Michael Wittmann
Michael Wittmann | |
|---|---|
Wittmann in May, 1944 | |
| Born | 22 April 1914 |
| Died | 8 August 1944 (aged 30) |
| Buried | La Cambe German war cemetery (reinterred) |
| Allegiance | Nazi Germany |
| Branch | German Army Waffen SS |
| Service years | 1934–1944 |
| Rank | SS-Hauptsturmführer |
| Unit | SS Division Leibstandarte 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion |
| Conflicts | |
| Awards | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords |
Michael Wittmann (22 April 1914 – 8 August 1944) was a German Waffen-SS tank commander during the Second World War. He is known for his ambush of elements of the British 7th Armoured Division during the Battle of Villers-Bocage on 13 June 1944. While in command of a Tiger I tank, Wittmann destroyed up to 14 tanks, 15 personnel carriers and two anti-tank guns within 15 minutes before the loss of his own tank.
Wittmann became a cult figure after the war thanks to his accomplishments as a "panzer ace" (a highly decorated tank commander), part of the portrayal of the Waffen-SS in popular culture. Historians have mixed opinions about his tactical performance in battle. Some praised his actions at Villers-Bocage, while many others found his abilities lacking, and the praise for his tank kills overstated.
Although the number is disputed, he is credited with destroying 135 to 138 enemy tanks. German tank kills were recorded as a unit. When Hitler personally upgraded Wittman's Knight's Cross with oak leaves on 2 February 1944, Wittman's total was 117 tanks.