What is Kinder Panzer? – Know the meaning of KinderPanzer

In the German Democratic Republic, the conflicts did not stop with the end of World War II, on the contrary, another fight began that divided Germany into two factions. So, in the eastern section of the country, they developed a training project that was looking for more troops for future battles that were being prepared throughout the territory of the European Union. This article explains what is he Kinder Panzer, in addition to its history and objectives. In the same way, the characteristics of these armored toys are mentioned.

What was a KinderPanzer?

After World War II, the Germans needed a large number of people in their troops, as defeat almost completely decimated them. That is why the eastern rulers and the military of the new Germany began to request volunteers to join the army. However, despite recruiting a large number of men, Germany began to execute a indoctrination project military child based on the vehicles used in the Barbarossa operation with certain modifications.

In that sense, the KinderPanzer was the tool with which the Germans they prepared the children on the eve of the cold war. Here they did not seek to use young people as an instrument so that they would not be attacked, but they were made propaganda for the war to prepare them. So, through tales of veteran soldiers, toys, and the promise of glory or honor, children were implanted in the minds that war was necessary.

The KinderPanzer was a smaller scale reproduction or replica of what it is a war tank. These were military armored vehicles made for children as toys. So, the youngsters could enter these small tanks in pairs and simulate a battle.

The word KinderPanzer began to be used in the German Democratic Republic, that is, East or East Germany. This term designated the armored vehicle or tank for children, although it was later the title of the entire indoctrination project. It comes from the combination of Kinder (boy) and Panzer, the tank German battleship used in the blitzkrieg.

Kinder Panzer Features

KinderPanzers were toys that East German children received as a gift from the government. Therefore, in some selected populations a complete troop of these vehicles could be observed. These tanks were not the same as those used by the Nazis in World War II, as they had different characteristics. In this sense, it must be remembered that this German sector was under the influence of the Soviet Unionso there was communist thought and they used Russian tools.

• The name KínderPanzer refers to the German Panzer tank, however, the scale reproduction was inspired by to tank T-55 of the Soviets. Which, was the one that stopped the Nazi advance in the blitzkrieg wars.
• The vehicle was a scale version, so it did not have a large size.
• had a motorwhich made it possible to move the ‘toy’ at low speed.
• The reproduction of the vehicle to scale allowed two passengers, one acted as the pilot, so he could drive the tank on the track. The other was the passenger who had command functions and moved the cannon.
• The KinderPanzer could fire blank ammunition from its barrel, but not lethal. What used to young people to aim and feel like soldiers.
• Other scale vehicles were produced such as the personnel carrier and tank destroyer. That is, all the cars that are used in the war.

Kinder Panzer functions

The German Democratic Republic needed to prepare the inhabitants of its territory for possible confrontations caused by the cold war that was taking place throughout the European Union. However, they did not have enough troops to make a large army, since they lost thousands of men with the casualties suffered by the Nazis. Also, Germany split in two as a result of the conflict between the two great ideological blocks.

Consequently, this Democratic Republic had the objective of preparing the youngest from their childhood to know how to function on the battlefield in the future. Thus, KinderPanzer toys sought teach rudimentary movements that had to be executed to move the armored vehicle. In the same way, the military project wanted the children to know how a tank formation is carried out, so that they do not bother each other in battle, but rather help each other.

The KinderPanzer project did not stop at giving away Panzer tanks disguised as toys, on the contrary, it evolved into a complete indoctrination. Well, the children also received military type instructions as tactics, this was camouflaged before the European Union as a preparation for the entrance to the military academy where the service is fulfilled.

Likewise, the creation of smoke was practiced in the area behind the advance of the tanks, which sought to simulate the destruction left on a battlefield. In addition to military training, the older youth also received ideological indoctrination. Which eliminated the Nazi supremacist thought, but implanted the communist feeling of the Russians.