Following the two intense days of combat in the Eastern Front on 8th and 9th January 1944 which had seen the destruction of nine enemy Panzers and an anti-tank gun, on 10th January panzer ace SS-Untersturmführer Michael Wittmann (Zugführer in 13.Kompanie [schwere] / SS-Panzer-Regiment 1 / 1.SS-Panzer-Division LSSAH) was recommended by his divisional commander SS-Oberführer Theodor “Teddi” Wisch for the prestigious Ritterkreuz, the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross. The official recommendation read as follows:
SS-Untersturmführer Wittmann, platoon commander 13.(s)/SS-Pz.Rgt. 1 LSSAH, has himself destroyed 56 tanks in the period July 1943 to 7.1.1944, including several KVI, KVII, General “Sherman”, the rest were T34s.
During a penetration near Sherepki by a Russian tank brigade on 8.1.1944 he and his platoon succeeded in stopping the attack and he himself knocked out 3 T34s and 1 assault gun.
On 9.1.1944 he destroyed another 6 T34s during a penetration by enemy tanks and raised his total of tanks destroyed to 66. He once again demonstrated exceptional bravery in meeting and smashing the Russian tank attack.
Signed Wisch, SS-Oberführer and Divisional Commander
Between his being recommended for the Ritterkreuz on 10th January 1944 and receiving the award four days later, SS-Untersturmführer Wittmann embarked on a what can only be described as a victory celebration of destruction. Over this short period, Wittmann’s Tiger had knocked out an astonishing twenty-two enemy tanks, which took his total to eighty-eight enemy tanks destroyed! Over the 12th and 13th January alone, Wittmann and his crew knocked out a phenomenal sixteen T34s and three anti-tank guns.
In what was a highly successful series of missions, the only moment of bad luck that took place was when Wittmann lost a front tooth in a freak accident in a Schwimmwagen – though other sources have stated that he had lost the tooth by hitting his head against the cupola of his Tiger after it had driven over an obstacle.
The story was not all about Wittmann, however: a successful Tiger not only needed a talented commander but also a well-knit, disciplined and skillful crew. Wittmann himself would continually acknowledge that his outstanding record could never have been achieved without his gunner, the crackshot Saarlander Balthasar “Bobby” Woll, who during his short career as a Tiger gunner had destroyed a total of eighty enemy tanks. Following the actions of 12th and 13th January Woll was also nominated for the Ritterkreuz. Both Wittmann and Woll were awarded their Ritterkreuzes on 14th January, by divisional commander “Teddi” Wisch, while the rest of the crew receives the Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse: SS-Panzerschütze Werner Irrgang (Funker), SS-Panzerschütze Sepp Rößner (Ladeschütze), and SS-Sturmmann Eugen Schmidt (Fahrer).
This video - which was taken in Vinnitsa, Ukraine - shows Wittmann and his four-man Tiger crew being congratulated by his regimental commander, SS-Obersturmbannführer Joachim “Jochen” Peiper, followed by congratulations from his comrades-in-arms. The medal ceremony itself had been held a few hours earlier, presided over by Divisionskommandeur, SS-Oberführer Theodor “Teddy” Wisch. In the background is Wittmann's Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger I Ausf.F “S04” with 88 victory rings (the reporter of ‘Die Deutsche Wochenschau’ had misstated the number as 89).
From left to right: SS-Obersturmbannführer Jochen Peiper (Kommandeur SS-Panzer-Regiment 1 LSSAH), SS-Untersturmführer Michael Wittmann (Zugführer in 13.Kompanie (schwere) / SS-Panzer-Regiment 1 LSSAH), SS-Rottenführer Balthasar "Bobby" Woll (Richtschütze), SS-Panzerschütze Werner Irrgang (Funker), SS-Panzerschütze Sepp Rößner (Ladeschütze), and SS-Sturmmann Eugen Schmidt (Fahrer).
From left to right: SS-Untersturmführer Michael Wittmann (Zugführer in 13.Kompanie (schwere) / SS-Panzer-Regiment 1 LSSAH), SS-Obersturmbannführer Jochen Peiper (Kommandeur SS-Panzer-Regiment 1 LSSAH), SS-Rottenführer Balthasar "Bobby" Woll (Richtschütze), SS-Panzerschütze Werner Irrgang (Funker), SS-Panzerschütze Sepp Rößner (Ladeschütze), and SS-Sturmmann Eugen Schmidt (Fahrer).
From left to right: SS-Untersturmführer Michael Wittmann (Zugführer in 13.Kompanie (schwere) / SS-Panzer-Regiment 1 LSSAH), SS-Obersturmbannführer Jochen Peiper (Kommandeur SS-Panzer-Regiment 1 LSSAH), SS-Rottenführer Balthasar "Bobby" Woll (Richtschütze), SS-Panzerschütze Werner Irrgang (Funker), SS-Panzerschütze Sepp Rößner (Ladeschütze), and SS-Sturmmann Eugen Schmidt (Fahrer).
After the award ceremony, posing in front of their monster, a Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf.E (# S04). From left to right: SS-Untersturmführer Michael Wittmann (Zugführer in 13.Kompanie (schwere) / SS-Panzer-Regiment 1 LSSAH), SS-Rottenführer Balthasar "Bobby" Woll (Richtschütze), SS-Panzerschütze Werner Irrgang (Funker), SS-Panzerschütze Sepp Rößner (Ladeschütze), dan SS-Sturmmann Eugen Schmidt (Fahrer). Note that the barrels of the Tiger's 88mm cannons behind them have been painted with white stripes, where one stripe equals one enemy tank/anti-tank destroyed.
From left to right: SS-Untersturmführer Michael Wittmann (Zugführer in 13.Kompanie (schwere) / SS-Panzer-Regiment 1 LSSAH), SS-Panzerschütze Sepp Rößner (Ladeschütze), SS-Panzerschütze Werner Irrgang (Funker), SS-Sturmmann Eugen Schmidt (Fahrer), and SS-Rottenführer Balthasar "Bobby" Woll (Richtschütze).
From left to right: SS-Panzerschütze Werner Irrgang (Funker), SS-Rottenführer Balthasar "Bobby" Woll (Richtschütze), SS-Untersturmführer Michael Wittmann (Zugführer in 13.Kompanie (schwere) / SS-Panzer-Regiment 1 LSSAH), SS-Panzerschütze Sepp Rößner (Ladeschütze), and SS-Sturmmann Eugen Schmidt (Fahrer).
SS-Untersturmführer Michael Wittmann (in the foreground, Zugführer in 13.Kompanie (schwere) / SS-Panzer-Regiment 1 LSSAH) poses proudly with the crew of his trusted Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger I Ausf.F “S04”, from left to right: SS-Panzerschütze Sepp Rößner (Ladeschütze), SS-Panzerschütze Werner Irrgang (Funker), SS-Rottenführer Balthasar "Bobby" Woll (Richtschütze), and SS-Sturmmann Eugen Schmidt (Fahrer). The 88 victory rings on the barrels of their cannons indicating the 88 enemy tanks destroyed so far.
This picture was taken previously, showing the interview of the new Ritterkreuzträger Michael Wittmann by the SS Kriegsberichter from Propaganda-Kompanie, using a Neumann CMV3/3A microphone. From left to right: unknown war reporter, SS-Untersturmführer Michael Wittmann (Zugführer in 13.Kompanie (schwere) / SS-Panzer-Regiment 1 LSSAH), SS-Sturmmann Eugen Schmidt (Fahrer), SS-Oberführer Theodor "Teddy" Wisch (Kommandeur 1. SS-Panzer-Division LSSAH), SS-Panzerschütze Sepp Rößner (Ladeschütze), and SS-Obersturmbannführer Joachim “Jochen” Peiper (Kommandeur SS-Panzer-Regiment 1 LSSAH).
From left to right: SS-Oberführer Theodor "Teddy" Wisch (Kommandeur 1. SS-Panzer-Division LSSAH), SS-Rottenführer Balthasar "Bobby" Woll (Richtschütze), SS-Untersturmführer Michael Wittmann (Zugführer in 13.Kompanie (schwere) / SS-Panzer-Regiment 1 LSSAH), and unknown war reporter.
Source :
Die Deutsche Wochenschau Nr. 700 - 2 Februari 1944
https://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2025/07/upacara-penganugerahan-ritterkreuz.html
https://www.panzerace.net/biography/ostfront-1943-44/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXsseNnJQfc
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