The advance would be executed from the Orel salient to the north of Kursk and from Belgorod to the south. The most powerful elements of the German attack force, however, were concentrated on the southern flank of the Kursk salient, where Generalfeldmarschall Erich von Manstein had command of SS-Obergruppenführer Paul Hausser's II.SS-Panzerkorps. It was to form the spearhead of Generaloberst Hermann Hoth's 4.Panzer-Armee when final orders were issued for the initial assault. The SS-Panzergrenadier-Divisions Leibstandarte SS, Das Reich and the Totenkopf were deployed next to each other. Each of the SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiments was given a Soviet strongpoint as an objective and were to attack simultaneously to batter through the Soviet defence lines. Top image: the 34-year-old SS commander Theodor ‘Teddy’ Wisch during the opening phases of
Operation Citadel. Wisch succeeded
Josef ‘Sepp’ Dietrich as commander of SS-Panzergrenadier-Divisions Leibstandarte SS in April 1943. In July of that year, at the time of the Kursk offensive, Wisch was further promoted to SS-Oberführer. He was later seriously wounded by a naval artillery barrage in the
Falaise Pocket on Aug. 20 1944. Theodor Wisch ended the war as SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS having been awarded the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves and Swords. He died aged 87 on Jan. 11 1995 in Norderstedt in Schleswig-Holstein. c. Bundesarchiv. Middle image: Tiger S13 of the 8th Company of SS-Panzer-Regiment 2 Das Reich moves forward on the Russian steppe during
Zitadelle as SS-Panzergrenadiers consolidate their positions. Tank S13 was commanded by the Austrian former Messerschmitt pilot of the Jagdgeschwader 27 Paul Egger. Photo taken by SS-Kriegsberichter Friedrich Zschäckel on July 5 1943 west of Yakhontov in the Belgorod Oblast. c. Bundesarchiv. Bottom image: here's another shot of the Tiger ace Paul Egger and S13. The then SS-Oberscharführer Paul Egger is seen coordinating actions with infantry. This photo was taken by SS-KB Hermann Grönert just moments after Zschäckel's more famous photo of the tank climbing the slope. Das Reich's 8th Company used a unique company symbol known as the
Springender Teufel. According to veteran and Panzer ace
SS-Standartenjunker Will Fey a member of SS-Panzer-Regiment 2
Das Reich found a strange metal figure in the streets of
Kharkov after the battle in March 1943. He named it the Jumping Devil and the gnome was adopted by Das Reich's heavy Tiger company in the early summer of 1943 and stenciled onto the turrets for the Kursk offensive. The gnome is well visible on Grönert's photography. U.S. National Archives.
One of the original Tigers issued to Das Reich, it survived into November 1943. The division unloaded its tanks at Kharkiv Railway Station on 1 and 2 February 1943. The collapse of the folding portion of the mudguard dates back to the winter, when this tank was numbered "822".
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ReplyDeletePaul Egger flew 112 missions and was shot down three times. He received severe head wounds and was removed from flying. In May 1941 he volunteered to join the Waffen-SS. He was taken prisonner (01/03/44) but managed to kill his two guards and made his way back to the German line. He is credited with 113 confirmed tank kills. Egger recieved the Knight's Cross by SS commander Felix Steiner on 3 May 1945. In civilian life he became a sports reporter. The former tank commander SS-Obersturmführer Paul Egger died on 12 July 2007 aged 90.
ReplyDeleteNow thats an amazing individual.
DeleteDuring Operation "Zitadelle," Teddy Wisch as commander of the Leibstandarte SS showed himself a soldierly leader with high military skill, strong energy and toughness. With a permanent personal commitment he led the division through these hard offensive and defensive battles from the front line. The armored personnel carrier of the divisional commander during the middle of the tank attacks, or among the attacking grenadiers, or rushing across the battlefield from command post to command post were images constantly repeated during these days. Because of his permanently proven bravery, his never-ending high proof of worth and the excellent leadership of his division Wisch was awarded the high award of the Swords to the Knight's Cross in August 1944 (one of only 160 awarded during the whole war).
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