ϟϟ-Standartenführer der Waffen-SS Witt

Fritz Witt as SS-Obersturmbannführer

Fritz Witt joined the SS in 1931 and was one of the original 120 men picked for the special SS guard unit, known as the SS-Stabswache Berlin, which was organized by Josef Sepp Dietrich to provide security for Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler. By 1933, Witt had reached the rank of SS-Sturmführer in the unit, which had become known as Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler. The young officer had been marked as one of the rising stars of the Waffen-SS for exploits during the early war years. In January 1935, Witt was appointed company commander in the SS-Standarte Deutschland, a unit that later became part of the SS-Division Das Reich. Here, he received the Knight's Cross as SS-Sturmbannführer. He was then transferred to the Leibstandarte SS on October 16 1940 as battalion commander. The Oakleaves to the Knight's Cross were awarded to Witt in recognition of his leadership role in the German counter-strike at Kharkov. Witt's force was reinforced with tanks, artillery and assault guns, and was given the task of attacking from the North. He received the award as SS-Standartenführer from Adolf Hitler at the Werwolf compound north of Vinnytsia in Ukraine on March 1 1943. After the ceremony, Witt went straight back to the still ongoing battle. SS-Kampfgruppe Witt was to form one of three pincers which would destroy Mobile Group Popov and recapture Kharkov. The attack got underway on March 2 1943, and by March 10 1943 SS-Standartenführer Witt had reached the suburbs of Kharkov. After ferocious fighting near Dergatschi, Witt broke through and advanced into the city centre, fighting alongside Kurt Meyer's Kampfgruppe. Over the next few days, the SS battle groups of Witt and Meyers' saw intense fighting, and were cut off several times inside the city. Despite this, they held and SS-Kampfgruppe Peiper reached them and together the three Leibstandarte SS units annihilated the Soviet defenders. Witt was killed by naval artillery barrage aged 36 on June 14 1944 in Normandy. Image: Fritz Witt enjoying sun with Leibstandarte commander SS-Obergruppenführer Sepp Dietrich. Photo taken before the Donets Campaign. Credit: Julia Kotterias. FU.