August Wittmann
August Wittmann | |
|---|---|
| Born | 20 July 1895 |
| Died | 29 March 1977 (aged 81) |
| Allegiance |  Nazi Germany |
| Service | Army (Wehrmacht) |
| Rank | Generalleutnant |
| Unit | 390th Field Training Division 3rd Mountain Division 117th Jäger Division 1st Mountain Division |
| Battles / wars | World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
August Wittmann (20 July 1895 – 29 March 1977) was a general in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
Life and career
[edit]August Wittmann was born in Munich on 20 July 1895. He entered the Bavarian Army as a volunteer shortly after the outbreak of World War I in August 1914, joining a Bavarian Field Artillery Regiment. Commissioned lieutenant in 1917, he left the army in December 1918. He then served with the Bavarian State Police until 1935.[1]
In October 1935 Wittmann rejoined the army and was given command of a Gebirgs (mountain) artillery battalion, rising to lead an artillery regiment three years later.[1] In June 1941, during the battle of Crete, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for his leadership of a mountain artillery regiment.[2] Becoming a divisional commander from February 1943, he commanded the 390th Field Training Division[3] and then the 3rd Mountain Division on the Eastern Front,[4] followed by the 117th Jäger Division[5] and the 1st Mountain Division in the Balkans and Austria. He surrendered with his unit in May 1945.[6]
Wittmann ended the war as a Generalleutnant, after promotion to this rank in April 1944.[4]
Awards and decorations
[edit]- Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (Armed Forces Report) of 11 June 1941 as Oberstleutnant and commander of Gebirgs-Artillerie-Regiment 95 (95th Mountain Artillery Regiment) during the battle of Crete.[7]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 21 June 1941 as Oberstleutnant and commander of the 95th Mountain Artillery Regiment during the battle of Crete.[2]
- German Cross in Gold on 25 August 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 3 Gebirgs-Division (3rd Mountain Division) on the Eastern Front.[8]
References
[edit]Citations
[edit]- ^ a b Lucas 1980, p. 219.
- ^ a b Fellgiebel 2000, p. 364.
- ^ Mitcham 2007, p. 93.
- ^ a b Mitcham 2007, p. 266.
- ^ Mitcham 2007, p. 253.
- ^ Mitcham 2007, p. 262.
- ^ Wehrmacht 1985, p. 556.
- ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 519.
Bibliography
[edit]- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
- Lucas, James (1980). Alpine Elite: German Mountain Troops of World War II. Jane's Publishing. ISBN 0531037134.
- Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941–1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3931533458.
- Mitcham, Samuel W (2007). German Order of Battle: 291st–999th Infantry divisions, named infantry divisions, and special divisions in World War II. Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3437-0.
- Wehrmacht (1985). Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 1 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 1] (in German). Munich: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag. ISBN 3423086343.
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