73. Panzergrenadier Regiment

[Dumbjohn]

I need your help! I am trying to piece this units history together for a friend of mine (If and when I get done, it'll be a gift to him.). His Grandfather at one point was Leader/CO of this unit. I know the basics but, ANY info will be helpful.
In particular, I'm looking for:
1. Commanding Officers from 15 Oct 1935 (73 IR) until 11 May 1945
2. Their actions during April-May 1945 (What I've seen on-line indicates that 19.Pz. Div. surrendered to the Americans but, his Grandfather spent time in a Soviet PoW Camp/Gulag.).

[Doktor Krollspell]

Hello John and welcome to Feldgrau!

Here's a link that shows the Corps and Amries that the 19. Panzer-Division belonged to and where it fought:

http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... n/19PD.htm


And here's the bearers of the Knight's Cross that earned this award in the Pz.Gren.Rgt. 73:


Baxmann, Karl. Recieved the KC on 14.05.1944 as an Oberleutnant commanding II./Pz.Gren.Rgt. 73

Nähring, Alfred. Recieved the KC on 04.10.1944 as a Major commanding Pz.Gren.Rgt. 73

Riedel, Walter. Recieved the KC on 14.04.1943 as a Leutnant d.R. commanding 3./Pz.Gren.Rgt. 73

Roland, Heinz. Recieved the KC on 09.12.1944 as a Hauptmann commanding II./Pz.Gren.Rgt. 73

Seyrl, Roland. Recieved the KC on 14.05.1944 as a Hauptmann commanding I./Pz.Gren.Rgt. 73

Volker, Heinrich. Recieved the KC on 19.01.1943 as a Hauptmann commanding Stabs-Kp./Pz.Gren.Rgt. 73


And when this Regiment was known as Schüzten-Regiment 73...


Källner, Hans. Recieved the KC on 03.05.1942 as an Oberst commanding Schtz.Rgt. 73
(Recieved both the Oakleaves and the Swords as Commanding General for the 19. Pz.Div.)

Köhler, Rudolf. Recieved the KC on 27.07.1941 as a Major commanding I./Schtz.Rgt. 73

Westhofen, Heinrich. Recieved the KC on 01.03.1942 as an Oberleutnant commanding 3./Schtz.Rgt. 73


Source have been http://www.das-ritterkreuz.de which also contains photographs on some of the above mentioned Knight's Cross Bearers.


About the end fighting for the 19. Panzer-Division, they fought in Bohemia and Silesia in the spring of 1945 and surrendered to Russian troops.

And if I may ask, what was the name of your friend's Grandfather?


Regards,

Krollspell

[Jan-Hendrik]

Dear friend , about 19.PzDiv. and its sub-units exists plenty of literature

Jan-Hendrik

[mightythor99]

there was a prisoner exchange.............eastern germans for western germans.............and the lucky westerners that got out of russian control then were very thankful. treatment from east to west was different. russians were pretty hard on them, and many died. they were often held longer too.
i knew one of the western prisoners, who went from russian control to american control. helped to understand what happened, and why.