12th Panzer Brigade (Bundeswehr)
| 12th Panzer Brigade | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panzerbrigade 12 | |||||
Coat of Arms | |||||
| Active | 1 July 1956 – Present | ||||
| Country | West Germany (1956-1990) Germany (1990-Present) | ||||
| Branch | German Army | ||||
| Type | Mechanized brigade | ||||
| Size | 5,000 troops[1] | ||||
| Part of | 4th Panzergrenadier Division (1956-1994) 13th Panzergrenadier Division (2001-2006) 10th Panzer Division (2006-Present) | ||||
| Garrison/HQ | Cham, Germany | ||||
| Nickname(s) | Upper Palatinate | ||||
| Engagements | Kosovo War War in Afghanistan | ||||
| Website | https://www.bundeswehr.de/de/organisation/heer/organisation/10-panzerdivision/panzerbrigade-12 | ||||
| Commanders | |||||
| Current commander | Brigadier General Axel Hardt[3] | ||||
| Notable commanders | Fritz von Korff | ||||
| Insignia | |||||
| NATO Map Symbol |
| ||||
The 12th Panzer Brigade, also known as 12th Panzer Brigade "Upper Palatinate" is a Mechanized brigade of the German Army.[4]
History
Cold War
The 12th Panzer Brigade was formed on 1 July 1956 in Amberg. It was attached to the 4th Panzergrenadier Division.
After German reunification
In 1993, the German Federal Minister of Defense awarded the brigade the nickname "Upper Palatinate." On 6 November 2023, the 122nd Panzergrenadier Battalion was transferred to Lithuania in preparation for the formation of the 45th Panzer Brigade.[5] On 11 September 2024, the 131st Panzer Artillery Battalion was transferred to the 12th Panzer Brigade
Organization
As of 2025, 12th Panzer Brigade's current structure is as follows:[6]
- 12th Panzer Brigade
- 4th Supply Battalion
- 8th Reconnaissance Battalion
- 8th Mountain Panzer Battalion
- 8th Panzer Engineer Battalion
- 104th Panzer Battalion
- 112th Panzergrenadier Battalion
- 131st Panzer Artillery Battalion
- 363rd Panzer Battalion
References
- ^ "Panzerbrigade 12". Bundeswehr (in German). Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- ^ "CRISIS IN THE BALKANS: THE PEACEKEEPERS; Germans Plan Curfew as Crime Rises in a City". The New York Times. 28 June 1999. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- ^ "Kommandoübergabe im Februar: Brigadegeneral Andreas Kühne verlässt Cham". Mittelbayerische (in German). 11 January 2024. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- ^ "Gewässerübergang Panzerbrigade 12 in Luhe". Mediathek (in German). 8 October 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- ^ "Entscheidungen zur Brigade Litauen". Bundesministerium der Verteidigung (in German). 6 November 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- ^ https://www.bundeswehr.de/de/organisation/heer/organisation/10-panzerdivision/panzerbrigade-12