circa 1939/40. The panzer jacket is a typical depot piece. Made from early black panzer cloth, complete with all insignia: Bevo-woven breast eagle 1st model, white on black, hand-sewn, the collar tabs machine-sewn, the skulls made of aluminum. The matte shoulder boards with gilt overlays, Waffenfarbe pink, with loops. The buttons made of black Bakelite. On the chest, loops for 2 pin-on badges. Interior with black lining, the depot stamps no longer visible. Measurements: shoulder 45 cm, chest circumference 85 cm, sleeve length 54 cm. The panzer jacket is clearly worn, all insignia originally sewn on, in good untouched original condition, condition 2.
Panzer-Regiment Nr. 11 was established on October 12, 1937 in Paderborn, Wehrkreis VI, for the 1st Light Division. Panzer-Regiment 11 was initially formed with only 6 companies. At the beginning of the Polish Campaign, the regiment consisted of 45 Panzer II, 75 Panzer 35 t, 27 Panzer IV and 6 command tanks 35 t. After the Polish Campaign, the regiment was assigned to the 6th Panzer Division on October 18, 1939 and transferred to the west. At the beginning of the French Campaign, the regiment had 40 Panzer II, 79 Panzer 35 t, 30 Panzer IV and 10 command tanks 35 t. After the conclusion of the fighting around Dunkirk, the regiment was transferred to the Somme east of Rethel and from here pushed into the rear of the Maginot Line. After the French Campaign, the regiment returned to its garrisons. At the beginning of the Russian Campaign, the regiment belonged with the 6th Panzer Division to Panzer Group 4 in Army Group North. At the start of the offensive, the regiment had 32 Panzer II, 103 Panzer 35 t, 20 Panzer IV, 3 command tanks 35 t and six other command tanks. From the Ragnit area, the regiment broke through Lithuania and Latvia in a few days, penetrated the Stalin Line and reached the Luga after three weeks. It continued toward Leningrad. After Leningrad was reached, the regiment was transferred south together with the division to participate in the advance on Moscow. On November 30, after heavy fighting, the regiment no longer possessed a single operational Panzer 35 t or Panzer IV. After the regiment had advanced to just before Moscow, it had to retreat. During the subsequent Russian counteroffensive, the regiment lost its last tank. After the stabilization of the front, the regiment was deployed in the Rzhev area and in May 1942 was transferred to France for refitting. After the regiment was refitted in France, it was sent to the Eastern Front in November 1942 after the encirclement of Stalingrad. From Kotelnikovo, the regiment participated in Operation “Wintergewitter” (Winter Storm), the relief attempt by Hoth Group, toward Stalingrad. Via Kumsky, the regiment advanced to the Myshkova. From here, the regiment had to disengage from the front and was set in march toward Kharkov, where it was to stop the Russian offensive. On May 5, 1943, the I. Abteilung of the regiment was converted into a Panther battalion. During “Operation Zitadelle” (Citadel), the Battle of Kursk, the regiment had 13 Panzer II, 34 Panzer III long, 18 Panzer III with 7.5 cm KwK, 32 Panzer IV long, 6 command tanks and 14 flame tanks. The I. Abteilung was still being re-equipped. From Belgorod, the regiment pushed through the Russian lines but was stopped after only a few kilometers and had to withdraw to Kharkov. From here began the retreat to the west. In early 1944, Shepetovka in northern Ukraine was reached. Transferred to the Reich in April 1944, the regiment came to Vilnius in July 1944. At this time it consisted of 81 Panzer IV long and 8 Flakpanzer IV with 3.7 cm Flak. Via the Narew, it moved to Hungary by December 1944. On April 2, 1945, the regiment had taken position in the Reich border defenses between the Danube and Lake Neusiedl. After only two days, the regiment had to withdraw via the Fischa bridges to Vienna. Here the regiment experienced the end of the war.
