113th Panzer Brigade

The 113th Panzer Brigade was a tank formation of the Wehrmacht Heer (German Army) in World War II. As a tank formation, it was part of the Panzer Arm (Panzerwaffe). It was formed on September 4, 1944. It was a Panzer Brigade, one of the new units formed by Adolf Hitler to stiffen the collapsing Eastern Front after Operation Bagration after observing the successes of ad-hoc kampfgruppes like Schwere Panzer Regiment Bake, commanded by Dr. Franz Bake. The creation of Panzer Brigades was opposed due to the diversion of resources needed to rebuilt the battered Panzer Divisions. Despite originally earmarked for the Eastern Front, the Allied breakthrough following Operation Cobra and the Falaise Pocket prompted it's assignment on the Western Front.

It was equipped with two battalions of Panzer IV and Panthers, with two mechanized panzergrenadier battalions. On paper, it was a strong formation. However, it lacked sufficent supporting units such as reconnaissance, artillery and engineers, which made a Panzer Division a lethal combination of armor and infantry. It participated in the Battle of Arracourt, as the Germans attempted to stop the US Third Army's penetrations in Lorraine. The battle resulted in German defeat and the virtual destruction of the 113th Panzer Brigade.

On October 1, 1944, the 113th Panzer Brigade was disbanded and it's shattered remnants was assigned to the 15th Panzergrenadier Division.

Organization as of 16 September 1944