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Germany's Glossary
As with any translation of a language into another language, it can never be exact. But hopefully these are pretty close. You won't find all these phrases used in this web site, but you might run across them in reading.3
| German Word / Phrase | Abbreviation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Abteilung3,4 | Abt3 | Battalion in size with artillery.4 Company to regiment in size with other arms.4 Detachment, battalion.3 |
| Aufklärungs3 | Aufkl3 | Reconnaissance3 |
| Auftrag4 | A mission.4 | |
| Ausbildung3,4 | Training3,4 | |
| Ausführung1 | Ausf1,3 | A different model or mark of a vehicle.1 Variant.3 |
| Bataillonführerswagen | Battalion commander's vehicle | |
| Bataillon3 | Btl3, Batl3 | Battalion.3 |
| Batterie3 | Bt3, Bttr3 | Battery3 |
| Befelswagen | Command Vehicle | |
| Beobachtung3 | Observation.3 | |
| Bergepanzer | Armored Recovery Vehicle | |
| Betriebsstoff3 | Fuel, petrol.3 | |
| Brukenleger | Bridgelayer | |
| Brücken Kolonne3 | Brüko3 | Bridging column.3 |
| Dienst3 | Service3 | |
| Divisions Nachschub Führer3 | DiNaFü3 | Divisional commander of supply units.3 |
| Divisions Verpflegungsamt3 | DVA3 | Divisional food supply office.3 |
| Druckerei3 | Printing3 | |
| Durchbruchswagen | Breakthrough vehicle | |
| Einheitwaffentrager | Weapons Carrier | |
| Eisenbahnlafette4 | A railway mounting for heavy artillery piece.4 | |
| Ergänzung3 | Ergz3 | Support.3 |
| Ersatz3,4 | Replacement.3,4 | |
| Ersatzheer3 | Replacement army.3 | |
| Ersatzteil3 | Spare part.3 | |
| Fahrgestell1 | Chassis.1 | |
| Feld3 | Field.3 | |
| Feldersatz3 | Field replacement.3 | |
| Feldgendarmerie3 | Military police.3 | |
| Feldhaubitze3 | FH3 | Field howitzer.3 |
| Feldlazarett3 | Field hospital.3 | |
| Feldpost3 | Field post.3 | |
| Fernsprech3 | Fsp3 | Telephone.3 |
| Flak4 | Fliegerabwehrkanon anti-aircraft gun or anti-aircraft fire.4 | |
| Flakartillerie3 | Anti-aircraft artillery.3 | |
| Flakpanzer | Anti-aircraft tank | |
| Flammenwerfer3 | Fl3, Flamm3 | Flame thrower.3 |
| Fleiger Abwerh3 | Fla3 | Army anti-aircraft unit.3 |
| Flieger Abwehr Kanone3 | FlaK, Flak2,3 | Anti-aircraft artillery.3 Anti-aircraft gun.2 |
| Fu Ger2 | Radio set2 | |
| Fu Spr Ger2 | Radiotelephone2 | |
| Funk3 | Radio3 | |
| Funklenkpanzer | Radio controlled tank | |
| Funktrupp3 | Radio section.3 | |
| Funkwagen | Wireless tank or cars | |
| Gepanzert3 | Gep3 | Armored.3 |
| Geschütz3 | Gun.3 | |
| Geschützstaffel3 | Gun section, artillery.3 | |
| Gewehr3 | Rifle.3 | |
| Gruppe3 | Group.3 Corps level.3 | |
| Granatenwerfer3 | GrW3 | Mortar.3 |
| Haubitze3 | Howitzer.3 | |
| Heer3 | H3 | Army.3 |
| Heeresgruppe3 | HGr3 | Army group.3 |
| Heeres Flak Abteilung3 | H-Flak Abt3 | Army anti-aircraft unit.3 |
| Hilfswillige3 | Hiwi3 | Auxiliary volunteers.3 |
| Hohlgranate1, Hohlraumgranate1, Hohlraummunition1, HL1 | HEAT1, High Explosive Anti-Tank round1 | |
| Horchkompanie4 | A wireless intercept company.4 | |
| Infanterie Division3 | ID3 | Infantry division.3 |
| Infanterie Geschütz3 | IG3 | Infantry gun.3 |
| Infanterie Regiment3 | IR3 | Infantry regiment.3 |
| Instandsetzung3 | Inst3 | Maintenance.3 |
| Jagdpanzer | Tank destroyer | |
| Kampfgruppe3 | KG3, KGr3 | Battle group.3 |
| Kampfwagenkanone1,4, Kampfwagen Kanone3 | Kw.K.1, KwK3 | Usually a tanks main armament. Tank gun.1,3,4 |
| Kanone3 | Gun.3 | |
| Kartenstelle3 | Mapping detachment.3 | |
| Kleine | Small | |
| Kolonne3 | Kol3 | Column3 |
| Kommandeur3, Kommandant3 | Kdr3, Kdt3 | Commander.3 |
| Kommandeur Divisions3 | KoDiNa3 | Commander of division supply troops.3 |
| Kommando3 | Divisional headquarters.3 | |
| Kompanie3 | Kp3, Komp3 | Company.3 |
| Krad2 | Motorcycle2 | |
| Kradmelder3 | Kradm3 | Messenger.3 |
| Kradschützen3 | K3 | Motorcycle infantry.3 |
| Kraftfahr3, Kraftfahzeug3 | Kfz3 | Vehicle.3 |
| Kraftfahrpark3 | Vehicle park.3 | |
| Kraftwagen3 | Kw3 | Motor vehicle.3 |
| Krankenkraftwagen3 | Ambulance.3 | |
| Kriegsstärke Nachweisung3 | KStN3 | War establishment chart.3 |
| Kurz3 | K3 | Tank gun.3 |
| Landwirtschaftliche Schlepper1 | LaS1 | Farm tractor1 |
| Landungsboot3 | Assault boat.3 | |
| Lang3 | L3 | Long tank gun.3 |
| Lehr3 | Demonstration.3 | |
| Lehrbatallion4 | Demonstration batallion.4 | |
| Leicht3 | L3, Le3 | Light.3 |
| Leichtemaschinengewehr4 | Light machine gun.4 | |
| le FH2 | Light field howitzer2 | |
| le FK2 | Light field cannon2 | |
| l. F. H.2 | Light field howitzer2 | |
| le. I. G.2 | Light infantry gun2 | |
| le. W. S.2 | Light army tractor2 | |
| l. I. G.2 | Light infantry gun2 | |
| Lkw2 | Truck2 | |
| Luftwaffefelddivision4 | Luftwaffe personnel that were converted into an infantry division to fight.4 | |
| Mannschafts Transport Wagen3 | MTW3 | Armored personnel carrier.3 |
| Maschinengewehr3 | MG3 | Machine gun.3 |
| Minenräumpanzer | Mine clearing tank | |
| Mittler3 | Medium.3 | |
| Motorisiert3 | Mot3 | Motorized.3 |
| Motorisierte Selbsfahrlafette3 | Mot S3 | Self propelled.3 |
| Motorisierter Zugkraftwagen3 | Mot Z3 | Motorized, towed by a vehicle.3 |
| Nachrichten3 | Nachr3 | Communication.3 |
| Nachschub3 | Supply.3 | |
| Nebelwerfer3,4 | Nb3 | Rocket launcher.3,4 |
| Oberkommando der Luftwaffe4 | OKL4 | Air Force high command.4 |
| Oberkommando der Marine4 | OKM4 | Navy high command.4 |
| Oberkommando der Wehrmacht4 | OKW4 | Armed Forces high command.4 |
| Oberkommando des Heeres3 | OKH3 | Army high command.3 |
| Panzer Abwehr Kanone3, Panzerabwerhkanone4 | PaK2, PAK3,4 | Anti-tank gun.2,3 |
| Panzer1,3 | Pz3 | Tank or armor.1,3 |
| Panzer Aufklärungs Abteilung3 | PzAufklAbt3 | Armored reconnaissance unit.3 |
| Panzer-Abteilung1 | Armored battalion.1 | |
| Panzer Division3 | PzDiv3 | Armored division.3 |
| Panzer Regiment3 | PzRgt3 | Armored regiment.3 |
| Panzerbefehlswagen2,3 | PzBefh3, Pz. Bef. Wg.2 | Armored command vehicles.2 Command tank.3 |
| Panzerbeobachtungswagen | Armored OP tank | |
| Panzerbergzug4 | Tank recovery platoon.4 | |
| Panzerbüchse3,4 | PzB3 | Anti tank rifle.3,4 |
| Panzergranate1 | PzGr1 | Armor piercing (AP) round1 |
| Panzergrenadier3,4 | PzG3, PzGren3 | Armored infantry.3 Starting on July 5, 1942 all Schützen were called this.3 The infantry in a Panzer or Panzergrenadier Division.4 |
| Panzergruppe3 | Panzer group, similar in size to an army.3 | |
| Panzerhaubitze3 | Armored howitzer.3 | |
| Panzerjäger2,3 | PzJäg3, Pz. Jg.2 | Tank destroyer.2 Anti tank.3 |
| Panzerkampfwagen1,3,4 | PzKpfw1,3, PzKw4 | Battle tanks. Tank, armored fighting vehicles.1,3,4 |
| Panzerkastenoberteil1 | Superstructure.1 | |
| Panzerkorp3, Panzer Korps3 | Armored corps.3 | |
| Panzerspäh3, Panzer Späh3, Panzerspähwagen | PzSpah3 | Armored car.3 |
| Panzerwaffe3 | Tank arm of the military.3 | |
| Patrone4 | Artillery projectile.4 | |
| Pionier3 | Pi3, Pion3 | Engineer, sapper.3 |
| Räumschaufepanzer | Dozer tanks | |
| Regiment3 | Rgt3 | Regiment3 |
| Reichsarbeitsdienst4 | RAD4 | National labor service.4 |
| Rueckstossfrei4 | Recoiless4 | |
| Rückwartige Dienst3 | Rear area units.3 | |
| Sanitäts3 | Medical.3 | |
| Schlachterei3 | Butcher.3 | |
| Schützen3 | Schtz3 | Light motorized infantry.3 |
| Schützen Regiment3 | SR3 | Motorized infantry regiment.3 |
| Schützenpanzerwagen2,4 | SPW2,4 | Armored personnel carrier2 |
| Schwer3 | S3, schw3 | Heavy.3 |
| Schwere Infanterie3 | SIG3 | Heavy infantry gun.3 |
| Schweremaschinengewehr4 | SMG4 | Heavy machine gun.4 |
| Selbstfahrlafette3 | sfl3 | Self propelled mount.3 |
| Sonderkraftfahrzeug1 , Sonder Kraftfahrzeug3 | SdKfz1,3 | Special motor vehicle.1,3 |
| Sprenggranate1 | SprGr1 | High explosive (HE) round1 |
| Stab3 | St3 | Headquarters staff.3 |
| Staffel3 | Squadron.3 | |
| Sturm3 | St3 | Assault.3 |
| Sturmkanone4 | Assault gun with long barrel.4 | |
| Sturmgeschütz2,4 | StuG2 | Assault gun2 Assault gun with short barrel.4 |
| Sturmhaubitze2 | StuH2 | Assault howitzer2 |
| StuK2 | Assault cannon2 | |
| Tauch Panzer3 | Submersible tank.3 | |
| Tornister3 | Pack.3 | |
| Tross3 | Train.3 | |
| Trupp3 | Tr3 | Section.3 |
| tschechisch3 | (t)3 | Czech3 |
| Turm1 | Turret.1 | |
| Übung4 | Military exercise.4 | |
| Vermessung3 | Verm3 | Survey.3 |
| Verplegung3 | Verpfl3 | Administrative.3 |
| Versorgungsdienst3 | Supply service.3 | |
| Versorgungstruppe3 | Supply units.3 | |
| Verstärkte4 | Infantry regiment reinforced to be strength of brigade.4 | |
| Verwaltung3 | Verw3 | Administration.3 |
| Volkettenkraftfahrzeug | VK | Full tracked motor vehicle (prototype and experimental vehicle designation) |
| Volksstrurm4 | Civilians raised to fight towards end of World War II.4 | |
| Vorausabteilung3 | Advanced detachment.3 | |
| Waffenamt1 | Ordnance department1 | |
| Waffenträger | Weapon carrier | |
| Wehrkreis3,4 | Military district.3,4 | |
| Werkstatt3 | Werkst3 | Workshop.3 |
| Wurfrahmen3 | Rocket launcher frame.3 | |
| Zitadelle3 | The plan for the attack at Kursk in July 1943.3 | |
| Zug3,4 | Platoon.3,4 Train.4 Tractor.4 |
|
| Zugführerwagen | ZW | Platoon leader's vehicle |
| zur besonderen Verwendung3 | zbV3 | For special purposes.3 |
Sources:
- Panzers At War, Michael and Gladys Green, 2005
- Special Panzer Variants, Development, Production, Operations, Walter J. Spielberger, Hillary L. Doyle, 2007
- Panzer Divisions: The Eastern Front 1941-43, Peir Paolo Battistelli, 2008
- German Army Handbook 1939 - 1945, James Lucas, 1998
