The 1. Leichte-Division was formed in Wuppertal on 10 November 1938 from the 1. Leichte-Brigade. It took part in the invasion of Poland with the 10. Armee. It was reorganized and redesignated 6. Panzer-Division on 18 October 1939.

Commanders

Generalleutnant Erich Hoepner (10 Nov 1938 - 24 Nov 1938)
Generalleutnant Friedrich-Wilhelm von Loeper (24 Nov 1938 - 10 Oct 1939)
Generalmajor Werner Kempf (10 Oct 1939 - 18 Oct 1939)

Operations Officers (Ia)

Oberstleutnant Volkmar Schöne (10 Nov 1938 -18 Oct 1939)

Area of operations

Poland (Sep 1939 - Oct 1939)

Order of battle

Kavallerie-Schützen-Regiment 4
Panzer-Regiment 11
Kradschützen-Abteilung 6
Panzer-Abteilung 65
Artillerie-Regiment 76
Aufklärungs-Abteilung 6
Panzer-Abwehr-Abteilung 41
Nachrichten-Abteilung 82
Pionier-Bataillon 57
Infanterie-Divisions-Nachschubführer 57

Notable members

Prince Victor of Ratibor (KIA 18 Sep 1939 during the invasion of Poland as Leutnant in Panzer-Regiment 11)
Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg (Active in the resistance against Hitler and the one who placed the bomb that were to kill Hitler 20 July 1944, he was executed after the failure of the July 20 Plot, the Bundeswehr barracks Graf-Stauffenberg-Kaserne in Sigmaringen was named in his honour 1961)
Herbert Vahl (Served in Panzer-Abteilung 65, later division-commander in the Waffen-SS)

Sources used

François de Lannoy & Josef Charita - Panzertruppen: German armored troops 1935-1945
Georg Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht 1933-1945
Mark C. Yerger - Waffen-SS Commanders: The army, corps and divisional leaders of a legend (2 vol)

Reference material on this unit

K.H.Grams - Panzer Artillerie Regiment 76 1936-1945
Michael Schadewitz - Panzerregiment 11/Panzerabteilung 65, 1937-1945. Panzerersatz- und Ausbildungsabteilung 11 (1939-1945)