From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Fritz Witt
Fritz Witt
Fritz Witt ing this period of time, he witnessed the rise of Adolf
Hitler and the NSDAP, becoming a strong supporter. Witt
saw the Nazis as the answer to the chaos and poverty
of the Weimar Republic. On 1 December 1931, Witt ap-
plied to join both the NSDAP (Nr. 816.769) and the SS (Nr.
21.518). On 17 March 1933, Witt was admitted to the SS-
Stabswache Berlin, an élite guard formation of only 117
men. On 1 October 1933, Witt received his commission as
an SS-Untersturmführer.
In On 9 May 1934, Witt was promoted to SS-Ober-
sturmführer, and soon after took command of the third
company of SS-Standartenführer Felix Steiner’s SS-Stan-
darte Deutschland, one of the then-three Standarten
which comprised the SS-Verfügungstruppe (SS-VT). The
other Standarten were the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler,
SS-Standarte Germania and (from 1938) SS-Standarte Der
Führer). In October 1938, the SS-VT was subordinated to
Heer command, stepping closer to its future combat role.
While commanding the 3./SS-Standarte Deutschland,
SS-Standartenführer Fritz Witt Witt was involved in the March into Austria as part of
the Anschluß. After this, the Standarte was motorised.
Born 27 May 1908(1908-05-27)
Hohenlimburg
The Deutschland now took part in the occupation of the
Sudetenland. In March 1939, Witt served with the Stan-
Died 14 June 1944(1944-06-14) (aged 36) darte during the bloodless annexation of Bohemia and
Venoix
Moravia. Hitler ordered the formation of an SS-
Allegiance Nazi Germany Verfügungs-Division, comprising all three SS-VT Stan-
darten (The Leibstandarte was to form its own unit). The
Service/ Waffen-SS
branch Polish crisis put these plans on hold, and the SS-Stan-
darten were deployed for action during the upcoming of-
Years of 1933-1944 fensive, Fall Weiß. Witt’s SS-Standarte (mot) Deutschland
service
was subordinated to Panzer-Verband Kempf, based in East
Rank Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Prussia.
Waffen-SS
Battles/wars World War II Early war campaigns
Awards Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub On 1 September 1939, the Invasion of Poland began,
sparking the Second World War. Witt was still in com-
Fritz Witt (27 May 1908 – 14 June 1944) was a German mand of the 3./SS-Standarte Deutschland, and although
Waffen-SS officer who served with the 1.SS- the Deutschland played a mostly supporting role to
Panzergrenadier-Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler be- Kempf’s panzers, Witt’s company saw some heavy fight-
fore taking command of the 12.SS-Panzer-Division Hitler- ing and he served well during the campaign. For personal
jugend. Witt was killed by an allied naval barrage in 1944. bravery in combat, Witt was awarded both the first and
second classes of the Iron Cross within a ten day period.
Early life - Pre-war SS service By October 1939, Witt had attained a rank of SS-
Hauptsturmführer and was placed in command of
Fritz Witt was born on 27 May 1908 in Hohenlimburg, I.Battalion of the Deutschland, redesignated SS-Infanterie-
a suburb of the city of Hagen. Witt’s family was middle Regiment (mot) Deutschland. In the same month, the SS-
class, his father being employed as a textiles salesman. Verfügungs-Division was formed and placed under the
After attending school Witt followed his father’s trade, command of SS-Gruppenführer Paul Hausser.
working as a textiles salesman from 1925 until 1931. Dur-
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Fritz Witt
across the Perekop Isthmus and the assaults on the Soviet
Witt led his battalion through the Invasion of France, defensive positions near the Tarter Ditch.
again showing bravery and skill commanding his unit. In November, the Leibstandarte was transferred back
On 27 May 1940, 20 British Matilda tanks attacked Witt’s to Panzergruppe 1 and took part in the heavy fighting for
battalion. Despite the fact that Witt’s unit had no anti- the city of Rostov on Don. After capturing the city, heavy
tank weapons, Witt rallied his battalion and they held, Soviet counterattacks during the winter meant that the
destroying nine of the British tanks with grenades and Germans had to fall back to defensive lines on the river
other improvised methods. In Hausser’s post battle re- Mius. Witt’s battalion was engaged in several ferocious
port, he said of Witt’s actions rearguard actions. Through the bitter winter battles,
The opinion of the Regimental commander, describing Witt led from the front, maintaining unit morale and
him as the soul of the resistance, must be stressed. Witt is showing care for his men. He was known as a sharp dress-
the model of the young leader, never retreating in the er, always seen in immaculate dress uniform resplendent
face of anything with his many awards with his German Shepherd Bulli by
his side. On 8 February 1942, Witt was awarded the Ger-
For his actions repulsing the armoured attack, Witt was man Cross in Gold for his bravery during the Rostov bat-
awarded the Knight’s Cross, which he received on 4 tles.
September 1940.
On 16 October, Witt was transferred to the Infanterie-
Regiment (mot.) Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, where he Paris - Kharkov
took command of III.Battalion. In the early months of 1942, Witt’s battalion continued
defensive actions along the Mius. In May 1942, the divi-
Balkans - Barbarossa sion went back on the offensive and Witt’s battalion was
again committed to action in the recapture of Rostov on
Witt, an SS-Sturmbannführer since late May 1940, was Don. After over a month’s heavy fighting, the city had
again transferred to command of the Leibstandarte’s fallen, and the exhausted division was ordered back to
I.Battalion on 26 March 1941. The Leibstandarte was France to rest and refit. Witt had led his formation excep-
poised to take place in Operation Marita, the invasion of tionally over this period, and as a reflection, in the month
the Balkans and Greece. I.Battalion was to play a crucial of July 1942 he was awarded the Order of the Star of Ro-
role. mania, Officer Class with Swords on the Ribbon of Mili-
On 10 April, Witt’s battalion was reinforced with ar- tary Virtue, and the Bulgarian Military Order for Bravery
tillery and a battery of 88mm Flak 18s and renamed in War 4th Class, 1st Grade.
Kampfgruppe Witt. The unit was tasked with clearing re- The Leibstandarte was to be reformed as a Panzer-
sistance from the Klidi Pass, just south of Vevi and open- grenadier division. For refitting and training, the division
ing the way to the heart of Greece. The pass was defended was ordered to the Normandy area in Northern France.
by a hastily-assembled Australian-British-New Zealand- Witt travelled the scenic countryside, unknowingly gain-
Greek force, under an Australian, Maj. Gen. Iven Mackay. ing information which would later prove invaluable. In
Witt’s men were engaged in heavy fighting for three days August, he was promoted to SS-Standartenführer and
before the pass fell. Witt’s brother, Franz Witt, fell in the given command of the Leibstandarte’s 1st SS Panzer-
fighting. Witt’s battalion had inflicted many casualties grenadier Regiment. Witt and the division spent the re-
and captured over 520 prisoners for the loss of only 37 mainder of 1942 resting and refitting in France.
dead and 95 wounded. In January 1943, the reformed SS Panzergrenadier
After the conclusion of the Balkan campaign Witt re- Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler was deemed ready for
mained in command of I.Battalion. The Leibstandarte, now action, and together with the SS Panzergrenadier Divi-
upgraded to a division, was to take part in the advance sion Das Reich and the SS Panzergrenadier Division
into Russia as a part of Army Group South. Totenkopf was formed into the SS Panzer Corps. The SS
Panzer Corps, commanded by Witt’s old commander Paul
Witt’s Battalion was first committed to action in August Hausser, was sent east to Kharkov to join Erich von
1941, when the division was transferred to Panzergruppe Manstein’s Army Group Don which was attempting to
1, engaged in the encirclement of over 600,000 men near halt the Soviet advance after the 6th Army’s defeat at the
Kiev. Battle of Stalingrad.
Witt’s unit now moved south, to join the
LIV.Armeekorps. On 17 September 1941, the Leibstandarte Witt’s 1st SS Panzergrenadier Regiment was stationed
was involved in the launch of the offensive to clear the in the outskirts of Kharkov, and in early February saw
Crimean Peninsula. Witt’s battalion took part in the heavy fighting against the forces of the Soviet Mobile
fighting for the town of Perekop, and the later advance Group Popov. At the town of Merefa, Witt’s regiment,
fighting alongside SS-Sturmbannführer Max Wünsche’s
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Fritz Witt
1st Battalion/1st SS Panzer Regiment, fought a bitter de- and the relationship between the officers and men was
laying action on 8–9 February. Although severely out- an informal one, based on mutual trust and respect.
numbered, Witt and Wünsche halted the spearhead of In January 1944, Witt’s new command was the subject
Mobile Group Popov, inflicting heavy losses on the Sovi- of a major scandal. Early in the month, SS-Untersturm-
ets. Despite these actions, the Soviets were still advanc- führer Wilifred Murr, a junior officer in SS-Sturmbann-
ing on the SS Panzer Corps’ flanks. Fearing encirclement, führer Erich Olboeter’s 12th SS Reconnaissance Battalion
Hausser disobeyed Hitler’s orders and authorised a full had, in a drunken state, raped a 15 year old Belgian girl
withdrawal from Kharkov. after threatening her parents with his pistol. Murr was
In early March, Witt’s regiment now took part in the the son of Wilhelm Murr, Gauleiter of Stuttgart. Olboeter
Third Battle of Kharkov. Witt’s force was reinforced with heard of the incident, and along with SS-Sturmbannführer
tanks, artillery and assault guns, and was tasked with Dr. Eberhard Denzel, the division’s legal officer, visited
attacking from the North. The force, renamed Kampf- Murr in his room and persuaded him that he should make
gruppe Witt, was to form one of three pincers which use of his pistol to avoid embarrassing his family. As soon
would destroy Mobile Group Popov and recapture as the officers had left, Murr did so. Murr’s father soon
Kharkov. heard details of what had happened, and, enraged, wrote
The attack got underway on 2 March, and by 10 to Martin Bormann demanding an investigation.
March KG Witt had reached the suburbs of Kharkov. After In the resulting investigation, Olboeter was demoted
ferocious fighting near Dergatschi, Witt broke through and transferred to command of the 3rd Battalion of the
and advanced into the city centre, fighting alongside 26th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment. He was replaced by
Kurt Meyer’s Kampfgruppe Meyer. Over the next few SS-Hauptsturmführer Gerd Bremer and Dr. Denzel was de-
days, the Kampfgruppes of Witt and Meyers’ saw intense moted to SS-Schütze and sent to serve with the 3rd SS
fighting, and were cut off several times inside the city. Panzer Division Totenkopf’s 6th SS Panzergrenadier Regi-
Despite this, they held and Kampfgruppe Peiper under ment.
Joachim Peiper reached them and together the three Despite this, Witt managed to avoid any repercus-
Leibstandarte units annihilated the Soviet defenders. sions, and the formation of the division continued. In
By 16 March, the battle was over, with Kharkov retak- March 1944, in a high profile event, OB West, Generalfeld-
en. In honour of the 4,500 casualties suffered by the Leib- marschall Gerd von Rundstedt and I SS Panzer Corps com-
standarte in the severe fighting, Kharkov’s Red Square mander SS-Obergruppenführer Josef Dietrich visited the
was renamed Platz der Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler. The di- Division’s training grounds. Witt escorted the OB West
vision was pulled back for much needed rest and refit. and Dietrich as they witnessed elements of the division
For his actions in leading his Kampfgruppe, Witt was engaged in training exercises. After witnessing this, both
awarded the Oakleaves to the Knight’s Cross and promot- Rundstedt and Dietrich were convinced that the division
ed to the rank SS-Oberführer. would soon be combat ready, and ordered Witt to move
his division to Normandy where it was to join Panzer-
Hitlerjugend command gruppe West, Rundstedt’s armoured reserve.
On 20 April 1944, Witt was promoted to SS-Brigade-
In February 1943, the SS had begun formation of a new führer und Generalmajor der SS. Witt continued training ex-
Waffen-SS division composed primarily from Hitler ercises for his division, allowing his troops to familiarise
Youth members born in 1926. The division was designat- themselves with the terrain around Caen. This training
ed 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend. To provide of- would later prove vital. On 27 May 1944, Witt turned 36
ficers for this new division, a number of veteran Leib- and celebrated his birthday with a party. A few days lat-
standarte officers and NCOs were transferred. Witt, along er, on 2 June, he finally announced that the Hitlerjugend
with Max Wünsche, Kurt Meyer, ’Gerd’ Bremer, Wilhelm division was ready for combat.
Mohnke, Hugo Kraas and Rudolf von Ribbentrop were
among those transferred. On 1 July 1943, Witt was pro-
moted to SS-Oberführer, and at the end of the month
Normandy invasion
he was officially given command of the Hitlerjugend di- On 6 June 1944, the Western Allies launched Operation
vision. Witt took over the divisional command at Bever- Overlord, the invasion of Normandy. Witt’s Division,
loo in occupied Belgium, and began the huge undertak- along with the 21st Panzer Division, was the closest ar-
ing of overseeing the formation and training of a new SS moured unit to the landing beaches. Witt readied the
Panzer Division. Witt, realising that the division had to division for immediate action, but was forced to wait
be made ready for combat as quickly as possible, ignored for Hitler’s personal authorisation releasing the panzer
many rules and regulations and instead focused on real- units. The unit did not move out until 14:30, early in
istic combat scenarios and live-fire exercises. A result of the afternoon of D-Day on 6 June. The division’s advance
this was that the morale of the HJ was exceptionally high, to the areas near Sword and Juno Beaches was severely
hampered by incessant Allied fighter-bomber attacks.
3
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Fritz Witt
Over the next week, Witt’s division managed to hold
the line above Caen despite incessant determined attacks
and constant air, artillery and naval bombardments. The
HJ inflicted devastating losses on the British and Canadi-
an forces, the training which Witt had developed main-
taining his unit’s morale and fighting ability. However,
Witt himself was not immune from the unrelenting
Anglo-Canadian attacks.
On 14 June, a British naval barrage hit the divisional
command post in Venoix. Witt was hit in the face by
shrapnel and killed instantly. The division and his former
1st Panzer Division comrades mourned his loss. The 33
year old Kurt Meyer was ordered to take command of the
division.
Fritz Witt (middle) in discussion with Max Wünsche (left) und
Kurt Meyer at the invasion front in Normandy Witt was buried with full military honours at
Champigny—Saint-André-de-l’Eure in France.
Forward elements of the division finally reached their as-
sembly area near Evrecy at 2200 on 6 June, too late in the Summary of SS career
day to be committed to action.
Witt ordered his division to form up north of Caen, Dates of rank
defending the city and the Carpiquet Aerodrome. On 7 • SS-Obersturmführer: May 9, 1934
June, SS-Standartenführer Kurt Meyer’s 25th SS Panzer- • SS-Hauptsturmführer: June 1, 1935
grenadier Regiment, along with the 2nd Battalion from • SS-Sturmbannführer: May 25, 1940
SS-Obersturmbannführer Max Wünsche’s 12th SS Panzer • SS-Obersturmbannführer: November 27, 1941
Regiment, attacked the advancing 3rd Canadian Infantry • SS-Standartenführer: January 30, 1943
Division, destroying 28 Canadian tanks and annihilating • SS-Oberführer: July 1, 1943
a company of The North Nova Scotia Highlanders for the • SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS:
loss of only six tanks, according to Meyer’s recollection of April 20, 1944
the battle after the war. Records from the 27th Canadian
armored regiment rather suggest that at least 31 German Notable decorations
tanks were destroyed, mainly Panzer IV’s. Infantry casu-
alties on both sides were heavy; the North Nova’s lost 242 • German Cross in Gold (1942)
men, including 128 prisoners; German casualties are un- • Eastern Front Medal (1942)
certain, but at least 50 German wounded were seen by • Iron Cross Second (1939) and First (1939) Classes
Canadian prisoners at the nearby Abbaye d’Ardenne. It is • SS-Honour Ring (?)
generally believed that the 12th SS lost around 80 killed • Knight’s Cross (1940)
and 150+ wounded. One thing is certain though: the 12th • Oak Leaves (1943)
SS fell short of their objective, which was to push back • Waffen-SS Long Service Award (1941)
the allies to the sea, but they did stop their advance north • Steaua Romaniei (1943)
of Caen for weeks. Meyer’s regiment was then deployed
near the villages of Authie and Buron, in positions cover- References and external links
ing Carpiquet.
• Krätschmer, Ernst-Günther (1999). Die
On 8 June, the 26th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment un-
Ritterkreuzträger der Waffen-SS (in German). Coburg,
der command of SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer Wilhelm
Germany: Nation Europa Verlag GmbH. ISBN
Mohnke arrived and took up positions to the west of
3-920677-43-9.
Meyer. Upon arrival, the regiment launched an attack to-
• Lehmann, Rudolf - The Leibstandarte volumes I-III
wards Norrey-en-Bessin, capturing the vital village. The
• Meyer, Hubert - The History of the 12.SS-
12th SS Reconnaissance Battalion, under the command of
Panzerdivision "Hitlerjugend"
SS-Sturmbannführer Gerd Bremer deployed to the west
• Miller, Michael D., Schulz, Andreas - The SS-
of Mohnke’s regiment, and by the evening of 8 June the
Brigadeführer, 1933–1945
division was in position to halt the allied advance on
• Yerger, Mark C - Waffen SS commanders vol. 2
Caen. Witt visited the front frequently, working hard to
• Knight’s Cross Holders Database (German language)
provide all the support he could to his subordinates. He
• Axis History Factbook
set up his command post at the village of Venoix, close to
the front lines.
4
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Fritz Witt
Military offices
Preceded by Commander of 12th SS Panzer Division Succeeded by
none Hitlerjugend SS-Brigadeführer Kurt Meyer
June 24, 1943-June 14, 1944 (Panzermeyer)
• Feldgrau - The History of the German Armed Forces Short description
in WWII
Date of birth 25 May 1908
• Axis Biographical Research
Place of birth Hohenlimburg
Persondata
Date of death 14 June 1944
Name Witt, Fritz
Place of death Venoix
Alternative names
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fritz_Witt&oldid=455231891"
Categories:
• 1908 births
• 1944 deaths
• SS generals
• Hitler Youth
• German military personnel killed in World War II
• Recipients of the German Cross
• Recipients of the Knight's Cross
• Recipients of the Star of Romania Order
• Nazi leaders
• People from the Province of Westphalia
This page was last modified on 12 October 2011 at 16:54. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-
ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. See Terms of use for details. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of
the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.Contact us
Privacy policy About Wikipedia Disclaimers Mobile view
5