The 37mm PaK 35/36 was the standard weapon of virtually all German anti-tank units from 1934 through 1941, with over 11,000 of these weapons in Germany's inventory at the start of World War II.

The weapon was served by a crew of seven, and was small enough that it could be moved by hand or towed by trucks or half-tracks.

While it was widely used, by 1940 it was clear that it was no longer effective against newer tanks, although improved munitions introduced in that year - the Stilgranate hollow charge warhead and tungsten cored ammunition - give it a short reprieve before it was replaced by larger caliber weapons like the 50mm PaK 38.