The 19. Panzer-Division formed from 19. Infanterie-Division in November 1940. It took part in the invasion of the USSR and fought on the central sector of the Eastern front until December 1942 when it was transferred south. It was pushed back though the Ukraine and Poland, elements of it were involved in fighting the Warsaw Uprising, ending the war in Czechoslovakia.

Commanders

Generalleutnant Otto von Knobelsdorff (01 Nov 1940 - 06 Jan 1942) (1)
Oberst Gustav Schmidt (06 Jan 1942 - 20 Apr 1942) m.d.F.b.
Generalleutnant Gustav Schmidt (06 Jan 1942 - 07 Aug 1943) (2)
Oberst Oskar Sörgel (08 Aug 1943 - 17 Aug 1943) m.d.F.b.
Oberst Hans Källner (18 Aug 1943 - 31 Oct 1943) m.d.F.b.
Generalmajor Hans Källner (01 Nov 1943 - 24 Mar 1944) (3)
Oberst Walter Denkert (24 Mar 1944 - 30 Apr 1944) m.d.st.F.b.
Generalleutnant Hans Källner (01 May 1944 - 20 Mar 1945)
Generalmajor Hans-Joachim Deckert (20 Mar 1945 - 08 May 1945)

Area of operations

Germany (Nov 1940 - June 1941)
Eastern front, central sector (June 1941 - Dec 1942)
Eastern front, southern sector (Dec 1942 - June 1944)
Netherlands (June 1944 - July 1944)
Poland (Aug 1944 - Feb 1945)
Czechoslovakia (Feb 1945 - May 1945)

Holders of high awards

Holders of the Close Combat Clasp in Gold (9)
- Heine, Fritz 12.12.1944 Feldwebel 7./Pz.GR 74
- Jacoby, Josef 04.11.1944 Obergefreiter 7./Pz.GR 73
- Link, Friedrich 04.11.1944 Feldwebel 10./Pz.GR 73
- Merten, Josef 04.11.1944 Unteroffizier 10./Pz.GR 73
- Opitz, Ewald 08.10.1944 Unteroffizier Div.Begl.Kp. der 19. PzDiv.
- Othmer, Hans 01.11.1944 Unteroffizier I./Pz.GR 74
- Starha, Friedrich 00.00.0000 Major II./Pz.GR 74
- Täubrich, Karl-Heinz 28.11.1944 Fahnenjunker-Oberfeldwebel 1./Pz.GR 73
- Volker, Heinrich 12.12.1944 Major I./Pz.GR 73
Holders of the Commendation Certificate of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army (15)
Holders of the German Cross in Gold (118)
Holders of the German Cross in Silver (4)
- Eckstein, Willy 29.04.1945 Feldwebel d.R. Werkmeister im Stab/PzPiBtl. 19
- Heineke, Karl Dr. 12.06.1943 Major d.R. Ib 19. PzDiv.
- Hermann, Robert 27.10.1944 Stabsfeldwebel 2./PzAA 19
- Schimming, Gottfried 10.10.1944 Major Kdr Pz.Div.Nachsch.Tr. 19
Holders of the Honor Roll Clasp of the Heer (29)
Holders of the Knight's Cross (45, including one unofficial/unconfirmed)

Order of battle (1943)

HQ
- Divisional Staff
- Mapping Detachment (mot)
27. Panzer Regiment
- Regimental Staff
- Signals Platoon
- Regimental Band
- 2 x Battalion
- Panzer Maintenance Company
73. Panzergrenadier Regiment
- Regimental Staff
- Regimental Band
- Regimental Staff Company
- 2 x Battalion (mot)
- Infantry Gun Company (mot)
74. Panzergrenadier Regiment
- Regimental Staff
- Regimental Band
- Regimental Staff Company
- 2 x Battalion (mot)
- Infantry Gun Company (mot)
19. Panzerjäger Battalion
- Panzerjäger Company (mot)
- Panzerjäger Company (self-propelled)
19. Reconnaissance Battalion
- Amored Car Company
- 3 x Motorcycle Company
- Heavy Reconnaissance Company (mot)
- Light Reconnaissance Supply Column (mot)
19. Panzer Artillery Regiment
- Regimental Staff
- Staff Battery
- 2 x Battalion
- Battalion (mot)
- Observation Battery (mot)
272. Army Flak Battalion
- Staff & Staff Battery (mot)
- 2 x Heavy Flak Battery
- Light Flak Battery
- Light Flak Supply Column
19. Panzer Pioneer Battalion
- Staff
- Pioneer Company (half-track)
- Pioneer Company (mot)
- Brüko K Bridging Column
- Light Pioneer Supply Column (mot)
19. Panzer Signals Battalion
- Panzer Telephone Company
- Panzer Radio Company
- Light Signals Supply Column (mot)
19. Feldersatz Battalion
- 4 x Company
Support & Supply Units

One of the two Panthers from Panzer-Regiment 27 that was captured and used by the Polish forces during the Warsaw Uprising

(Courtesy of Peter)

Footnotes

1. GL Otto von Knobelsdorff goes on sick leave
2. GL Gustav Schmidt commits suicide to avoid capture near Grayvoron
3. GM Hans Källner goes on sick leave

Sources used

Microfilm Publication A-3356, German Officer Personnel files, NARA
RKT & DKiGT karteikarten, BA/MA
Dermot Bradley, Karl-Friedrich Hildebrand, Markus Rövekamp - Die Generale des Heeres 1921-1945
François de Lannoy & Josef Charita - Panzertruppen: German armored troops 1935-1945
Wolf Keilig - Die Generale des Heeres
Andris Kursietis - Die Wehrmacht at War 1939-1945
Kurt Mehner - Die Deutsche Wehrmacht 1939-1945: Führung und Truppe
Samuel W. Mitcham Jr - The Panzer Legions: A guide to the German Army Tank Divisions of WWII and Their Commanders
Peter Schmitz, Klaus-Jürgen Thies, Günter Wegmann & Christian Zweng - Die deutschen Divisionen 1939-1945 (4 Vol)
Georg Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht 1933-1945
Günther Wegmann - Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht, Teil VIII a: Panzertruppe, Band 1
Günter Wegmann & Christian Zweng - Formationsgeschichte u. Stellenbesetzung der deutschen Streitkräfte, 1815-1990, Teile IV, Abt. 1:  Die Dienststellen, Kommandobehörden u. Truppenteile des Heeres, Oct.35-May.45

Reference material on this unit

Rolf Hinze - 19. Infanterie- und Panzer-Division
Rolf Hinze - Die 19. Panzerdivision 1939-1945
Rolf Hinze - Hannoversche Artillerie
Otto von Knobelsdorff - Geschichte der Niedersächsischen 19.Panzer-Division
Albert Krull - Das Hannoversche Regiment 73, Geschichte des Panzer-Grenadier-Regiments 73 (vorm. Inf. Reg. 73)
Adalbert Wasner - Infanterie und Panzergrenadierregiment 74