29 Facts About Michael Wittmann

Michael Wittmann was a German Waffen-SS tank commander during the Second World War.

Michael Wittmann is known for his ambush of elements of the British 7th Armoured Division during the Battle of Villers-Bocage on 13 June 1944.

Michael Wittmann became a cult figure after the war thanks to his accomplishments as a "panzer ace", part of the portrayal of the Waffen-SS in popular culture.

Michael Wittmann was born in the village of Vogelthal, near Dietfurt in Bavaria's Upper Palatinate, on 22 April 1914.

Michael Wittmann enlisted in the German Army in 1934 after the Nazi seizure of power.

Michael Wittmann joined the Schutzstaffel in October 1936 and was assigned to the regiment, later division, Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler on 5 April 1937.

Michael Wittmann's unit was transferred to the Eastern Front in the spring of 1941 for Operation Barbarossa, the planned invasion of the Soviet Union.

In November 1943, Michael Wittmann, still serving in Leibstandarte's heavy company, was involved in armored counterattacks against the Russians around Zhitomir.

On 14 January 1944, Michael Wittmann was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.

Michael Wittmann received the award from Adolf Hitler, who presented it to him at the Wolf's Lair, his headquarters in Rastenburg, on 2 February 1944.

Michael Wittmann was appointed commander of the battalion's second company, and held the rank of SS-Obersturmfuhrer.

At approximately 09:00, Michael Wittmann's Tiger emerged from cover onto the main road, Route Nationale 175, and engaged the rearmost British tanks positioned on Point 213, destroying them.

Michael Wittmann then moved towards Villers-Bocage, shooting several unarmed transport vehicles parked along the roadside; the carriers burst into flames as their fuel tanks were ruptured by machine gun and high explosive fire.

Michael Wittmann, meanwhile, had destroyed another British tank and two artillery observation post tanks, followed by a scout car and a half-track.

Historians record that, after destroying the OP tanks, Michael Wittmann duelled briefly without success with a Sherman Firefly before withdrawing.

Michael Wittmann's Tiger is then reported to have continued eastwards to the outskirts of the town before being disabled by an anti-tank gun.

However, Michael Wittmann said his tank was disabled by an anti-tank gun in the town centre.

Michael Wittmann played no further role in the Battle of Villers-Bocage.

Michael Wittmann led a group of seven Tiger tanks from Heavy SS-Panzer Battalion 101, supported by additional tanks and infantry.

Michael Wittmann saw the fire and explosion in Wittmann's tank, and that the turret was displaced to the right and tilted down to the front somewhat.

Nazi propaganda reported that Allied aircraft struck Michael Wittmann's tank, stating that he had fallen in combat to the "dreaded fighter-bombers".

Ekins's crew was credited with the destruction of 3 Tigers at 12:40,12:47 and 12:52, Michael Wittmann's tank being allegedly the one destroyed at 12:47.

Michael Wittmann does accept that the documented claims of the 1st Northamptonshire Yeomanry are correct, though there are discrepancies with the 1985 investigation with regard to other other details such as the position of Wittmann's tank.

Zaloga believes that Michael Wittmann's fate reflected that new reality: after his transfer to France, his crew only lasted two months, and was destroyed either by a British medium tank, the up-gunned Sherman Firefly, or a standard 75mm-equipped Sherman.

Michael Wittmann is often featured in books on the battles in Normandy.

Michael Wittmann became a cult figure after the war thanks to his accomplishments as a "panzer ace" in the portrayal of the Waffen-SS in popular culture.

Historian Stephen Hart said that "the Michael Wittmann legend [has] become well-established" and "continues to stimulate huge public interest".

Michael Wittmann is featured by Kurowski in his 1992 book Panzer Aces, an ahistorical and hagiographic account of the combat careers of highly decorated Nazi tank commanders.

In one of Kurowski's accounts, Michael Wittmann takes out eighteen tanks in a single engagement, for which Sepp Dietrich, the commanding officer, presents him with an Iron Cross and inquires whether Michael Wittmann has a request.