Panzeraufklärer to IndexArticles

Update: July 28th, 2001

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Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 4 (Aufklärungs-Abteilung (mot.) 4 during Polish campaign) was the reconaissance troop of the 1.Panzer-Division during the early war years. Here is an Sd.Kfz.221† in the burning town Truskolasch.

Panzerschütze Günter Saynisch was one of the first KIA in the Abteilung. Saynisch was born in December 1917 in Wuppertal-Elberfeld. He joined RAD in 1938, but soon he joined the Army and was assigned to 1.Schwadron, Aufklärungs-Abteilung 4 in Sonderhausen. He was trained with weapons K98k rifle, P08, MP18, MG34 and 2cm KwK30 (sub/main armament of armored cars), and became a crew member of the armored car named Köln† - the photograph shows Saynisch in front of his vehicle and his gravesite - he would soon meet his fate in this armored car in Poland.

Memorial publication of Poland campaign† of the Abteilung vividly describes what happened on the fourth day of the invasion.

First casualties
September 4th is the black day in the history of our Abteilung. The recce troop Leutnant Metzger was conducting reconnaissance in the woods of Lubien. In early morning he attacked from south and southwest many times and found the woods was occupied by strong enemy force. Then all of a sudden on the southern edge he received strong enemy fire. The 8-wheeled armored car was hit, and Panzerschütze Beyer and Saynisch was killed. It was impossible to move using backward steering because Saynisch layed there. Still the heavily wounded troop leader and Panzerschütze Völker was able to bail out. The third light armored car recovered the troop leader in spite of heavy infantry fire, but Panzerschütze Völker died in the process. The second light armored car, only 100m away during the recovery attempt, drove back but the chassis fell into swampy field. But the crew Gefreiter Schmidt, Panzerschütze Bruner, Funker Süß did not give up, and with the help of some Volksdeutschen civilian, the vehicle was again able to move. They returned to the Abteilung. Recce troop Wachtmeister Dölling came back with heavily exhausted Leutnant Metzger. Three killed comrades and a heavily wounded officer will remain in the history of the Aufklärungsabteilung.

Here† is a letter fromLeutnant Lienau† to the parents of Saynisch. Lienau was the commander of 1. Schwadron - a very young and able company leader. He later received the Knight's Cross as the commander of Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 33 in DAK, but his fate would also close there. Out of the veterans of A.A.4 in Poland, three would receive Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Hptm. Lienau and Hptm. Bellegarde did not survive the war. The only one who survived the war was Lt. Wolfgang Darius† (later Major) - here a rather rare picture during the Poland campaign. He would be transferred to the 6.Kompanie, Panzer-Regiment 1 as company commander and made himself famous as a capable leader who was always at the front. He was the first to report to the Division that Leningrad was in sight! After his injury he commanded Panzer-Abteilung 21 (20.Panzer-Division) to receive the Knight's Cross† in 1943.

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