Polizei-Panzerkampfwagen ADGZ - M35 mittlere Panzerwagen

ADGZ

ADGZ

ADGZ

At the time when Anschluss took place on March 12th of 1938, Austrian Bundesheer had 27 Steyr M35 mittlere Panzerwagen (ADGZ) heavy armored cars. ADGZ was designed by Austro-Daimler Puchwerke AG, which in 1934 was taken over by Steyr. Production began in 1934 and continued until late 1937, while first ADGZ cars began entering service with Bundesheer in 1935. The original cars were pressed into service with Police detachments and SS units (e.g. SS Danziger Heimwehr) including those storming the Post Office in Danzig (Gdansk) in September of 1939. In 1941, Reichsführer SS Heinrich Himmler ordered Steyr to produce additional 25 ADGZ armored cars for the use by SS. They were delivered in 1942 and entered service with SS units in the East and the Balkans (e.g. 7th SS Freiwillingen-Gebirgs-Division "Prinz Eugen") fighting the partisans.