August Wittmann
German general of World War II
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
August Wittmann | |
|---|---|
| Born | 20 July 1895 |
| Died | 29 March 1977 (aged 81) |
| Allegiance |  German Empire Weimar Republic Nazi Germany |
| Branch | Bavarian Army Imperial German Army Preliminary Reichswehr Police German Heer |
| Service years | 1914–1945 |
| Rank | Generalleutnant |
| Unit | 390th Field Training Division 3rd Mountain Division 117th Jäger Division 1st Mountain Division |
| Conflicts | |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
| Relations | ∞ 1923 Hildegard Schilling |
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 joined the Freikorps on 22 April 1919, joined the preliminary Reichswehr on 1 July 1919 and left the army on 30 September 1920. 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
- Iron Cross (1914), 2nd Class on 6 May 1914
- Military Merit Cross (Bavaria), 3rd Class with Swords (BMVK3X/BM5cX) on 17 June 1915
- Military Merit Order (Bavaria), 4th Class with Swords (BMV4X/BM4X) on 17 September 1917
- Wound Badge (1918) in Black
- DRA German Gymnastics and Sports Badge in Bronze
- Army Mountain Guide Badge (Heeresbergführer-Abzeichen), c. 1931
- Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 with Swords in December 1934
- German Olympic Commemorative Medal
- Wehrmacht Long Service Award, 4th to 1st Class (25-year Service Cross)
- 2nd Class on 2 October 1936
- 1st Class in 1939
- Anschluss Medal
- Repetition Clasp 1939 to the Iron Cross 1914, 2nd Class on 3 October 1939
- Iron Cross (1939), 1st Class on 25 May 1940
- 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]
- General Assault Badge on 27 January 1942
- Crete Cuff Title
- 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]
