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Sunday, May 12, 2024

Hasso von Manteuffel and Windhund Officers


General der Panzertruppe Hasso von Manteuffel (left, Oberbefehlshaber 5. Panzerarmee) conferring with his subordinate unit from 116. Panzer-Division "Windhund" somewhere in the northern France, September 1944. In the center is Leutnant Horst Gittermann (Adjutant I.Abteilung / Panzer-Regiment 16 / 116.Panzer-Division), while on the right is Oberleutnant Walter Penzler (Chef 4.Kompanie / I.Abteilung / Panzer-Regiment 16 / 116.Panzer-Division). The officer in the background is a representative of von Manteuffel's personal guard. Please note the "Windhund" (greyhound) emblem on Gittermann's and Penzler's caps, which was also the emblem and nickname of the 116. Panzer-Division. The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Genzler of PK (Propaganda-Kompanie) 698.



General der Panzertruppe Hasso von Manteuffel (second from left, Oberbefehlshaber 5. Panzerarmee) conferring with his subordinate unit from 116. Panzer-Division "Windhund" somewhere in the northern France, September 1944. Second from right is Leutnant Horst Gittermann (Adjutant I.Abteilung / Panzer-Regiment 16 / 116.Panzer-Division), while on the right is Oberleutnant Walter Penzler (Chef 4.Kompanie / I.Abteilung / Panzer-Regiment 16 / 116.Panzer-Division). The officer at left is a representative of von Manteuffel's personal guard. This moment in time would have been captured during preparation for Wacht am Rhein - what became to be for the Allies the Battle of the Bulge in Allied terminology.  Von Manteuffel wears a leather overcoat with the AFRIKA cuffband being worn on the incorrect arm.  The Großdeutschland cufftitle is also worn - on the correct arm - and in this case, above the AFRIKA band, attesting to the stature von Manteuffel accorded his service in command of this elite unit.  Although no longer commanding Panzergrenadier Division Großdeutschland at the time of this photo, it is known that the GD unit cufftitle was permanently awarded within the division on rare and exceptional occasions for superior service.  In fact it was von Manteuffel who began this practice as division commander.  The Division even created divisional award documents to support the permanent awarding of the cufftitle, which otherwise had to be removed if the soldier was reassigned.  It is likely that von Manteuffel received such an honor upon his departure as the GD's commanding general.  However, as worn by von Manteuffel, this combination is otherwise entirely incorrect.  He is also known to have continued to wear the unique GD cipher on his shoulder straps after taking command of 5th Panzerarmee.. The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Genzler of PK (Propaganda-Kompanie) 698.



General der Panzertruppe Hasso von Manteuffel (center, Oberbefehlshaber 5. Panzerarmee) confers with the staff of Panzer-Brigade 111. Behind the general were officers from 116. Panzer-Division "Windhund", from left to right: Major Gerhard Tebbe (Kommandeur Panzer-Abteilung 116 / Panzer-Regiment 16 / 116.Panzer-Division), Leutnant Horst Gittermann (Adjutant I.Abteilung / Panzer-Regiment 16 / 116.Panzer-Division), and unknown.


Source :
"The Defeat of Germany: Then and Now" by Winston Ramsey
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2010/10/album-foto-general-der-panzertruppe.html
https://www.themodellingnews.com/2017/06/construction-review-officer-116th-pz.html
https://waralbum.ru/359472/
https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/campaign_awards/cufftitles/afrika_files/wear_regulations.htm

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