The Panzergrenadier-Division Kurmark was formed on 30 January 1945 as Kampfgruppe [Brigade] Langkeit first from Panzergrenadier-Ersatz-Brigade Großdeutschland. It was sent immediately into combat eastwards Frankfurt/Oder. After that first fightings it was restructured and strenghened in the area Cottbus in the first days of February 1945. With Führerbefehl the unit was named PGD "Kurmark" on 1 February 1945. Since 7 February 1945 the division was ordered to hold a defensive position with a length of around 18km in the line Frankfurt/Oder - Reitweiner Sporn [south of Küstrin]. It was strengthened with several Fahnenjunker-Grenadier-Regimenter here and there to cover those expanded frontline. Also attached for a short time in the first half of February - when Kurmark was overtaking the frontline - was III./SS-Art.-Lehr-Rgt. as III. Abt. (7.-9.) of the Art.Rgt., coming from Division Raegener (Div.Stab Raegener), where it was attached immediately in the beginning of February. (released from attachment presumably mid February at the latest)
At the turn of March/April 1945 the unit was recalled into reserve. Back in frontline on 16 April 1945 the division had to retreat, beginning on 19 April. Ending up in the Halbe pocket a part of the division after successful breakout went into US captivity near Jerichow on 5 May 1945.

In many sources it is incorrectly listed as Panzer-Division Kurmark. These are post-war misinterpretations ; with regard to the difficult late war situation is also might have happened that is was addressed as Panzer by superior or other commands.

Commanders

Generalmajor Willy Langkeit (23 Jan 1945 - 5 May 1945)

Operations Officers (Ia)

Major von Hopffgarten ( 1 Feb 1945-25 Mar 1945)
Major Gerd Dittmar ( 25 Mar 1945-May 1945)

Operations Officers (IIa)

Major Schreiner

Operations Officers (Ib)

Major i.G. Edel-Heinrich Zachariae-Lingenthal

Area of operations

Eastern Germany (Jan 1945 - May 1945)

Holders of high awards

Holders of the German Cross in Gold (2)
- Grau, Kurt, 15.04.1945, Leutnant d.R., Pz.Aufkl.Schwdr. “Kurmark”
- Müller, Paul, 09.03.1945, Oberfeldwebel d.R., I./Pz.Rgt. “Kurmark”
Holders of the Honor Roll Clasp of the Heer (1)
- Wolf, Theobald, 00.00.1945, Leutnant d.R., Stab II./Gren.Rgt. 1242
Holders of the Knight's Cross (4)
- Liedtcke, Albert-Gustav 15.03.1945 Fahnenjunker-Oberfeldwebel i. d. 6./Fahnenjunker-Regiment 1241
- Riedmüller, Adam 18.02.1945 Feldwebel Zugführer i. d. 4./Jagdpanzer-Abt 2 [Pz.Jagd.Brigade 104] / Kgr. König
- Schmückle, Willi 15.03.1945 Fahnenjunker-Oberfeldwebel i. d. 6./Fahnenjunker-Regiment 1241
- Schöne, Hans-Wolfgang 23.03.1945 Oberleutnant d.R. Führer II./Gren.Rgt 1242

Order of Battle (April 1945)

Stab
Panzer-Regiment Kurmark [Kdr: Major Helmut Hudel, until feb ; Major Frotscher]
- I. Abteilung [Kdr : Olt Wolf-Dieter Lützow]
- 1. - 4. Kp [with 1./Panzer-Jagd-Abt. 1551]
- attached :
- II.(BR) Abteilung
- = I.(Panther)/Pz.Rgt. Brandenburg (ex I./Pz.Rgt. 26)
- 5. - 8. Kp
- [Kdr: Major d.R. Hans-Siegfried Graf von Rothkirch und Trach (POW 5.2.) ; Hptm d.R. Wilhelm Knauth (KIA 25.4.) ; Hptm-  Ernst-Jürgen von dem Bussche (WIA 14.4.) ; Olt Petersen
Panzergrenadier-Regiment Kurmark [Kdr: OTL Max Klüver (WIA 5 Feb), Major René de l'Homme de Courbiére]
- I. Bataillon (ex Alarmverband Schmelter = I./Kgr. Langkeit) [Kdr: Maj Petereit, WIA 5.2. ; Hptm Pollmann]
- 1. - 3. , 4.(MG), 5. (Granatwerfer)
- II. Bataillon [Maj Karl-Friedrich Schöttler, WIA 2.2. ; Hptm Alois Windeck, WIA 6.2. ; Hptm Vehse]
- 6. - 8. , 9.(MG), 10. (Granatwerfer)
- 11.(IG)Kp , 12.(Pi)Kp
Panzerfüsilier-Regiment Kurmark [Kdr : Major Herbert Pfeill (first days) , Hptm Walter Papenhagen (MIA/KIA Apr 45)]- April 45 from Fhj-GR 1235 (KS Dresden)
Panzerartilerie-Regiment Kurmark [Kdr: Maj Willi Hammerich]
- I. Abteilung [Kdr: Hptm Ulrich Bubholtz , MIA/KIA? april 45]
- 1. - 3. Bttr.
- II. Abteilung
- 4. - 6. StuG
- III. Abteilung , 7. - 9. , attached
Panzerjäger-Abteilung Kurmark
- 1 Kp
Panzeraufklärungs-Schwadron (gemischt) Kurmark
- [Kdr: Major Otto-Christer Graf von Albedyll (KIA 1.5.)
Pionier-Bataillon Kurmark
- 1. Pz.Pi.Kp
- 2. Pi.Kp
Nachrichten-Kompanie
Heeres-Flak-Batterie
Kommandeur der Div.Nachschubtruppen 151
Attached:
- Fahnenjunker-Grenadier-Regiment 1234, 1235, 1239, 1241, 1242

Sources used

François de Lannoy & Josef Charita - Panzertruppen: German armored troops 1935-1945
Torsten Fudel - 1945, Von Küstrin über Seelow: Die Ereignisse entlang der Reichsstraße 1 (CD), 2004
Helmuth Spaeter - The History of the Panzerkorps Grossdeutschland Vol 1-3
Georg Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht 1933-1945

Reference material on this unit

Horst Scheibert - Panzer Grenadier Division Grossdeutschland
Helmuth Spaeter - The History of the Panzerkorps Grossdeutschland Vol 1-3