Destroyed German Pz.III Ausf. M Tank at Ponyri During the Battle of Kursk, July 1943

November 18, 2025 - Reading time: 4 minutes

Destroyed German Pz.III Ausf. M near Ponyri during the Battle of Kursk, July 1943.

This photograph shows a destroyed German Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. M medium tank from the 3rd Tank Regiment of the 2nd Panzer Division, knocked out by Red Army forces near the village of Ponyri during the decisive Battle of Kursk. The image dates to 12–15 July 1943, when some of the fiercest fighting in the northern sector of the Kursk salient took place.

By the summer of 1943, the Pz.III — once the backbone of early Wehrmacht armored forces — was increasingly outclassed by newer Soviet tanks, including the T-34 and KV series. The Ausf. M variant featured improved armor and a deep-wading system, but its 50 mm KwK 39 L/60 gun struggled against Soviet armor at typical engagement distances. At Kursk, where anti-tank defenses were dense and meticulously prepared, Pz.III units suffered heavy losses.

Ponyri, often described by veterans as a “mini-Stalingrad,” became the focal point of the northern German assault. The area was fortified with trenches, minefields, anti-tank guns, and camouflaged firing positions. Red Army artillery, anti-tank crews, and mobile reserves coordinated their fire with devastating effectiveness, knocking out advancing German armor as it attempted to break through layered defensive belts.

The destroyed Pz.III in this photograph is emblematic of the Wehrmacht’s difficulties during the battle: outdated medium tanks forced into roles they could no longer confidently perform, advancing against a deeply entrenched and determined Soviet defense. The wreckage also reflects the wider shift in the Eastern Front — by mid-1943, German offensive power was waning, while Soviet forces were gaining strength, coordination, and battlefield superiority.

Captured by photographer G. Petrov, the image stands as a stark reminder of the attritional nature of the Battle of Kursk, where hundreds of tanks on both sides were lost in the struggle for control of the salient.

Technical Photo Data:

📍 Location: Ponyri, Kursk region, USSR
📅 Date: 12–15 July 1943
📝 Subject: Destroyed German Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. M, 2nd Panzer Division
📷 Photographer: G. Petrov

• German medium tank losses
• Kursk salient northern sector
• Soviet anti-tank defenses 1943
• 2nd Panzer Division history
• Tank combat on the Eastern Front