It was formed from several elite training and demonstration units. Panzer Lehr began forming on 30 December 1943 and moved to the Nancy– Verdun area in January 1944 to complete the process. On several occasions it fought almost to destruction, in particular during Operation Cobra, and by the end of the war in Europe bore little resemblance to the unit that had originally been activated. It was the only Wehrmacht Panzer division to be fully equipped with tanks and with halftracks to transport its mechanized infantry. On 4 April 1944, the division was officially designated as the 130th Panzer Division however, it is usually referred to as the Lehr Division. It was formed in 1943 onwards from training and demonstration troops ( Lehr = "teach") stationed in Germany, to provide additional armored strength for the anticipated Allied invasion of western Europe. The Panzer-Lehr-Division (in the meaning of: Armoured training division) was an elite German armoured division during World War II.
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