Michael Wittmann & the Waffen SS Tiger Commanders of the Leibstandarte in WWII

Michael Wittmann and the Waffen SS Tiger Commanders of the Leibstandarte in WWII #2

by Patrick Agte

German Panzer ace Michael Wittmann was by far the most famous tank commander on any side in World War II, destroying 138 enemy tanks and 132 anti-tank guns with his Tiger. This classic of armored warfare is both combat biography and unit history, as Patrick Agte focuses on the life and career of Wittmann but also includes his fellow Tiger commanders in the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler. Volume 1 covers the Eastern Front, where Wittmann racked up more than 100 kills and participated in the Battle of Kursk in 1943.

Genres: Military History, World War II

432 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2006

Reviews

[Alexander Anderson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ok where to start…..well….to put it in leanest of terms….it sucked. I don’t think I have ever gotten to the point to rate a book as low as one star and labeled “sucked” ever. It was truly awful and I hate the fact I wasted my time and money on this SS Propaganda rag. In any case here is the one positive and whole lot of negative reasons why this book did not do it for me.

Pros:

Decent Historically Accurate Pictures: When looking back I tried to think what was the biggest takeaway? Quite honestly the only take away I was to get was the decent photographs. And yes that is very sad to say. In any case you will find that the photos for the most part were unique, legitimate, and went with the chapters. In other words they were not randomly placed. So in any retrospect into this book that was legitimately the only joy I got.

Cons:

Horrible Generalization of Events:
Disclaimer I did not read the first volume. Was planning on getting the first copy depending on how this one went and needless to say I will not be wasting anymore efforts on this author. I have no idea who Patrick Agte is and google did not help much on his work. What I can tell is his narration is god awful. The book is all over the place. The throws in tank aces quotes and paraphrasing everywhere and honestly I struggled just to finish the chapters. It was as if he tried to use convincing language to make the book sound more assertive to cover up his inability to engage with the reader to a solid point. While there were some interesting side stories such as tiger crews filled there tanks with water instead of gasoline because of there destroyed nerves from all the allies shelling and relentless air assaults. Other than that bit of semi-interesting details there was nothing much gained from his version of events

No Work Cited: This con I’m used to from Stackpole books but it should still be mentioned. There is no source or resources to back any of his claims. With no reference to a fact check especially when he pulled direct quotes from ether Michael Wittman and other tank aces.

SS Propaganda: Again I am not familiar who Patrick Agte is but one can definitely guess he is or was a Nazis sympathizer. You will not get far in the book if that stuff triggers you. I let go of most hoping for some direct hit points on who Michael Wittmann but sadly I didt get much information new on him that I didn’t already know from YouTube. While I do believe Michael was a legitimate Nazi and so was the rest of the SS tankers I didt not get any reason on why these guy were not. The author will try to spin off they were following orders and these tank commanders and their troops had no play in the atrocity’s committed under the SS. Anybody with a middle education can smell that bullshit when they read it. The SS men were selected for their political beliefs and there strong fasciitis morals. Meaning while these men may have truly fought for the fatherland they fought to maintain the horrible policy’s that Nazi Germany created such as racism, authoritarian government controls, and of course the mass murdering of Jews. Not to mention the author seems to think the Malmedy massacre was justifiable. Yes, the author seems to think Leibstandarte SS had just cause to kill hundreds of U.S soldiers because they were all “trying to run away”.

Trash Editing: I am not going to into too much detail but the editor must have been recruited from a local elementary school.


In any case, this book was a complete chore to finish. It may work for people that have a complete understanding of Michael Wittmann and the Leibstandarte SS and want to use this book as recap tool…. Possibly. However, this book is not meant to educate. It is meant to confuse and inspire future Nazi sympathizers.

Thanks for reading,
-Alex

[Michał Hołda · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is book about whole corp, and after the death of Michael, they start using Tiger II, for a fact I know, as I play War Thunder, These Tanks has ammunition at the back of turret, and it's like instant death. Besides the are slow, used only on front in combat. Like Fortece, lieke these liner ships with 100 guns each.

During a half-hour nighttime bombardment on the night of June 15, 1944, near Evrecy, 18 soldiers were killed and 11 wounded in the 3rd Company. Among the casualties were SS-Untersturmführer Alfred Stubbenrauch, SS-Sturmmann Sepp Heim (Günther's driver), radio operators Jäschei Schinitzki, and an armorer. SS-Untersturmführer Alfred Günther, Knight of the Iron Cross, was killed, and company commander SS-Obersturmführer Hanno Raasch was wounded. Consequently, the 3rd Company was forced to report the loss of its commander, platoon commander, and numerous other soldiers even before its first combat action. The deaths of 18 men deeply affected the unit. This was a bombing raid intended to cover the retreat of the defeated British 22nd Armored Brigade. It's possible, however, that the radio activity of the 101st SS Artillery Division headquarters stationed in Evrecy was the cause of the bombing; the enemy possessed a well-functioning radio tracking system, which allowed them to quickly locate German radio stations. This version of events is also supported by the fact that several hours of artillery bombardment of the town had occurred earlier. This had the advantage that the headquarters moved to a farm near Evrecy and suffered no casualties during the raid.

In addition to the dead soldiers of the Tiger Battalion, the carpet bombing claimed the lives of 130 French residents of Evrecy.

And here's the raid from the night before:

Suddenly, the trees, the grass between the tanks, the houses, and the church in Evrecy began to burn. The planes dropped phosphorus bombs. I woke the crews sleeping under the tanks. Everyone jumped into their planes. The company commander's shout could be heard: "Start the engines, get the tanks out!" Our driver tried to start the engine. The starter motor failed. We had to leave the vehicle where it was. We saw everything burning through the observation slits. The driver had to watch SS-Untersturmführer Günther's Tiger tank burn. The planes that dropped their load on us and Evrecy were twin-engine. After 20 or 30 minutes, everything was over. Only then, with a joint effort, did we manage to open the hatches of our tank. There was a 20-centimeter layer of earth on the armor. The houses in Evrecy were still burning. Our comrades were neither seen nor heard. It turned out that the starter motor was working, and we drove our tank all the way to the war veterans' monument. However, after only a few hundred meters, the engine overheated. The radiator fans were clogged with a layer of earth. Next to the place where Where we had been standing earlier, there were bomb craters large enough to fit an entire Tiger tank.

At dawn, we began searching for our comrades. As I recall, the armorer's assistant was the first to appear. His coat was completely torn. He sought shelter in a bomb crater and was quite lucky. However, there were no other comrades from the wagon train. The three remaining Tiger tanks were unusable. SS-Untersturmführer Günther's tank had been hit directly by a bomb and completely burned. Nothing remained of its crew, except for the charred remains of uniforms, buttons, and bone fragments. The company commander's tank had taken a hit in the gun barrel. The turret lay next to the hull. The three crew members who were in the turret at the time of the explosion were burned. The driver and radio operator were killed. The third Tiger tank drove out into an open field and, after traveling about 300 meters, fell into a into a six- to seven-meter-deep pit. Its crew also perished. All of the crew members of the supply vehicles, who were sleeping outdoors, also perished. Only the armorer's assistant survived. I myself was fortunate to be able to take the place of the fallen radio operator in SS-Untersturmführer Amselgruber's Tiger. I was further fortunate that the day before, as a radio operator, I had been relieved from the company commander's crew. The radio operator who took my place there was also killed.

Cintheaux was under heavy artillery fire, while in the open countryside, shell explosions were not particularly visible. From the northern edge of the town, we saw armored columns north of the road to Bretteville-sur-Laize. The tanks were clustered in groups. The same scene unfolded south of Garcelles and at the edge of the forest southeast of the town. Gazing at this mass of tanks took our breath away. We couldn't understand the Canadians' behavior. Why weren't they continuing their advance, taking advantage of this advantage? Why was the Canadian command giving us time to prepare our defenses? The only thing missing were the fighter-bombers we hated. All we had to do was use them to exterminate the remnants of our 12th SS Panzer Division on National Road 158 and thus facilitate a further breakthrough for the II Canadian Corps. No one would be able to stop the Canadians, who could have captured the town of Falaise that same evening. Why this didn't happen, only God knows.

Waldmüller and I were perfectly aware that we couldn't allow these armored regiments to advance on us. The enemy tanks couldn't continue their attack. On both sides of the road, enemy armored divisions stood ready to attack. We had to attempt to seize the initiative. I decided that we would defend the town of Cintheaux with the forces already there, while on the eastern side of the road, we would launch a swift attack ourselves, using all the troops at our disposal. The target of the attack was the forest southeast of Garcelles. Because a huge quarry south of Cintheaux prevented armored forces from operating, I had no fear of the enemy from that direction. We had to take the risk to gain time to defend the Laison sector. We set the attack for 12:30.

During the final briefing with Waldmüller and Wittmann, we observed a lone bomber that repeatedly flew over the area and then dropped light signals. We assumed the bomber was a sort of flying command post, so I ordered an immediate attack to lead the troops out of the bombing zone. I shook Michael Wittmann's hand again and emphasized the incredibly critical situation we were in. Good old Michel smiled in his usual, valiant way and trotted over to his Tiger. So far, 138 enemy tanks had fallen victim to his attack. Would he manage to increase his victory tally, or would he himself fall in battle?

This tactic, called by the Germans "huddling" with the enemy (Nahkampf, or keeping in close quarters), was one of the few effective methods of survival against the absolute Allied air superiority (Luftüberlegenheit).

These bombers dropped their payloads from high altitudes. When Kurt Meyer ordered his grenadiers and remaining tanks to advance and merge with the Canadian advance guard, Allied navigators lost the ability to bomb safely without risking massacre of their own troops.

During the disastrous bombing of August 8, 1944, American B-17 Flying Fortresses dropped primarily 100-pound (approx. 45 kg) and 250-pound (approx. 113 kg) high-explosive bombs on Polish and Canadian positions.

1 p.m. The Normandy orchards and fields around the Caen-Falaise road pulsate with heat. The Polish 1st Armored Division stands in close huddle, ready to launch its first-ever attack. The engines of hundreds of vehicles purr softly. Soldiers of the 10th Dragoon Regiment sit inside open-topped Halftrack armored personnel carriers. The vehicles are loaded to the brim: spare gasoline canisters, ammunition crates, grenades. Everyone waits for the signal.

Suddenly, an air armada arrives. A massive, geometric formation of American B-17 "Flying Fortresses" bombers appears in the sky. Polish soldiers lean out of their vehicles, some waving their arms, rejoicing at the sight of the Allied might that is about to crush the German lines before them.

"Ditch! Take cover!" the shouts of the commanders are drowned in the terrible, deafening roar of the explosion. The ground begins to heave. Hundreds of 45- and 113-kilogram high-explosive bombs puncture the orchards. The shockwave rips away the treetops and throws tons of earth, smoke, and bodies into the air.

One of the bombs strikes right next to General Maczek's armored command vehicle. The general and his staff officers leap from the carrier at the last split second and plunge headlong into a shallow roadside drainage ditch. A moment later, their command vehicle erupts into a fireball. British liaison officers and Polish staff officers lie pressed into the mud, buried under earth, praying under a hail of shrapnel.

Stunned, bloodied soldiers, their faces black with soot, begin to emerge from the ditches and shelters. The bodies of 44 of their fallen colleagues lie on the ground. Around them, paramedics and chaplains are trying to save their lives. They rush to help 227 wounded men, many of whom have their bodies mutilated by shrapnel or terrible, deep skin burns from burning gasoline. Moans and cries of pain can be heard.

SS Sturmmann Alfred Bahlo, from the crew of the Tiger commanded by SS-Untersturmführer Dollinger, recalls:

I was a medium-wave radio operator (communication with divisional command) and a machine gunner in Dollinger's tank. My commander was the communications officer of the armored battalion. SS-Oberscharführer Schott was an ultra-short-wave radio operator (communication with other tanks) and a loader. This type of division of duties existed only among the crews of so-called staff tanks. The driver and gunner held the rank of SS-Unterscharführer; I forget their names. The hit our tank received penetrated the starboard side; the shell exploded in the fighting compartment and severely wounded SS-Oberscharführer Schott. I myself received a slight wound in the neck. I don't know where we were fired from; they later said it was Canadian anti-tank gun positions.

SS-Untersturmführer Dollinger, the driver, and I managed to get out of the tank under our own power. Then I helped SS-Oberscharführer Schott, who was unable to leave the vehicle himself due to severe wounds. I tried to persuade the crews of the retreating tanks to take SS-Oberscharführer Schott with them. It failed because SS-Untersturmführer Iriohn (the third tank) failed to open his turret hatch, and the fourth tank was destroyed right before my eyes. SS-Untersturmführer Dollinger and I carried SS-Oberscharführer Schott on a hastily constructed stretcher to the Caen-Falaise highway, where we loaded him onto a Volkswagen, which he then drove on in. While traversing this route, we passed by SS-Hauptsturmführer Wittmann's destroyed tank; its turret had been torn off. I then walked to the advanced field dressing station.

Wittmann wanted no privileges, disliked courtship, and was unmoved by those who pandered to him. He was an extraordinary man; as a soldier, he didn't fit any mold. Despite his peasant origins and a difficult childhood, he was educated and had wide-ranging interests. For him, there was no time to waste; he constantly worked on himself, acquiring new knowledge and skills, considering every detail, and reading books. As mentioned, he was Slim, of average height, standing at 176 cm, he had light eyes and dark blond hair, essentially brown-haired. His pleasant voice betrayed no Bavarian heritage; he spoke literary German. To those unfamiliar with him, he seemed rather reserved. Wittmann was undoubtedly an idealist and possessed a clearly defined value system, which he passed on to his subordinates. In these matters—as in all others—he was meticulous, making him a good superior to his soldiers. He saw his mission as not only military training but also the education of young soldiers. His men viewed him as an optimist, even during the difficult days of combat on the Eastern Front in 1943/44. He never lost his cool.

His achievements demonstrate that, as an individualist, he achieved his greatest and most spectacular successes alone. Wittmann used his Tigers with tactical mastery. He never spared himself; quite the opposite, regardless of the situation. He always commanded at the head of his formation. His successes depended not only on his undoubtedly extraordinary abilities; the conscientiousness with which Wittmann served contributed significantly. He placed great importance on maintaining the technical condition of his tanks. If he noticed any negligence on the part of his subordinates, he could be unpleasant to them. This likely stemmed from some of his habits from his time in the Reichswehr and later, when he was a corporal. Michel, however, was not a man of grudge. He discussed mistakes, drew conclusions, and then considered the matter resolved. A sense of justice was of great importance to him. After daily combat operations, during which he never spared himself, often leaving him completely exhausted, he busied himself with planning his next tasks on the fly.

He was perceived as more of an introvert, but there was nothing unapproachable about him. During loud and excessively drunk parties, the Bavarian Wittmann felt unwell and refrained from participating, or perhaps only appeared briefly. He had no His penchant for typical, dirty military jokes didn't fit his values, though he wasn't perceived as prudish. He could have fun without alcohol, was usually in a positive mood, and demonstrated a sensitivity to beauty. Wittmann cared just as intensely about his soldiers' well-being as he did about their training. He questioned tank crews returning from action about the progress of the battle and worried if any crews didn't return. He was always open with his men and treated them as partners, which was rare in the pre-war army. Once, in 1943 in Russia, he confided to the soldiers with him that he could imagine running a farm in this area, rich in fertile land.

Wittmann also discussed private matters with his men and had a gift for listening. His correct demeanor in all circumstances made him an authority and an unquestionable role model. As is evident, not only thanks to his successes in combat.

Wittmann lived by the motto "More than to be," and with his subordinates formed a close-knit group bound by a common destiny. This is how the legend of Michael Wittmann was born.

"Esse quam videri" ("More to be than to seem") – a saying originally attributed to Cato the Elder, used in German as a motto by Generalfeldmarschall Alfred Graf von Schlieffen in 1903 in a speech commemorating the anniversary of his service on the general staff. (Translator's note)

Recorded by Cicero in his treatise "De amicitia" (On Friendship). Alfred von Schlieffen made this the motto of the Prussian General Staff.

Wittmann's Tiger was allegedly hit by a Canadian tank, another by a Sherman of the Polish 1st Armored Division, and still others claimed it was destroyed by rockets fired by a Typhoon fighter-bomber. The crew of vehicle number 007 was reported missing.

It was not until the discovery of the final evidence in the spring of 1983—the bodies of Michael Wittmann and his crew—that all speculation finally ended.

[Deckmaster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Добро продължение на том 1. Книгата разказва за битките на Тежък СС-Панцер батальон 101/501 първо на Западния фронт в Нормандия, а после и на Източния фронт в Унгария по време на операция "Пролетно пробуждане". Наистина стилът на автора е малко разхвърлян, но като цяло текстът си струва. Е, като се имат предвид и множеството грешки при превода на издателство "Прозорец". Напр. от стр. 20 нататък няколко пъти дивизията Панцер Лер/ Учебната танкова дивизия е заменена с дивизията Лайбщандарт. В самия текст е записано, че Лайбщандарт се появява на фронта на 6.07.44 г., а в няколко абзаца по-долу непрекъснато се говори как Лайбщандарт участва в бой от втория ден... Очевидна грешка с Панцер Лер. А има и други. Честно казано не знам какви коректори имат нашите издателства, но нивото е много ниско.

Все пак текста си струва и накрая ти става жал за тези идеалисти, които въпреки всичките си усилия загубиха войната. Толкова много загубени млади животи буквално за нищо, а сега са и осъдени от историята само защото са вярвали в Родината си.

А специално за "клането" в Малмеди, където американците са се опитали да избягат и затова се е стигнало до "клане" ще приведа един цитат от Алфред Рубел, танков ас в Тежък танков батальон 503, някъде към средата на май 45-та, докато се е опитвал да стигне у дома:

"На около 100 м. преди да стигна до края на гората чух шум от двигател и изсвирване. Бяха американските ми приятели, от които бях и избягал преди малко. Бяха се върнали и енергично ми ръкомахаха. Бяха качили двама войници в джипката. Това, което ме притесни беше тежката 50-ти калибър картечница, която сочеше към мен. Хукнах към гората и чух изстрели и забиване на куршуми в дърво зад мен. Бандитите стреляха с експлозивни патрони и осколка от дърво ми разкъса лявото ухо!"...

Очевидно човекът не е искал да бъде пленник и се опитвал да се прибере вкъщи, без да се предава. Като нищо е можело да го убият заради опита му да избяга. Били ли са прави? Зависи от гледната точка, въпросът е, че за тези случаи никой не говори. Все СС са им в устата.

Та като изключим тези недостатъци препоръчвам книгата.