Though the Tiger units are all quite well (or horribly ) described in hundreds of books and websites the Panzer-Ersatz-Abteilung 500 is usually dealt with very briefly. The same goes for the other units in Paderborn: Stab der Panzer-Lehrgänge Paderborn and Panzer-Ersatz- und Ausbildungs-Abteilung Tiger.
I am looking for information on these units that can't be found in "the usual" secondary sources.
Thank you Jan-Hendrik but I'm sad to say (or rather: very glad to say ) that Panzer-Archiv is one of my usual places to look for information.
It's in my top ten list of "places to go" when looking for anything to do with the Panzer or the Wehrmacht in general.
So...I'd aready seen that thread but I want more, more, MORE
The most promising book that I haven't read yet is Ritgen's 'Die Schulen der Panzertruppe des Heeres' from which you kindly provided some pictures.
I've run it through Google to see if it is available in one of the internet booksites but sadly no luck so far
Strange how that happens sometimes..........to me too
Your site also ranks very high on my 'places-to-visit-when-looking-for-info-list' Scott.
So....already knew that too
What I'm specifically looking for is the exact structure of the units and their development through time. The commanders, numbers of available vehicles, training schedules, supporting units and so on.
Thanks for the effort so far Jan-Hendrik and Scott, truly appreciated, but.......any chance on finding some more info?
Yes, when I find the pages the the Aufstellungsbefehl by the OKH within my documents ...
The topic is a bit more xcomplicates as it does not simply concern PzErsuAusb. Abt, but the Tigerlehrgänge, established 1.July 1943, which were a bit more and to which the unit was attached to
The Pz.Lehrgänge Paderborn were established by order of OKH/Chef H Rüst u BdE/AHA/Ia(II) Nr. 1237/43 g.Kdos. v. 12.3.1943 as part of Pz.Ers.Abt. 500.
CO of Pz.Ers.Abt. 500 simultaneously was CO of Pz.Lehrgänge Paderborn. A separation from Pz.Ers.Abt. 500 was already under consideration and orders were to follow at a later time (don't know if and when exactly that happened).
Organisation:
- Stabs-Kp. der Pz.Lehrgänge (Only Gruppe Führer and Pi.Zug) in accordance with K.St.N. 10 1150 v. 15.2.1943)
- 2 Pz.Lehrgruppen (3 platoons each) in accordance with K.St.N. 10 1176 v. 5.3.1943)
- 1 Pz.Lehrwerkstatt in accordance with K.St.N. 10 1185 v. 15.2.1943)
Cadre personnel was to be provided from
- 6./Pz.Ausb.Abt. 5 (W.K. III)
- 6./Pz.Ausb.Abt. 4 (W.K. XVII)
The Pz.Lehrwerkstatt was to be formed from resources of Pz.Ers.Abt. 500.
The Pi.Zug was to be provided by Pi.Ers. units from W.K. VI.
The task of 'Pz.Lehrgänge Paderborn' was to provide tactical, technical, and gunnery training for new Tiger units.
Actual formation of new Tiger units as well as providing personnel replacements remained the responsibility of Pz.Ers.Abt. 500.
Two later OoBs of the replacement army in W.K. VI prepared by OKH/GenStdH/Org.Abt. show that apparently the chain of command was changes as was the designation:
Kriegsgliederung des Ersatzheeres Stand Ende Dez. 1943
Stab Kdo. Pz.Lehrg. "Tiger" Paderborn (tactical sign of a Pz.Rgt.Stab) with
- 2 Pz.Lehr-Kpn.
- Pz.Lehrwerkstatt 'Tiger'
- Lehrgruppe für technische Ausbildung
Stab Pz.Ers.u.Ausb.Abt. 500 with
- 4 leichte Pz.Ausb.Kpn.
- 1 Genesenden/Stamm-Kp.
- 1 Marsch-Kp.
Kriegsgliederung des Ersatzheeres Stand Ende 10.8.1944
Stab Kdo. Pz.Lehrg. "Tiger" Paderborn (tactical sign of a Pz.Rgt.Stab) with
- Stabskp.
- 2 Pz.Lehr-Kpn.
- Pz.Lehrwerkstatt 'Tiger'
- Lehrgruppe für technische Ausbildung
Stab Pz.Ers.u.Ausb.Abt. 500 with
- 4 leichte Pz.Ausb.Kpn.
- 1 Genesenden/Stamm-Kp.
I'm afraid there's little hope to find much more documentation about Pz.Lehrgänge Paderborn and Pz.Ers.Abt. 500 because most paperworks of W.K. VI did not survive the war and units of the replacement army did not sent regular monthly status reports to the Gen.Insp.d.Pz.Tr.. Additional Documents may surface here and there in the future but I wouldn't have too high hopes.
In the files of W.K. XVII I came across a document in which the Kdr.d.Schn.Tr. W.K. XVII ordered the transfer of the 6./Pz.Ausb.Abt. 4 to Paderborn. In this document a few names are given:
Kp.Führer = Oblt. d.R. Selck
z.b.V. = Lt. d.R. Auböck
Zugführer = Oblt. akt. Kiefer, Lt. d.R. Markert (this name has later been crossed out), Lt. d.R. Doll
I do not know how many Tigers had already been delivered to Pz.Ers.Abt. 500 before the spring of 1943 but records show the following shipments to the 'Ersatzheer' from May 1943 onwards (Tigers clearly marked for other Ersatzheer units (Pz.Lehr-Rgt., Putos, Kummersdorf, SS) have already been excluded):
May 1943 = 1 Tiger I (Pz.Ers.Abt. 500)
Jun 1943 = 6 Tiger I (Pz.Ers.Abt. 500)
Aug 1943 = 6 Tiger I (Ersatzheer)
Apr 1944 = 3 Tiger I (Ersatzheer)
Apr 1944 = 2 Tiger II (Paderborn)
Jun 1944 = 2 Tiger II (Pz.Ers.Abt. 500)
Jun 1944 = 1 Tiger (I or II?) (Ersatzheer)
Jul 1944 = 1 Tiger II (Ersatzheer)
Aug 1944 = 2 Tiger (I or II?) (Ersatzheer)
Dec 1944 = 2 Tiger (I or II?) (Ersatzheer)
Jan 1945 = 1 Tiger II (Ersatzheer)
How many of those marked 'Ersatzheer' now actually went to Pz.Ers.Abt. 500/Pz.Lehrgänge Paderborn is unknown to me, but IMHO it was the majority of them.
During September 1944 Pz.Ers.Abt. 500 provided personnel and 15 Tiger I to form s.Pz.Kp. Paderborn (better known as s.Pz.Kp. "Hummel").
When assigned to Pz.Ausb.Verband Westfalen (but then actually diverted to SS-Pz.Brig. Westfalen) at the end of March 1945 a report shows that a total of 11 Tiger I and 6 Tiger II was provided.
Paul..the frustration of my life regarding research from the Battle of Arnhem....everytime I get a lead I find out that those particular documents were destroyed (Wehrkries VI, Luftwaffe etc).
Oh well....good luck and keep us updated if you find anything more.
) described in hundreds of books and websites the Panzer-Ersatz-Abteilung 500 is usually dealt with very briefly. The same goes for the other units in Paderborn: Stab der Panzer-Lehrgänge Paderborn and Panzer-Ersatz- und Ausbildungs-Abteilung Tiger.
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