppe West, and Panzergruppe Eberbach. PzKpfw V-D, a Panther tank   Panzer? is German for armour. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... During World War II, the Western Front was the theater of fighting west of Germany, encompassing France, Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Denmark. ... The Mediterranean region. ... The Ruhr Pocket was a battle that took place at the end of World War II in the Ruhr Area, Germany. ...

History

North Africa

The Fifth Panzer Army was created on 8 December 1942 as a command formation for armoured units forming to defend Tunisia against Allied attacks which threatened after the success of the Allied Operation Torch landings in Algeria and Morocco. The army fought alongside the Italian First Army as a part of Army Group Afrika. The army capitulated on 13 May 1943, along with its commander Hans-Jürgen von Arnim. The army was officially disbanded on 30 June 1943. Combatants United States United Kingdom Free French Forces Germany Vichy France Commanders Dwight Eisenhower Andrew Cunningham Erwin Rommel François Darlan Strength 73,500 - Casualties 479+ dead 720 wounded 1346+ dead 1997 wounded Operation TORCH (initially called Operation GYMNAST) was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World... The Italian First Army was an Italian field army of World War II that fought on the North African Front. ... Army Group Afrika (German: Heeresgruppe Afrika) was the headquarters controlling all Axis forces in Tunisia during the final stages of the North African Campaign of World War II. It was created in February of 1943 by redesignating Erwin Rommels German-Italian Panzer Army headquarters as an Army Group and... Hans-Jürgen von Arnim (4 April 1889 - 11 September 1962), was a German colonel-general of cavalry, serving during World War II. He was born in Ernsdorf, Germany in 1889, the son of General Sixt von Arnim. ...

Normandy

The army was reformed on 24 January 1944 as Panzer Group West, the armoured reserve for OB West. The new army was placed under the command of Leo Geyr von Schweppenburg. The method of employment of Panzer Group West in the event of an allied invasion was the subject of much controversy, with OB West commander Gerd von Rundstedt and Army Group B commander Erwin Rommel favouring different methods. Rundstedt believed that the panzer group should be held in reserve some distance from the front, to counterattack Allied penetrations. However, Rommel was convinced that Allied airpower and artillery would not allow the Germans the freedom to move large formations, and so insisted that the panzers should be deployed much closer to the frontline. In the event, Hitler refused to allow his commanders to commit the panzer group without his explicit authorisation, and so when the Allied Invasion began on 6 June 1944, Panzer Group West remained immobile. Two days after the invasion, Schweppenburg was wounded in an air raid on his field headquarters and was replaced by Heinrich Eberbach. von Schweppenburg Leo Dietrich Franz Freiherr Geyr von Schweppenburg (b. ... Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt (December 12, 1875 - February 24, 1953) was a field marshal of the German Army during World War II. He held some of the highest field commands in all phases of the war. ... Army Group B was the name of three different German Army Groups that saw action during World War II. The first was involved in the western campaign in 1940 in Belgium and the Netherlands which was to be aimed to conquer the Maas bridges after the German airborne actions in... Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel ( ) (15 November 1891 – 14 October 1944) was one of the most distinguished German field marshals of World War II. He was the commander of the Deutsches Afrika Korps and also became known by the nickname The Desert Fox (Wüstenfuchs,  ) for the skillful military campaigns he... Combatants United States United Kingdom Canada Free France Poland Germany Commanders Dwight Eisenhower (Supreme Allied Commander) Bernard Montgomery (land) Bertram Ramsay (sea) Trafford Leigh-Mallory (air) Omar Bradley (US 1st Army) Miles Dempsey (UK 2nd Army) Harry Crerar (Canadian 1st Army) Gerd von Rundstedt (OB WEST) Erwin Rommel (Heeresgruppe B... Heinrich Eberbach (1895 in Stuttgart, Germany - 1993) was a noted General der Panzertruppen (Tanks) in the German Army of World War II. World War I During late 1914 he fought in France as a corporal, but by February 1915 he was promoted to Lieutenant. ...

The panzer group fought against the Allied forces in Normandy, suffering heavy losses and eventually finding many of its divisions trapped in the Falaise Pocket. After the shattered remnants of the panzer group escaped from Falaise, it began a retreat towards the German border. Flag of Normandy Normandy (in French: Normandie, and in Norman: Normaundie) is a geographical region in northern France. ... Combatants United States United Kingdom Canada Free French Forces Free Polish Forces Others Nazi Germany Commanders Bernard Montgomery Omar Bradley Günther von Kluge Walter Model Strength N/A 150,000 Casualties Canadian: 18,500 Polish: 2,300 U.S and British: N/A 10,000+ killed, 60,000 wounded... Falaise is the name of several communes in France: Falaise, in the Ardennes département Falaise, in the Calvados département This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Retreat - Ardennes

In August, the remaining elements of Panzer Group West were reorganized as Fifth Panzer Army, with a combat formation remaining in action under the title Panzer Group Eberbach. After a brief period under Sepp Dietrich, command of the army passed to Hasso von Manteuffel. The army saw heavy combat on the German border against Allied forces, the panzer divisions suffering heavily from Allied ground attack aircraft. SS-Obergruppenführer Sepp Dietrich Josef Sepp Dietrich also known as Ujac (May 28, 1892–April 21/22, 1966) was a German Waffen-SS general, an SS-Oberstgruppenführer, and one of the closest men to Hitler. ... Hasso-Eccard Freiherr von Manteuffel (January 14, 1897 — September 24, 1978) was a German soldier and politician of the 20th century. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

In November, the Fifth Panzer Army began forming up in the Ardennes, alongside the newly-formed Sixth SS Panzer Army under Dietrich. Both formations took part in the Battle of the Bulge, the Fifth Panzer Army suffering heavy losses in battles around Bastogne and in the armour battles around Celles and Dinant. After the offensive was cancelled, it continued its fighting withdrawal to the German border. In March, it was involved in efforts to eliminate the American bridgehead over the Rhine at Remagen. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Combatants United States United Kingdom Germany Commanders Dwight Eisenhower Omar Bradley George Patton Bernard Montgomery Walther Model Gerd von Rundstedt Adolf Hitler Strength Dec 16 - start of the Battle: about 83,000 men; 242 Sherman tanks, 182 tank destroyers, and 394 pieces of corps and divisional artillery. ... The coat of arms of the Bastogne municipality. ... Celles is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. ... The tower of Notre-Dame, seen from the citadel Dinant is a municipality located on the River Meuse in the Belgian province of Namur, Wallonia. ... Loreley At 1,320 kilometres (820 miles) and an average discharge of more than 2,000 cubic meters per second, the Rhine (Dutch Rijn, French Rhin, German Rhein, Italian: Reno, Romansch: Rein, ) is one of the longest and most important rivers in Europe. ... Remagen is a city in Germany in the Bundesland of Rhineland-Palatinate, district Ahrweiler. ...

The Fifth Panzer Army was encircled and trapped in the Ruhr Pocket, and surrendered on 17 April 1945. The Ruhr Pocket was a battle that took place at the end of World War II in the Ruhr Area, Germany. ...

Commanders

Fifth Panzer Army (North Africa)

• General of Artillery (General der Artillerie) Heinz Ziegler (3 Dec 1942 - 20 Feb 1943)
• Colonel-General (Generaloberst) Hans-Jürgen von Arnim (20 Feb 1943 - 28 Feb 1943)
• General of Panzer Troops (General der Panzertruppen) Gustav von Värst (28 Feb 1943 - 9 May 1943)

Colonel General is a senior military rank which is used in some of the world’s militaries. ... Hans-Jürgen von Arnim (4 April 1889 - 11 September 1962), was a German colonel-general of cavalry, serving during World War II. He was born in Ernsdorf, Germany in 1889, the son of General Sixt von Arnim. ... General Gustav von Värst Gustav Fritz Julius von Värst (April 19, 1894, Meiningen, Prussia – October 10, 1975) was a German General der Panzertruppe during World War II. // Promotions Fahnenjunker: 15 July 1912 Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier: 17 December 1912 Fähnrich: 22 March 1913 Leutnant: 17 February 1914 Oberleutnant: 18...

Panzer Group West

• General of Panzer Troops Leo Geyr von Schweppenburg (? Feb 1944 - 8 June 1944)
• General of Panzer Troops Heinrich Eberbach (8 June 1944 - 9 Aug 1944)

von Schweppenburg Leo Dietrich Franz Freiherr Geyr von Schweppenburg (b. ... Heinrich Eberbach (1895 in Stuttgart, Germany - 1993) was a noted General der Panzertruppen (Tanks) in the German Army of World War II. World War I During late 1914 he fought in France as a corporal, but by February 1915 he was promoted to Lieutenant. ...

Panzer Group Eberbach

• Heinrich Eberbach (10 Aug 1944 - 21 Aug 1944)

Fifth Panzer Army (France)

• Heinrich Eberbach (2 July 1944 - 9 Aug 1944)
• SS-Oberstgruppenführer Sepp Dietrich (9 Aug 1944 - 9 Sept 1944)
• General of Panzer Troops Hasso von Manteuffel (9 Sept 1944 - 8 Mar 1945)
• Colonel-General Josef Harpe (8 Mar 1945 - 17 Apr 1945)

SS-Oberstgruppenführer Collar Insignia Oberstgruppenführer was the highest commissioned SS rank with the exception of Reichsführer-SS, which was a special rank held by Heinrich Himmler. ... SS-Obergruppenführer Sepp Dietrich Josef Sepp Dietrich also known as Ujac (May 28, 1892–April 21/22, 1966) was a German Waffen-SS general, an SS-Oberstgruppenführer, and one of the closest men to Hitler. ... Hasso-Eccard Freiherr von Manteuffel (January 14, 1897 — September 24, 1978) was a German soldier and politician of the 20th century. ...

References

• Pipes, Jason. "5.Panzer-Armee".
• Wendel, Markus (2004). "5. Panzer-Armee".
• "Panzergruppe West / 5. Panzerarmee". German language article at www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de. Retrieved May 12, 2005.