Location of Panther in Panzerwrecks 2 identified by Ronny August!

Recently we received an email from Ronny August regarding one of the Panthers in Panzerwrecks 2. Over to you Ronny:

In your very excellent series “Panzerwrecks”, I’ve found in PW 2 page 85, the picture of a Panther tank of I./Pz.Rgt.29 „Müncheberg“. The location there is given as „in a suburb of Berlin“.

I think I know what the real location definitely is, if you don’t know it already. It’s the cross-station at post station Werbig (Postbahnhof Pbf) near the village Werbig, not far away from the famous town Seelow (Seelow Heights). At the front side of the building you can clearly perceive the name of the station written in white. Today the building is no longer present, but the railways and the upper platform still exist, and i think the tree is still there, too. On old postcards you can clearly see the same design of the building. I will try to take a picture this winter at the same location for comparison (Then&Now).

It could be, that this tank was prepared or equipped with night vision equipment for night time operations. This unit of I./Pz.Rgt.29 was in action at this area in 16/17th of April 1945. The tank was manufactured by DB or possibly MAN. With a closer look, I think you can recognize at the right side of the tank rear hull, the smaller and armored stowage compartment for IR-equipment. I think the tank has the very late commander’s cupola without the AA-ring, but for me there is visible a MG-mount. Because of the very interested group of Russian soldiers, i think it was an uncommon “Panther”.

Do you know more about this vehicle at the moment?
Can you tell me where this photograph is from, please?

I look forward for your next editions of Panzerwrecks. It’s always a real pleasure.

Greetings and best wishes from Germany.

Ronny August

In a subsequent email Ronny included a scan of a period postcard of the station (taken in 1914), shown below: