Skoda 35 Tank Kompanie of Panzer-Regiment 11 Wait in A Wood for the Opening of Blitzkrieg

Image size: 1600 x 830 pixel. 499 KB
Date: April 1940
Place: Mayen, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
Photographer: Unknown

A Skoda 35 tank Kompanie of Panzer-Regiment 11/6.Panzer-Division wait in a wood near Mayen for the opening of Blitzkrieg on France, April 1940. Around 30 January 1940, the newly-built 6. Panzer-Division left its quarters in the region of Wuppertal and on 2 February 1940 it was assembled in the area of Euskirchen with the divisional CP (Command Post) in Münstereifel. In the West the German and the Allies stayed face to face without nobody dared to take the first step although with the conclusion of the Campaign in Poland and the deployment of the armor divisions and the active infantry divisions of the German Army on its western borders all possibility of a fast Allied victory had disappeared. On 1 March 1940, the 6. Panzer-Division was displaced towards the Westerwald and subordinated under the XXXI. Armeekorps (Motorisiert) which was commanded by General der Panzertruppe Hans-Georg Reinhardt. To this Army Corps also belonged the 8. Panzer-Division and the 29. Infanterie-Division (Motorisiert). In turn the XXXI. Armeekorps (Mot.) was fitted as well in the Panzergruppe of General der Kavallerie Ewald von Kleist together with the XIX. Armeekorps (Mot.) of General der Panzertruppe Guderian and the XIV. Armeekorps (Mot.) of General der Infanterie Gustav Anton von Wietersheim. Towards the end of April of 1940, all the tracked vehicles were across the Rhine and were concentrated again in the area of Mayen, while the bulk of the division remaining in the Westerwald.

Source:

Helmut Ritgen photo collection
Book "The 6th Panzer Division: 1937-45" by Oberst a.D. Helmut Ritgen