Nickname: Willi
Date of Birth: 26.02.1894 - Wernigerode, Harz, Sachsen-Anhalt (German Empire)
Date of Death: 19.04.1979 - Wolfratshausen, Bayern (West Germany)
Battles and Operations: World War I (Western Front, Italian Front), Invasion of Poland, Battle of France, Operation Barbarossa, Caucasus and rear security operations, Normandy Campaign, Operation Market Garden (Arnhem), Ardennes Offensive, Hungary (including defense of Vienna)
NSDAP-Number: 829700 (01.12.1932)
SS-Number: 39177 (01.07.1932)
Religion: Protestant
Parents: Son of a traveling salesman (name details limited in primary sources; family background modest middle-class)
Siblings: Limited public information available; one known reference to a brother who was a concert pianist in family lore
Spouse: Kate Sonntag-Blume (actress and director, married 29.12.1922; also referred to as Kate Blume or Kitty, died 1971)
Children: No confirmed children detailed in major biographical sources
Promotions:
00.00.1914 War volunteer, Jagerbataillon Nr. 7
15.10.1915 Leutnant der Reserve
01.07.1932 SS-Anwarter
15.07.1932 SS-Mann
10.09.1932 SS-Oberscharfuhrer
31.10.1932 SS-Sturmfuhrer
12.04.1934 SS-Obersturmfuhrer
17.06.1934 SS-Hauptsturmfuhrer
01.10.1936 SS-Sturmbannfuhrer
30.01.1938 SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer
06.06.1939 SS-Standartenfuhrer
01.09.1940 SS-Oberfuhrer
19.10.1941 SS-Brigadefuhrer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS
01.05.1943 SS-Gruppenfuhrer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS
01.08.1944 SS-Obergruppenfuhrer und General der Waffen-SS
Career:
00.00.1914-1916 Jagerbataillon Nr. 7 and other infantry units; wounded twice
1916 Transfer to Luftstreitkrafte; pilot with Fliegerabteilung der Artillerie 226 and Jagdstaffel 37 (3 aerial victories claimed)
1918-1919 Service in Freikorps Hulsen during the German Revolution; also brief service with Freikorps Ehrhardt
1920s-1932 Sports and flight instructor; involved in secret Reichswehr/Luftwaffe training in the Soviet Union (Lipetsk); civilian employee with Reichswehr
01.07.1932 Joined SS in Fliegerstaffel Ost; commanded the unit
1933-1934 Various commands including 2. Kompanie, I. Bataillon, SS-Standarte Germania; Politische Bereitschaft Hamburg
1934-1938 Transferred to SS-Verfugungstruppe; commander roles in SS-Standarte Germania and II. Bataillon, SS-Standarte Deutschland
1938-1939 Participated in Anschluss of Austria; commander I. Sturmbann, SS-Standarte Der Fuhrer; posted to Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler staff
1939 Poland Campaign: Chief of Staff, LSSAH under Sepp Dietrich
01.02.1940-01.12.1940 Staff roles in SS-Fuhrungshauptamt (replacements and regulations)
01.12.1940-10.1941 Kommandeur, SS-Standarte/Regiment Deutschland; temporary command of SS-Division Das Reich (Oct-Dec 1941) after Hausser wounded
1942 Commander, forming SS-Kavallerie-Division (later Florian Geyer); commanded division in rear security/Bandenbekampfung operations in USSR (Aug 1942-Feb 1943)
02.1943-07.1944 Kommandeur, 9. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Hohenstaufen (later Panzer-Division); operations in France, Belgium, and Eastern Front
01.07.1944-05.1945 Kommandierender General, II. SS-Panzerkorps (Normandy, Arnhem/Market Garden, Ardennes, Hungary/Vienna defense)
05.1945 Captured by US forces; extradited to France for trials
Postwar: Sentenced in France (1948 and 1953 trials) but released after serving time/pre-trial detention; active in HIAG (Waffen-SS veterans organization), served as chairman in 1970s; lived near Lake Starnberg, Bavaria
Awards and Decorations:
Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse 1914
Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse 1914
Koniglich Preussische Militar-Flugzeugfuhrer-Abzeichen
Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz (1918)
Ehrenwinkel der Alten Kampfer (February 1934)
Ehrenkreuz fur Frontkampfer (1934)
SS-Zivilabzeichen Nr. 14347
Julleuchter der SS (16.12.1935)
Bronzenes SA-Sportabzeichen (01.12.1937)
Ehrendegen des Reichsfuhrers-SS (01.12.1937)
SS-Ehrenring
Dienstauszeichnung der NSDAP 10 Jahre (01.04.1939)
Deutsches Reiterabzeichen in Bronze
1939 Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz 2. Klasse (25.09.1939)
1939 Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz 1. Klasse (07.06.1940)
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes #715 (14.12.1941) as SS-Oberführer and Kommandeur SS-Infanterie-Regiment “Deutschland” / SS-Division “Reich”. Bittrich’s Ritterkreuz recommendation reads as follows:
“SS-Brigadeführer Bittrich was awarded the Iron Cross First & Second Class during the Polish campaign. During the operations in Russia he led SS-Regiment ‘Deutschland’ until the divisional commander was wounded on the 14.10.1941.
He has led his Regiment with personal boldness, rigour and prudence, achieving great successes in this role. During the battle for Yelnya he and his Regiment captured Hill 125.6 on the 22.07.1941 and defended this place against non-stop attacks by a numerically and materially superior enemy until being relieved on the 08.08.1941. After this he particularly distinguished himself on the 13.10.1941:
The SS-Regiment ‘Deutschland’, initially reinforced by a Panzer-Abteilung of the 10. Panzer-Division, had the mission of reaching the Moscow defensive position by advancing along the old post road Gshatsk—Moshaisk as the left column of the SS-Division ‘Reich’. Meanwhile the reinforced SS-Regiment ‘Der Führer’ was to carry out the same mission along the highway as the right column of the Division. The Regiment dispatched reconnaissance against its assigned position, which was reported to be strongly fortified and occupied.
At 13:00 the commander of SS-Regiment ‘Deutschland’ was able to confirm via reconnaissance that there was a weakly held point at the railroad track between the highway and the post road. He realized that pausing the advance here would put the enemy on alert and enable them to reinforce their defenses at this position. The regimental commander thus decided to penetrate into the position under the protection of a few Panzers as well as a Batterie that had been swiftly brought into position. The Regiment had been on the attack constantly for 7 days, had sustained heavy casualties and had gone without field kitchens for 4 days (implying no warm meals) due to the bad road conditions.
Even with all this the penetration succeeded; the enemy was totally surprised. A continuous tank ditch with a wire obstacle was quickly overcome. By nightfall a penetration measuring 500 metres deep and 1 km wide had been achieved. During the night Bittrich succeeded in expanding the penetration to a width of 3 km by daybreak together with the by now alerted neighbouring Regiment. On the 14.10.1941 both Regiments succeeded in expanding this penetration following hard combat amongst the 3 km deep, strongly fortified position. The strength of the position and the decisive importance of Bittrich’s swift action is made all the more clear by both the large amount of captured materiel and the attached sketch. The following was captured during the breakthrough of the Moscow defensive position:
21 artillery pieces
14 anti-tank guns
92 heavy machine-guns
10 heavy mortars
14 tanks
65 flamethrowers
2 trucks
1 car
1 armoured car
1 engineer equipment depot
859 prisoners.
The independent resolve of the commander of SS-Regiment ‘Deutschland’, SS-Brigadeführer Bittrich, was the main force responsible for achieving this breakthrough within 24 hours and the consequent swift opening of the highway. The swift success made it impossible for the enemy to seal off the breakthrough position in the following days with their reinforcements. On the 18.10.1941 Moshaisk was occupied by the SS-Division ‘Reich’. On the following day, together with the 10. Panzer-Division, it managed to occupy a line between the crossroads 5 km south of Moshaisk and the eastern edge of Moshaisk itself. This was used as a jump-off point from which to continue the attack against Moscow.”
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (06.03.1943) as SS-Brigadefuhrer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS, Kommandeur 8. SS-Kavallerie-Division Florian Geyer
Medaille Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #563 (28.08.1944) as SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS and Kommandierender General II. SS-Panzerkorps. The following press notice excerpt (dated 12.09.1944) describes why Bittrich was awarded the Eichenlaub:
“The Korps commanded by SS-Obergruppenführer Bittrich achieved outstanding defensive successes along the Invasion front. During July the Korps sealed off a major enemy penetration and held this position against powerful attacks. After the enemy had undertaken a regrouping they once again commenced a breakthrough attempt with overwhelming tank forces. But, through a bold attack, SS-Obergruppenführer Bittrich threw back and sealed off this attempt in a display of great devotion to duty. - Later on Bittrich’s Korps held its sector in the encirclement area against all enemy breakthrough attempts and then broke out of the encirclement ring under the prudent and brave leadership of SS-Obergruppenführer Bittrich.”
Mentioned in Wehrmachtbericht (27.09.1944)
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern #153 (06.05.1945) as SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS and Kommandierender General II.SS-Panzerkorps, awarded for the corps' performance in the defensive battles of autumn 1944, particularly the rapid and effective response to Operation Market Garden at Arnhem. On 17 September 1944, upon detecting airborne landings, Bittrich immediately directed his resting but battle-hardened units (9th SS Hohenstaufen and 10th SS Frundsberg) to counter the British 1st Airborne Division. His forces quickly encircled the British at Arnhem and Oosterbeek, inflicting heavy casualties through aggressive infantry and armored counterattacks in urban and wooded terrain. Bittrich authorized a humanitarian ceasefire on 24 September to evacuate over 2,000 wounded British soldiers, showcasing command judgment amid fierce fighting. The corps' actions, combined with delaying operations elsewhere, contributed decisively to the failure of the Allied airborne-ground offensive. Additional late-war defensive successes in the Ardennes and Hungary further supported the award, though late-war documentation was sometimes irregular.
The German Federal Archives hold no records for the presentation of the Schwerter to Wilhelm Bittrich. The award was unlawfully presented SS-Oberstgruppenführer Sepp Dietrich. The date is taken from the announcement made by the 6. Panzerarmee. The sequential number "153" was assigned by the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (OdR). Bittrich was a member of the OdR.
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Wilhelm Bittrich was a high-ranking commander in the Waffen-SS of Nazi Germany during World War II. Born on 26 February 1894 in Wernigerode in the Harz mountains, he volunteered for military service at the outbreak of World War I. He initially served with infantry units on the Western Front, where he was wounded twice, before transferring to the Luftstreitkrafte in 1916. As a pilot, he flew with Fliegerabteilung der Artillerie 226 and Jagdstaffel 37, claiming three aerial victories and earning both classes of the Iron Cross along with the pilot badge. After the armistice, he joined Freikorps units during the turbulent postwar period, including Freikorps Hulsen and briefly Freikorps Ehrhardt. In the interwar years, Bittrich worked as a sports and flight instructor while participating in secret Reichswehr aviation training programs in the Soviet Union at Lipetsk. He joined the Nazi Party in December 1932 and the SS shortly afterward, rising through various command positions in the SS-Verfugungstruppe.
Bittrichs early SS career included leadership roles in the Fliegerstaffel Ost and political readiness detachments. By the late 1930s, he commanded battalions in regiments such as Germania and Deutschland, taking part in the Anschluss of Austria. During the 1939 invasion of Poland, he served as chief of staff to the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler under Sepp Dietrich. In 1940, he held staff positions in the SS-Fuhrungshauptamt before assuming command of SS-Regiment Deutschland in December of that year. His regiment fought in the Balkans and then on the Eastern Front during Operation Barbarossa. Bittrich temporarily commanded the Das Reich Division in late 1941 after Paul Hausser was wounded. In 1942, he took charge of the newly forming SS-Kavallerie-Division, later known as Florian Geyer, overseeing rear-security operations in the Soviet Union. By early 1943, he assumed command of the 9th SS-Panzergrenadier Division Hohenstaufen, which he led through training in France and subsequent combat on the Eastern Front.
The actions that earned Bittrich the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 14 December 1941 exemplified his tactical initiative and resilience. During the summer fighting around the Yelnya salient, his regiment captured and stubbornly defended Hill 125.6 against repeated Soviet assaults by superior forces for more than two weeks in intense close-quarters combat amid summer heat and dust. Later, on 13 October 1941 during the drive toward Moscow in Operation Typhoon, Bittrich spotted a vulnerability in a heavily fortified Soviet defensive line. Despite his troops being exhausted and understrength after days of continuous marching without hot meals, he ordered an immediate penetration supported by available panzers and artillery. His forces overcame tank ditches and wire obstacles in a surprise attack, expanding the breach overnight and capturing significant enemy equipment and prisoners the following day. This breakthrough opened key roads and prevented Soviet reinforcements from sealing the gap, enabling rapid advances toward Mozhaisk.
In 1944, Bittrich rose to command II SS-Panzerkorps, directing operations during the Normandy campaign. His corps played a critical role in containing Allied advances near Caen and later facilitated the escape of many German units from the Falaise Pocket through determined delaying actions and fighting withdrawals under overwhelming pressure from air attacks, artillery, and ground forces. For these efforts, he received the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross on 28 August 1944. In September 1944, his corps was repositioned near Arnhem for rest when Operation Market Garden began. Bittrich reacted swiftly to the airborne landings, directing elements of the 9th SS and 10th SS Panzer Divisions to counter the British 1st Airborne Division. His forces encircled the British paratroopers at Arnhem and Oosterbeek, inflicting heavy casualties through aggressive urban and woodland fighting. He authorized a temporary ceasefire to evacuate over two thousand wounded British soldiers, an act noted for its pragmatic humanity amid the battle. These successes contributed to the failure of the Allied operation and led to the award of the Swords to the Knight's Cross on 6 May 1945.
Bittrich continued to lead II SS-Panzerkorps through the Ardennes Offensive and defensive battles in Hungary, including efforts to relieve Budapest and the final defense of Vienna in 1945. He was captured by American forces on 8 May 1945. After the war, he faced extradition to France for trials related to command responsibility in the execution of resistance members. French courts convicted him on lesser charges tied to subordinate actions, sentencing him to prison terms that were largely considered served due to pretrial detention. He was released in the early 1950s and later became active in HIAG, the mutual aid organization for former Waffen-SS members, eventually serving as its chairman in the 1970s. Bittrich lived quietly near Lake Starnberg in Bavaria, where he died on 19 April 1979 at the age of 85. He was buried alongside his wife in the village cemetery at Munising.
Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Bittrich
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/13165/Bittrich-Wilhelm-Willi-Waffen-SS.htm
https://www.tracesofwar.com/articles/4956/Wilhelm-Bittrich.htm
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/
https://grokipedia.com/page/Wilhelm_Bittrich
https://rk.balsi.de/index.php?action=list&cat=300
https://www.unithistories.com/units_index/index.php?file=/officers/personsx.html
https://forum.axishistory.com/
https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/
https://www.geni.com/
Scherzer, Veit. Die Ritterkreuztrager 1939-1945. Jena 2007.
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