The Schwere Panzer Abteilung 506 was formed in July 1943 around a cadre from 9. Panzer-Division. It fought with Heeresgruppe Mitte at the Dnieper and later at Krivoi-Rog.
It was sent to Germany and refitted with Tiger II (Köningstiger) tanks in August 1944. It fought the Allies near Arnhem (during Operation Market Garden) and at Aachen.

In November 1944 it was strengthened with a fourth company from Schwere Panzer Kompanie Hummel which was used as a heavy support unit where needed.
It took part in the Ardennes offensive (as the only Tiger tank battalion from the Heer) in December 1944.

It surrendered in the Ruhr pocket in April 1945 and the dissolution of the Abt. took place in the city forrest of Iserlohn on 14 Apr 1945.

Commanders

Major Gerhard Willing (20 ? July 1943 - 29 Oct 1943) (KIA at Zelenyj Lug eastwards Veliz/SU)
Major Eberhard Lange (? Nov 1943 - mid Jan 1945) (1)
Hauptmann Heiligenstadt (? Jan 1945 - 9 Feb 1945) (POW) (2)
Hauptmann Jobst-Christoph von Römer (9 ? Feb 1945 - 14 Apr 1945)

Area of operations

Eastern front (July 1943 - Aug 1944)
Western front (Aug 1944 - Apr 1945)

Holders of high awards

Holders of the Commendation Certificate of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army for Shooting Down Aircraft (1)
- Wiedeschitz, [first name not listed], 15.10.1944 [Date of Action] (542), Unteroffizier, s.Pz.Abt. 506
Holders of the German Cross in Gold (8)
- Adler, Franz, 09.03.1945, Feldwebel, 1./s.Pz.Abt. 506
- Brandt, Hans-Ludwig, 11.12.1943, Oberleutnant, 2./s.Pz.Abt. 506
- Graef, Günther, 17.08.1944, Leutnant, s.Pz.Abt. 506
- Grand, Ludwig, 13.01.1945, Unteroffizier, 3./s.Pz.Abt. 506
- Hämmer, Martin, 17.03.1944, Oberfeldwebel, 3./s.Pz.Abt. 506
- Kannenberg, Kurt, 12.09.1944, Stabsfeldwebel, 3./s.Pz.Abt. 506
- Otto, Heinz, 01.06.1944, Oberleutnant, 3./Pz.Abt. 506
- Pichelmair, Anton, 07.01.1945, Oberfeldwebel, 2./Pz.Abt. 506
Holders of the German Cross in Silver (1)
- Seidl, Karl, 04.04.1945, Leutnant d.R., Werkstattkompanie s.Pz.Abt. 506
Holders of the Honor Roll Clasp of the Heer (1)
- Otto, Heinz, 07.01.1945, Hauptmann, 3./s.Pz.Abt. 506
Holders of the Knight's Cross (1)
- Kannenberg, Kurt 09.12.1944 Stabsfeldwebel Zugführer i. d. 3./s.Pz.Abt 506

A Tiger of 2.Kompanie/schwere Panzer Abteilung 506 on the Eastern Front early 1944

(Courtesy of Bundesarchiv/Wikimedia, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3 0 Germany)

A Tiger II from 2.Kompanie/schwere Panzer Abteilung 506 restored by the US 129th Ordnance Battalion, 15 December 1944

(Courtesy of National Archives and Records Administration, NARA)

Footnotes

1. Eberhard Lange was relieved of command by OB Pz.AOK 5, GenOberst von Manteuffel.
2. Heiligenstadt was captured during reconnaissance for a planned attack.

Sources used

Ron Klages - Trail of the Tigers
Wolfgang Schneider - Tigers in combat (2 vol)
Georg Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht 1933-1945
Gordon Williamson - German Army Elite Units, 1939-45

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -