The 53rd Panzer Division was an armored division of the German Wehrmacht that was activated at Brest-Litovsk, Poland on 24 September 1939. The 8,100-strong division was formed by the 82nd Armored Brigade and the 141st and 142 Motorized Brigades, and it was in the reserves until it was sent to the front lines during the invasion of Poland, with Hans Heberlein commanding.