3rd Panzer Army (Germany)

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The 3rd Panzer Army (German: 3.Panzer-Armee) was a German army that saw action during World War II.

The 3rd Panzer Army was a constituent of Army Group Centre and fought in the Battle of Moscow in late 1941 and early 1942. During the Soviet counter-offensive, the 3rd Panzer Army fought its way out of an encirclement, and later fought at Tekino, the Duna, and Vitebsk. The 3rd Panzer Army later retreated through Lithuania and Courland, fighting in the Battle of Memel in late 1944.

In February 1945 the 3rd Panzer Army was one of the armies that made up the new Army Group Vistula. On March 10, 1945, General Hasso-Eccard von Manteuffel was made the commander of the 3rd Panzer Army, which was assigned to defend the banks of Oder River, north of the Seelow Heights, thus preventing the Soviets access to Western Pomerania and Berlin. The 3rd Panzer Army then faced an overwhelming attack launched by General Rokossovsky's 2nd Belorussian Front during the Battle of Berlin. On April 25 the 2nd Belorussian Front broke through 3rd Panzer Army's line around the bridgehead south of Stettin and crossed the Rando Swamp. Manteuffel was forced to retreat to Mecklenburg where he surrendered his troops to the Western Allies on May 3, 1945, thus escaping capture by the Soviets.