German Anti Tank Gun PaK 40 Municipal Hall Garden – Valkenburg, The Netherlands


PaK 40 at the 119th Regiment 30th Infantry Division Memorial in Valkenburg
PaK 40 at the 119th Regiment 30th Infantry Division Memorial in Valkenburg

A German PaK 40 Anti Tank Gun in front of the Municipal Hall in the town of Valkenburg. It is a remembrance to the liberation of the town during World War Two on the early morning of 17 September 1944 by the 119th regiment of the US 30th Infantry Division named ‘Old Hickory’. This same regiment took out this Anti Tank gun in September 1944 and it was left behind in a garden were it stayed until 1989. In 1989 the German gun was moved to its current location were a plaque to the 119th regiment, the ‘Old Hickory’, was added in honour of the men who fought for their freedom.

119th Regiment 30th Infantry Division Memorial in Valkenburg
119th Regiment 30th Infantry Division Memorial in Valkenburg
75mm Panzerabwehrkanone 40 Valkenburg
75mm Panzerabwehrkanone 40 Valkenburg
7,5cm Anti Tank Gun PaK 40 in Valkenburg
7,5cm Anti Tank Gun PaK 40 in Valkenburg
7,5cm PaK 40 - number on the barrel
7,5cm PaK 40 – number on the barrel

The PaK 40 is a German 75mm Anti Tank Gun. A modified version of the gun was used in various German Panzers like the Panzer IV, Sturmgeschuts and Marder and Hetzer Self propelled Anti Tank Guns. The name ‘PaK’ is in German short for PanzerabwehrKanone – Anti Tank Gun, when used in a Panzer they named the modified version 7,5 KwK 40 or KampfwagenKanone – Tank Gun. It was produced by Rheinmetal-Borsig and was the backbone of the German Anti Tank Gun weapons during the war. The PaK 40 served from 1942 until 1945 in the German army and was designed from 1939 until 1942. A staggering 23.500 of these Anti Tank Guns were build over the cause of the war.

7,5cm Anti Tank Gun PaK 40 in Valkenburg
7,5cm Anti Tank Gun PaK 40 in Valkenburg
PaK 40 - 119th Regiment 30th Infantry Division Memorial Valkenburg
PaK 40 – 119th Regiment 30th Infantry Division Memorial Valkenburg
75mm PaK 40 - Valkenburg the Netherland
75mm PaK 40 – Valkenburg the Netherland

A trained crew could fire 14 rounds a minute and aim true over 1800 meters. The shells could penetrate 97mm of armoured steel from 1000 meters, it could rip through the hull of almost any enemy tank. The penetration capability increases when the distance is shortend, it could penetrate 115mm of armoured steel over 500 meters. About 6000 of these KwK guns for tanks were made besides the 23.500 Anti Tank Guns, these 6000 were installed into various self propelled Tank Hunters.

75mm PaK 40 Valkenburg. Photos by Rogier de Jong
75mm PaK 40 Valkenburg. Photos by Rogier de Jong

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Find the PAK 40 in the Dersaborg park at the

All photo’s are provided by Rogier de Jong.


1 thought on “German Anti Tank Gun PaK 40 Municipal Hall Garden – Valkenburg, The Netherlands

Nice article although I must notice that most likely gun crew was taken out,since there are no visible signs of damage on gun itself.

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