The 3rd Armoured Division (German: 3. Panzerdivision) was formed on 2 July 1956 in Hamburg and was one of the first major formations of the new German Army or Bundeswehr after the Second World War. The 3rd Armoured Division was stationed on the North German Plain between the rivers Elbe and Weser. Its last headquarters location was Buxtehude. It was part of the I Corps alongside the 1st Panzer, 7th Panzer, and 11th Panzergrenadier Divisions.
The 3rd Armoured Division was disbanded on 30 September 1994. Its last commander was Generalmajor Gerd Schultze-Rhonhof.
In the 1980s under Army Structures III and IV the division consisted of the 7th Panzergrenadier Brigade, 8th Panzer Brigade, and the Panzerlehrbrigade 9 (Armoured demonstration brigade). After the division's disbandment 9 PzL Bde eventually became part of 1st Armoured Division (Germany).
The Division provided support to numerous disasters, e. g. during serious floods in North Germany in 1962 and 1976 as well as the flooding of the Elbe Lateral Canal. In January 1979 elements of the Division were deployed during the emergency caused by heavy snowfall in North Germany.
In 1993 parts of the Division were deployed to Somalia as part of UNOSOM II.
3rd Panzer Division, Buxtehude
Staff Company, 3rd Panzer Division, Buxtehude
7th Panzergrenadier Brigade, Hamburg
Staff Company, 1st Panzergrenadier Brigade, Hamburg, (8x M577, 8x Luchs)
71st Panzergrenadier Battalion (Reserve), Hamburg, (13x Leopard 1A5, 24x Marder, 12x M113)
72nd Panzergrenadier Battalion, Hamburg, (24x Marder, 6x Panzermörser, 23x M113)
73rd Panzergrenadier Battalion, Cuxhaven, (24x Marder, 6x Panzermörser, 23x M113)
74th Panzer Battalion, Cuxhaven, (41x Leopard 2, 12x M113)
75th Panzer Artillery Battalion, Hamburg, (18x M109A3G)
70th Anti-Tank Company, Cuxhaven, (12x Jaguar 2)
70th Armored Engineer Company, Stade
70th Supply Company, Stade
70th Maintenance Company, Stade
8th Panzer Brigade, Lüneburg
Staff Company, 8th Panzer Brigade, Lüneburg, (8x M577, 8x Luchs)
81st Panzer Battalion (Reserve), Lüneburg, (28x Leopard 2, 11x Marder, 12x M113)
82nd Panzergrenadier Battalion, Lüneburg, (35x Marder, 6x Panzermörser, 12x M113)
83rd Panzer Battalion, Lüneburg, (41x Leopard 2, 12x M113)
84th Panzer Battalion, Lüneburg, (41x Leopard 2, 12x M113)
85th Panzer Artillery Battalion, Lüneburg, (18x M109A3G)
80th Anti-Tank Company, Lüneburg, (12x Jaguar 1)
80th Armored Engineer Company, Lüneburg
80th Supply Company, Lüneburg
80th Maintenance Company, Lüneburg
9th Panzer (Lehr) Brigade, Munster
Staff Company, 9th Panzerlehrbrigade, Munster, (8x M577, 8x Luchs)
91st Panzer (Lehr) Battalion (Reserve), Munster, (28x Leopard 2, 11x Marder, 12x M113)
92nd Panzergrenadier (Lehr) Battalion, Munster, (35x Marder, 6x Panzermörser, 12x M113)
93rd Panzer (Lehr) Battalion, Munster, (41x Leopard 2, 12x M113)
94th Panzer (Lehr) Battalion, Munster, (41x Leopard 2, 12x M113)
95th Panzer (Lehr) Artillery Battalion, Munster, (18x M109A3G)
90th Anti-Tank (Lehr) Company, Munster, (12x Jaguar 1)
90th Armored Engineer (Lehr) Company, Munster
90th Supply (Lehr) Company, Munster
90th Maintenance (Lehr) Company, Munster
3rd Artillery Regiment, Stade
Staff Battery, 3rd Artillery Regiment, Stade
31st Field Artillery Battalion, Lüneburg, (18x M110A2, 18x FH-70)
32nd Rocket Artillery Battalion, Dörverden, (16x LARS)
33rd Surveillance Battalion, Stade, (12x CL89)
3rd Infantry Battery, Dörverden
3rd Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Lüneburg, (34x Leopard 1, 10x Luchs, 18x Fuchs - 9 of which carry a RASIT radar)
3rd Air Defense Regiment, Hamburg, (36x Gepard)
3rd Engineer Battalion, Stade, (8x Biber AVLB, 8x Pionierpanzer 1, 4x Skorpion Mine Layers, 12x Floating Bridge Modules)
3rd Army Aviation Squadron, Rotenburg, (10x Alouette II)
3rd Signal Battalion, Buxtehude
3rd Medical Battalion (Reserve), Hamburg
3rd Supply Battalion (Reserve), Stade
3rd Maintenance Battalion (Reserve), Rotenburg
5x Field Replacement Battalions: 31st and 32nd in Zeven, 33rd and 35th in Verden, 34th in Neustadt am Achim
36th Jäger Battalion (Reserve), Zeven
37th Jäger Battalion (Reserve), Munster
38th Security Battalion (Reserve), Zeven
