The 5. Panzerarmee was formed on 8 December 1942 in North Africa through the restructuring of the LXXXX. Armeekorps. It surrendered in Tunisia on 9 May 1943.

See also Operations of the 5th Panzer Army in Tunisia written by General der Panzertruppe Gustav von Vaerst in 1947.

The 5. Panzerarmee was reformed on 5 August 1944 by the redesignation of Panzergruppe West. It fought in Normandy and narrowly escaped being destroyed in the Falaise Pocket. In September 1944, the 5. Panzerarmee launched an unsuccessful counterattack against the U.S. Third Army in Lorraine before withdrawing to the German border. It took part in the failed Ardennes offensive in December 1944 and later fought at the Remagen bridgehead before being destroyed in the Ruhr Pocket on 17 April 1945.

Under the German deception maneuver preparatory to the Ardennes Offensive, the 25. Armee was given the cover name 15. Armee during the period 16 November 1944-16 December 1944. Concurrently, the actual 15. Armee, which had transferred from the Netherlands and taken over the Aachen sector from the 5. Panzerarmee, was given the cover name Armeegruppe von Manteuffel. The 5. Panzerarmee, transferred east of the Roer, adopted the cover name Feldjägerkommando z.b.V.

Commanders

Generaloberst Hans-Jürgen von Arnim (8 Dec 1942 - 9 Mar 1943)
General der Panzertruppe Gustav von Vaerst (9 Mar 1943 - 9 May 1943) (POW)
[Reformed]
General der Panzertruppe Heinrich Eberbach (5 Aug 1944 - 9 Aug 1944)
SS-Oberstgruppenführer Josef “Sepp” Dietrich (9 Aug 1944 - 10 Sep 1944)
General der Panzertruppe Hasso-Eccard von Manteuffel (10 Sep 1944 - 9 Mar 1945)
Generaloberst Josef Harpe (9 Mar 1945 - 17 Apr 1945)

Chief of Staff

Oberst Heinz Pomtow (8 Dec 1942 - 20 Jan 1943)
Oberst August-Viktor von Quast (20 Jan 1943 - 9 May 1943) (POW)
[Reformed]
Generalleutnant Alfred Gause (5 Aug 1944 - 10 Sep 1944)
Oberst Wolf von Kahlden (10 Sep 1944 - 5 Nov 1944)
Generalmajor Karl Wagener (5 Nov 1944 - 20 Feb 1945)
Oberst Walter Reinhard (20 Feb 1945 - 10 Mar 1945)
Generalmajor Friedrich-Wilhelm von Mellenthin (10 Mar 1945 - 17 Apr 1945)

Operations Officers (Ia)

Major Josef Moll (8 Dec 1942 - Mar 1943)
Oberstleutnant Bogislav von Bonin (1 Mar 1943 - 7 May 1943)
[Reformed]
Major Ernst-August Freiherr von Rotberg (5 Aug 1944 - 20 Oct 1944)
Oberstleutnant Herbert Neckelmann (20 Oct 1944 - 17 Apr 1945)

Order of battle (17 Dec 1942)

Stab der Panzerarmee
10. Panzer-Division
Division von Broich
20. Flak-Division (Luftwaffe)
I. / Flak-Regiment 54 (Luftwaffe)
II. / Flak-Regiment 54 (Luftwaffe)
Abwehrgruppe 210
Propaganda-Zug Tunis
Armee Reserve
Panzer-Abteilung 190
Schwere Panzer-Abteilung 501
Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 190
Division Imperiali (Italian)

Order of battle (1 Jan 1943)

10. Panzer-Division (in transit)
Division “Hermann Göring” (in transit)
334. Infanterie-Division (in transit)
Grenadier-Regiment 47 (LL) (in transit)

Order of battle (9 Apr 1943)

Division “Hermann Göring” (part)
334. Infanterie-Division
Italian 1a Divisione di Fanteria “Superga”

Order of battle (15 Aug 1944)

LXVII. Armeekorps
- 348. Infanterie-Division
- 245. Infanterie-Division
- 226. Infanterie-Division
- Sicherungs-Regiment 5
LXXXVI. Armeekorps
- 711. Infanterie-Division
- 346. Infanterie-Division
- 272. Infanterie-Division
- 710. Infanterie-Division (part)
I. SS-Panzerkorps
- 85. Infanterie-Division
- 12. SS-Panzer-Division “Hitler Jugend”
- 89. Infanterie-Division
LXXIV. Armeekorps
- 271. Infanterie-Division
- 277. Infanterie-Division
- 276. Infanterie-Division
- 21. Panzer-Division (part)
- 326. Infanterie-Division
II. SS-Panzerkorps
- 21. Panzer-Division (most)
- 9. SS-Panzer-Division “Hohenstaufen”
- 3. Fallschirmjäger-Division

Order of battle (31 Aug 1944)

At the disposal of the 5. Panzerarmee
- 275. Infanterie-Division
LXXXVI. Armeekorps
- 711. Infanterie-Division
- 346. Infanterie-Division
LXXIV. Armeekorps
- 331. Infanterie-Division
- 344. Infanterie-Division
- 271. Infanterie-Division
LXXXI. Armeekorps
- 353. Infanterie-Division
- 49. Infanterie-Division
- 85. Infanterie-Division
I. SS-Panzerkorps
- 18. Feld-Division (L)
- Kampfgruppe 6. Fallschirmjäger-Division
LVIII. Panzerkorps
- 47. Infanterie-Division
- Panzer-Lehr-Division (part)
- 348. Infanterie-Division
- 48. Infanterie-Division
II. SS-Panzerkorps
- 9. Panzer-Division
- 116. Panzer-Division
- 2. SS-Panzer-Division “Das Reich”
- 9. SS-Panzer-Division “Hohenstaufen”

Order of battle (16 Sep 1944)

XXXXVII. Panzerkorps
- 21. Panzer-Division (most)
- Panzer-Brigade 111
- Panzer-Brigade 112
- Panzer-Brigade 113

Order of battle (28 Sep 1944)

LVIII. Panzerkorps
- 11. Panzer-Division
XXXXVII. Panzerkorps
- 15. Panzer-Grenadier-Division
- 21. Panzer-Division

Order of battle (13 Oct 1944)

LVIII. Panzerkorps
- 11. Panzer-Division
- 15. Panzer-Grenadier-Division
XXXXVII. Panzerkorps
- 21. Panzer-Division
- 16. Volks-Grenadier-Division

Order of battle (5 Nov 1944)

At the disposal of the 5. Panzerarmee
- Division Nr. 526
LXXXVI. Armeekorps
- Fallschirmjäger-Division Erdmann (Panzer-Brigade 107)
- 180. Infanterie-Division
- Kampfgruppe 344. Infanterie-Division
XII. SS-Armeekorps
- 176. Infanterie-Division
- 183. Volks-Grenadier-Division
LXXXI. Armeekorps
- 246. Volks-Grenadier-Division
- 3. Panzer-Grenadier-Division
- 12. Volks-Grenadier-Division

Order of battle (26 Nov 1944)

At the disposal of the 5. Panzerarmee
- 246. Volks-Grenadier-Division
- Division Nr. 526
- 10. SS-Panzer-Division “Frundsberg”
XII. SS-Armeekorps
- 176. Infanterie-Division
XXXXVII. Panzerkorps (subordinated to the XII. SS-Armeekorps)
- 15. Panzer-Grenadier-Division
- 183. Volks-Grenadier-Division
- 9. Panzer-Division
LXXXI. Armeekorps
- 340. Volks-Grenadier-Division
- 3. Panzer-Grenadier-Division
- 12. Volks-Grenadier-Division
- 47. Volks-Grenadier-Division

Order of battle (31 Dec 1944)

At the disposal of the 5. Panzerarmee
- 340. Volks-Grenadier-Division
- I. SS-Panzerkorps
- 12. SS-Panzer-Division “Hitler Jugend”
LVIII. Panzerkorps
- 116. Panzer-Division
- 9. Panzer-Division
- 2. Panzer-Division
XXXXVII. Panzerkorps
- Panzer-Lehr-Division
- Führer-Begleit-Brigade
- 15. Panzer-Grenadier-Division
XXXIX. Panzerkorps
- 3. Panzer-Grenadier-Division
- 26. Volks-Grenadier-Division
- 1. SS-Panzer-Division “Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler”

Order of battle (26 Jan 1945)

At the disposal of the 5. Panzerarmee
- 167. Volks-Grenadier-Division
- 3. Panzer-Grenadier-Division
LXVII. Armeekorps
- 277. Volks-Grenadier-Division
- 3. Fallschirmjäger-Division
- 89. Infanterie-Division
- 246. Volks-Grenadier-Division
XIII. Armeekorps
- 18. Volks-Grenadier-Division
- 326. Volks-Grenadier-Division
- 9. Panzer-Division
LXVI. Armeekorps
- 560. Volks-Grenadier-Division (remnants)
- 15. Panzer-Grenadier-Division
- 26. Volks-Grenadier-Division

Order of battle (1 Mar 1945)

LXXIV. Armeekorps
- 3. Fallschirmjäger-Division + 85. Infanterie-Division
- 272. Volks-Grenadier-Division
LXVII. Armeekorps
- 89. Infanterie-Division
- 277. Volks-Grenadier-Division
Korpsgruppe Botsch
- 18. Volks-Grenadier-Division
- 26. Volks-Grenadier-Division
LXVI. Armeekorps
- 5. Fallschirmjäger-Division

Order of battle (12 Apr 1945)

XII. SS-Armeekorps
- 363. Infanterie-Division
- Stab Oberst Witte
- Kampfgruppe 3. Fallschirmjäger-Division
- 59. Infanterie-Division
LVIII. Panzerkorps
- 183. Volks-Grenadier-Division
- 9. Panzer-Division (most)
- 12. Volks-Grenadier-Division
- 353. Infanterie-Division
- 62. Volks-Grenadier-Division

Notable members

Josef "Sepp" Dietrich (Member of the Reichstag, Holder of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds)
Hasso von Manteuffel (Holder of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, post-war a member of the Bundestag 1953-1957 for the liberal Freie Demokratische Partei, FDP)

In fiction

The 2008 board game "Panzer Grenadier: Elsenborn Ridge" designed by Michael Bennighof and published by Avalanche Press focused on the fighting during the Battle of the Bulge between the US First Army and the 6. SS-Panzerarmee and 5 Panzerarmee.

General der Panzertruppe Gustav von Vaerst and Generaloberst Hans-Jürgen von Arnim in May 1943

(Courtesy of Bundesarchiv/Wikimedia, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 Germany)

Sources used

Research by Shawn Bohannon
François de Lannoy & Josef Charita - Panzertruppen: German armored troops 1935-1945
Samuel W. Mitcham Jr - The Panzer Legions: A guide to the German Army Tank Divisions of WWII and Their Commanders
Georg Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht 1933-1945

Reference material on this unit

Bruce Quarrie - The Ardennes Offensive V Panzer Armee: Central Sector