Otto Carius Discussing Operation with His Crew

This picture was taken from the "Die Deutsche Wochenschau" clip and it shows Leutnant der Reserve Otto Carius (center) discussing an upcoming combat mission of his unit with his crew south of Dünaburg (Daugavpils, Latvia) in July 1944. They are gathered on top of the Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger "217" by making the cupola as the base! At least three of them (including Carius) were wearing brightly colored "Mausgrau" Panzerkombi (mouse grey overall). Far right is Unteroffizier Heinz Kramer (6 February 1921 - 27 January 1945), a Richtschütze (cannon gunner) of the Tiger commanded by Carius who were later awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 6 October 1944. He is possibly the only tank gunner in the world who shoot down an enemy aircraft with his cannon! From left to right: Gefreiter Wagner (ladeschütze/loader), Gefreiter Lönneker (Funker/radio operator), Leutnant d.R. Otto Carius (Führer 2.Kompanie / schwere Panzer-Abteilung 502), Stabsgefreiter Hennig, Feldwebel Albert Kerscher (Kommandant Tiger "213"), and Unteroffizier Heinz Kramer (richtschütze/gunner).

Source :
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2015/01/foto-otto-carius.html
http://www.redorchestra2.fr/forum/viewtopic.php?p=12890

Ritterkreuz Actions of Johannes Bölter

Johannes "Hans" Bölter (29 February 1915 - 16 September 1987) received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 16 April 1944 as Leutnant and Zugführer in 1.Kompanie / schwere Panzer-Abteilung 502. On 7 April 1944 Bölter and another Tiger tank of his unit destroyed 22 Soviet tanks in the area south of Pskov, a total of which Bölter was personally responsible for 15. After taking on additional ammunition he went on to destroy 2 artillery pieces and 2 anti-tank guns. By doing this he and his comrade prevented a penetration into the German frontline and provided major relief to the hard-pressed 8. Jäger-Division. Bölter would receive the Ritterkreuz for this action as well as his personal total of 89 tanks destroyed.

Johannes Bölter received the Eichenlaub #581 for his Ritterkreuz on 10 September 1944 as Leutnant and Führer 1.Kompanie / schwere Panzer-Abteilung 502. The medal was awarded for his actions south of Riga in the middle of August 1944. Bölter found himself in combat along the Memel river with 5 Tigers and 50 Grenadiers. However here they were only able to contain a Soviet bridgehead. On the next day Bölter spotted a Soviet tank assembly area and thrust into the Soviet forces as they were advancing on his own initiative despite the lack of infantry support. While doing so he destroyed 4 tanks (his 92nd-95th kills), 7 anti-tank guns and a battalion of 300 infantry. This stopped the hostile attack before it got started. Leutnant Bölter was then wounded on the following day for the 7th time during the war.

Source :
Jim Haley photo collection
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/2454/B%C3%B6lter-Johannes.htm

Eichenlaub Award Ceremony for Panzer Ace Otto Carius

Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe Oberrhein) awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #535 to Oberleutnant der Reserve Otto Carius from schwere Panzer-Abteilung 502. The picture was taken by SS-Kriegsberichter Ege on 2 January 1945 at the outskirts of Salzburg (Austria). The ceremony was quite extraordinary because Carius had already received the announcement of his award from 27 July 1944, but the ceremony was postponed until five months later! This is because the panzer ace was seriously injured by a multiple shot in the seven parts of his body (including the neck!) only a few days before he suppsosedly received the Eichenlaub, so he had to be taken to the intensive care for months at Feldlazarett (Field Hospital). Carius received the news of his award through newspapers when lying weak on the bed, and was only able to walk with his feet in September 1944. When this photograph was taken, he was no longer in charge of schwere Panzer-Abteilung 502 but had already been transferred to Panzer-Ersatz- und Ausbildungs-Abteilung 500. Another interesting fact is that the handed-over ceremony was performed by Himmler, whereas the Eichenlaub-grade medal ceremony and above was usually attended by Hitler directly. This is because from the end of 1944 the Führer began to restrict his public activities - along with the deterioration of the war situation - so that such activities were then represented to his closest confidants such as Himmler and Göring. Carius dedicated a chapter about this moment in his book 'Tigers in the Mud': "My first impressions of this man, whom his opponents called a 'bloodhound', had really pleasantly surprised me. I wasn't apprehensive about the upcoming 'cozy' conversation anymore. I described my visit with Heinrich Himmler in such detail, because he really surprised me. After the conversation in his staff headquarters , I gathered some hope for a successful conclusion to the war. That was after I had already considered a defeat almost certain."

Source :
https://audiovis.nac.gov.pl/obraz/36771/16681a180a83d321351d3a71c29af66e/