had been entrapped at Stalingrad. It was part of the failed German attempt to break through to the encircled forces but then had to retreat to escape encirclement itself. The division was part of the German retreat and successful counter offensive at Kharkov and the failed attempt to regain initiative in the Battle of Kursk. The 6th Panzer Division was part of the partially successful relief operation at the Korsun-Cherkassy Pocket as well as the escape from the Kamenets-Podolsky pocket. After the retreat through the Ukraine the division was sent to Germany for reorganisation but hastily returned to the Eastern Front in July, after the destruction of Army Group Center in the Soviet Operation Bagration. It was part of the German defence of northern Poland and East Prussia before being relocated to Hungary in December 1944. It took part in the battles around Siege of Budapest before retreating into Austria and taking part in the defence of Vienna. When the city fell it moved into Czechoslovakia where it surrendered to US 3rd Army in May 1945 but was handed over to Soviet forces. War crimes Soldiers of the division allegedly executed an unknown number of black prisoners of war from the 12th Senegalese Tirailleurs regiment in mid-June 1940. It is estimated that, of the 40,000 black soldiers from the French colonies engaged in combat with German forces during the battle of France 1,500 to 3,000 were murdered either during or after combat. Commanders The commanders of the division: Generalleutnant Erich Hoepner (10 November 1938 – 23 November 1938) Generalmajor Friedrich-Wilhelm von Loeper (24 November 1938 – 12 October 1939) General der Panzertruppe Werner Kempf (18 October 1939 – 6 January 1941) Generalleutnant Franz Landgraf (6 January 1941 – June 1941) Generalleutnant Franz Landgraf (15 September 1941 – 1 April 1942) Generaloberst Erhard Raus (1 April 1942 – 7 February 1943) Generalleutnant Walther von Hünersdorff (7 February 1943 – 16 July 1943) Generalmajor Wilhelm Crisolli (16 July 1943 – 21 August 1943) Generalleutnant Rudolf Freiherr von Waldenfels (21 August 1943 – 8 February 1944) Generalleutnant Werner Marcks (8 February 1944 – 21 February 1944) Generalleutnant Rudolf Freiherr von Waldenfels (21 February – 13 March 1944) Generalleutnant Walter Denkert i.V. (13 March 1944 – 28 March 1944) Generalleutnant Rudolf Freiherr von Waldenfels (28 March 1944 – 23 November 1944) Oberst Friedrich-Wilhelm Jürgens (23 November 1944 – 20 January 1945) Generalleutnant Rudolf Freiherr