August Wittmann

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

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

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

Citations

^ 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

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 3423059443.