Panzergrenadier Division Großdeutschland

Panzergrenadier Division "Großdeutschland"
Division "Großdeutschland"
Panzergrenadier-Division "Großdeutschland"
"Großdeutschland"-Division
Insignia of the Großdeutschland Division
Active19 May 1942 – 9 May 1945
Country Germany
Branch German Army
TypePanzergrenadier
SizeDivision
Part of
Garrison/HQGrafenwoehr Training Area,
near Grafenwöhr, Bavaria, Germany
Military training area near
Zielenzig, Brandenburg, Germany
Nickname(s)Die Feuerwehr
("The Fire Brigade")
Motto(s)Gott, Ehre, Vaterland
("God, Honor, Fatherland")
Engagements
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Insignia
Cuff title
  • (Gothic Script cuff title; 1939–1944)
  • (Latin Script cuff title; 1944–1945)

The Panzergrenadier Division "Großdeutschland", also commonly referred to simply as Großdeutschland or Großdeutschland Division, was an elite combat unit of the German Army (Heer) that fought on the Eastern Front in World War II.

Originally formed in 1921, it was known as the Wachregiment Berlin and served as a ceremonial guard unit and by 1939 had grown into a regiment of the combined Wehrmacht German armed forces. The regiment would later be expanded and renamed Infanterie-Division Großdeutschland in 1942, and after significant reorganization was renamed Panzergrenadier-Division Großdeutschland in May 1943. In November 1944, while the division retained its status as a Panzergrenadier division, some of its subordinate units were expanded to divisional status, and the whole group of divisions were reorganized as Panzerkorps Großdeutschland.