Personalities of the “Leibstandarte”:
SS-Hauptsturmführer, ‘Theodore Wisch’:
Theodore ‘Teddi’ Wisch was born at Wesselburener Koog in Holstein on 13 December 1907. He joined the ‘SS’ in 1930, and after serving for some time as an NCO in SS-Standarte 53 we were commissioned an SS-Sturmführer in July 1933. By this time he was attached SS-Sonderkommando Berlin. In October of that year, he was further promoted to SS-Hauptsturmführer, and by the outbreak of WWII, he was in command of 1. Sturm (Company) of the ‘Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler’. During the Polish campaign, Wisch won both classes of the Iron Cross.
SS officers had the option of purchasing formal-dress uniforms, such as this Mess-Dress, with a civilian-like cut tail coat (without the tails) worn with a white or black bowtie and waistcoat. This uniform also featured silk-faced lapels, SS shoulder boards, collar patches, a Totenkopf Breastpin (only ever used on this type of uniform), and white piping (broad silver-grey trouser stripes of general officers). Officers were also permitted to wear the white SS-visor service cap with this uniform. The uniform is shown as it would have appeared at the end of the Polish Campaign, with his newly awarded Iron Kross I and II as well.
I can’t explain how this part of the collection came together, they just sort of doo, made its category, and represent some uniform possibilities rather than factual but I like them, and tell a story.
*Ritterkreuzträger SS-Hauptsturmführer, Rudolf von Ribbentrop 6./SS-Panzer-Regiment 1 ,,LSSAH:
Rudolf von Ribbentrop was the son of the German diplomat and Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop. Joining SS-Infantrie Regiment “Deutschland” the day Germany invaded Poland, 1. September 1939 and fought in Holland in 1940. Earning the Eiserne Kreuz II. Klasse u. Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz he was promoted to Sturmmann. Following the Western Campaign, Ribbentrop was sent to the SS-Junkerschule Braunschweig to gain training as a platoon leader. He was commissioned on 20. April 1941 as an SS-Untersturmführer.
First given command of a platoon in 1. Kompanie in the Aufklärung Bataillon “Nord" fighting in Finland. Wounded a second time, upon recovery he was re-assigned to the newly formed Panzer Regiment 1 “LSSAH” on the Ost Front. On 15. Juni returned to field command and was appointed commander of 6. Kompanie. Fighting, and being wounded yet again, Ribbentrop was awarded the Ritterkreuz for leadership and bravery in Juli 1943.
In August “LSSAH” transferred officers and NCOs to become the cadre of the newly formed 12. SS Panzer Division “Hitlerjugend”. Ribbentrop was put in command of two Junior officer training courses. Four months later he was appointed commander of the 3. Kompanie, I./SS-Pz.Rgt. 12. On 3. Juni 1944, heading back to Le Neubourg following a training exercise, his car was attacked by a Spitfire, and von Ribbentrop was wounded for the fourth time.
By 9 Juni, he was back in command of his Kompanie. During the defensive battles in Normandy, Ribbentrop was awarded the Deutsches Kreuz In Gold and the Panzerkampf Abzeichen. Following the breakout from Falaise, von Ribbentrop was made the Regimental Adjutant to SS-Panzer-Regiment 12. It was in this capacity that he saw action during Operation Wacht Am Rhein.
On 20. In Dezember he was wounded for the fifth time with a shell fragment in his mouth. He was given command of I./SS-Panzer-Regiment 12. He commanded this Abteilung until the division surrendered to the Americans on 8. Mai 1945. Made from Russian cotton cloth the Ost Bluse was worn by von Ribbentrop and many others. It is worn with a Feldmütz für Offizier.
*I need to add the Knights Cross, and get some pictures of it.
SS-Obersturmbannführer, Joachim Peiper, l./ SS Panzer Division "Leibstandarte-SS Adolph Hitler":
Peiper's history is too long to cover in this area. He was a long-term SS officer, fighting on all fronts, surviving the war to be murdered in France in the 70s. A Knight's Cross winner with the additional awards of Oak Leaf and Swords, Peiper was a long-term warrior of the SS.
The uniform speaks for itself with campaigns from the Sudatenland to Russia. Peiper's awards included the German Cross in Gold, the Close Combat Clasp in Silver, the Iron Cross I and II Class, the Infantry Assault in Bronze for Armored Infantry, and the Tank Destruction Badge.
The uniform insignia is all officer-quality embroidery. Matching black wool panzer trousers are worn with the SS-style cut jacket. This uniform is matched with a panzer piped Schirmmütze.
Unterscharfuhrer, Michael Wittmann, Sturmgeschutz Abt. 1. SS Division "LAH Adolph Hitler":
Michael Wittmann is a legend of the armor warrior. The son of a farmer, he became an SS officer through merit and metal. Before the SS divisions became Panzer Divisions the only armor assigned were recon armored cars and assault guns. Wittmann began with the Reconnaissance Vehicles, but the legend starts with him as a commander of an assault gun. He served in an early StuG III with the short-barreled 75mm weapon. The SS style cut in Feldgrau here is piped in red for artillery branches, as these guns were just that, then, supposed to be mobile artillery for use as close support for the infantry and against bunkers.
However, the value of tank killers was soon noted and exploited. Wittmann had participated in prewar campaigns, and fought in Poland, France, and the Balkans, but then came Russia and it was a completely different proposition an overwhelming one. He would use his Sturmgeshutz as not a support gun, but in using thought-out tank traps, and with hit-and-run tactics against the Russian Armored Forces, he effectively pounced on the enemy, lined up for just a moment- and dashed away, worked for him and his crew to deal with the enemy armor best they could. For this, he was recognized, promoted, and sent to officers’ school, then brought to train on the Tiger Tank. This shows his uniform before the first Russian winter of 1941-42. He has been awarded the I and II Class Iron Cross, the Tank Battle Badge, and the Black Wound Badge. He will be awarded the Russian Campaign Medal as well as others.
Panzer-cut Feldgrau wool trousers would be issued with this uniform, but here we have reed green HBT summer weight, not an entirely uncommon situation with StuG crewmen, and battle, dealing with being to hot or freezing conditions. The NCO crusher with cloth visor is piped in red for Artillery. Im showing the mothing holes it received, it was in a box, under the house, but they still got to it. several uniforms were eaten, and some list ribbons and the like that way. I could change ribbons, but not fix the holes on it, so we’ll call them, burn holes from battle, bummer though.
Michael Wittmann at (OCS):
Untersturmfuhrer Michael Wittmann proved his leadership in combat and was sent to officer training in 1942. After graduation, he was assigned to train the new tank units being formed for the new SS Panzer Divisions. Coming out of school and prior to assignment to a tank unit, he would have worn a standard service uniform piped in artillery red. Later this uniform would change to the rose piping of the panzer arm. Michael Wittmann's service uniform shows his military history to 1943.
Wittmann had participated in prewar campaigns of the Sudetenland and Austria, then Poland, France, the Balkans, then into Russia. This shows his uniform prior to the first Russian winter of 1941-42. He has been awarded the I and II Class Iron Cross, the Tank Battle Badge, and the Black Wound Badge. In 1942 he was awarded the Russian Campaign Medal and the Bulgarian Soldiers Cross of the Order of Bravery II Class. The service uniform is worn with Feldgrau breeches and boots. With this uniform is a standard Waffen SS officer cap with a soft visor and chin cord. (I originally had a Red Piped Crusher with the cloth visor, and a crusher cap, but the piping on it shrunk up like crazy like and tweaked the darn thing out …. still have it, and has been even used with a couple of uniform photoshoots, as it was available at the time, but leaves something to be desired.
This uniform and several others somehow, while in one of the storage sheds it had been stored in, was attacked by mites or something, and they went after the ribbons, woven or wool areas, thread around button holes and such, total bummer, but I re-made the ribbons (that he rarely wore in photographs) and insignia, and the little stuff best I could, but these things happen.
Hauptsturmfiihrer Michael Wittmann 1st SS Panzer Division "Adolf Hitler":
Third, in the series of Wittmann's uniforms in your collection, this uniform is post-1943 as he rolled up his reputation as the greatest tank ace of all time. The black Panzer uniform shows Wittmann's military history. Wittmann had participated in prewar campaigns of the Sudetenland and Austria, then Poland, France, the Balkans, then into Russia.
This shows his uniform prior to the first Russian winter of 1941-42. He has been awarded the I and II Class Iron Cross, the Tank Battle Badge, and the Black Wound Badge. In 1942 he was awarded the Russian Campaign Medal and the Bulgarian Soldiers Cross of the Order of Bravery II Class. The panzer uniform is cut in black, in the tradition of the Hussars. The panzer uniform is worn with a shirt, open at the collar showing Wittmann's Knight's Cross and Oakleaf. He wears a standard Waft en SS officer crusher cap
Wittmann’s Leather jacket:
This would represent Michael’s last uniform thought to have been worn the day of his death. As he rode off on his final mission, knowing his days were numbers as well as the 3rd Reich’s. He tried to protect Germany from the on-slot he knew damn well was coming, with The English Forces, Canadians, and the rest under the UK command, as well as American, and Free Frech forces.
It was staggering odds, let alone where he had come from with the Russian masses also supplied by the English and Americans! it was a bit overwhelming, to say the least, and it had to be clear that Hitler would not give into them either, the Italian forces had crumbled, and the war had been a slaughter for all involved.
Ritterkreuzträger , SS-Unterscharführer Balthasar ”Bobby” Woll:
Balthasar "Bobby" Woll, an SS-Unterscharführer, was the only tank gunner during the war to be awarded the Knight’s Cross.
Born in Wemmetsweiler on 1 March 1922 after schooling and finishing his apprenticeship as an electrician, he reported on 15 August 1941 as a volunteer for the Waffen SS. He was posted as a machine gunner to the 3. Kompanie 1. / SS Totenkopf Infantry Regiment.
Woll was wounded during the fighting at the Demjansk Pocket and sent to hospital in Germany. While recovering from his wounds he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class and the Wound Badge in Black in July 1942.
After his recovery Woll retrained as a tank gunner and at the end of 1942 posted to the 13. / Kompanie, SS-Panzer Regiment 1, 1. / SS-Panzer Division, “Adolf Hitler” where he met his new commander Michael Wittmann.
By the time of Operation Citadel, were one of the best tank crews in the division, and in September 1943, he was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class, having destroyed 80 tanks and 107 anti-tank guns and promoted to SS-Rottenführer.
Woll was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross, in January 1944 the 1st and only tank gunner to receive the award, and promoted to SS-Unterscharführer.
During the combat in Normandy Woll was given his own tank to command, thus becoming the only member of the crew to survive the destruction of Wittmann’s Tiger. In October he was promoted to SS-Scharführer. Wounded again he survived the war.
Two of Woll’s uniforms are represented in this collection. First is the standard SS cut black wool armored uniform as worn on the Russian Front. Woll wears lower-rank shoulder boards with LAH slip-on cipher. The double rank stripe as well as the double chevron denote his rank at that time as SS-Rottenführer. He wears his complete decorations of Knight’s Cross, Iron Crosses I & II plus the Panzer Assault Badge and Wound Badge. On the left sleeve it the SS service eagle and “Adolf Hitler” cuff title. With this, he wears the enlisted Feldmütz, cartridge belt, and buckles with black wool armored crew trousers.
Bobby Woll’s 44-dot Wrap:
The second part of this collection is Woll’s late-war camouflage uniform. Cut to wear either as a summer uniform or over the black uniform in cold weather, this was very popular with panzer troops who now often found themselves fighting on the ground without their Panzers. Woll and other LAH Panzermanner have added shoulder boards and medals to their uniforms.
In Woll’s case, he wears SS-Unterscharführer boards with slip-on LAH ciphers. He wears his Knight’s Cross, Iron Cross II, Panzer Assault, and Black Wound Badges.
In the period photos, we see Woll in the driver position of a Panzer IV, and the Tiger with both overseas cap, and crusher.
SS-Unterscharführer, Franz Staudegger, SS-Panzer-Regiment 1 ,,LSSAH”
Franz Staudegger was born on 12.Februar 1923 in Austria, one of four sons of a Gasthaus owner. He finished school in Klagenfurt in 1940 and immediately joined the SS. He was as signed to Infantarie Erzatz Batallion 1 ,,Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler”. Following a combat wound he was selected in 1942 to train to become part of the expanding Waffen-SS Panzer regiments in 1942. Rejoining the newly designated, 1. SS-Panzer Division he first fought in a Panzer III and later, following promotion to SS Unterscharführer he was appointed commander of a Tiger. Staudegger epitomized the SS leader. Brash was often near reckless, leading from the front, demonstrating bravery.
Much like his Kompa nie Kommandant Michael Wittman. Unternehmen Zitadelle or Operation Citadel, the Battle of Kursk found Staudegger slowly moving his Tiger down a forest road. Suddenly, a small light lit up the area exposing another tank halted in the road, its commander was just standing there in his turret, smoking. Staudegger got out of his Tiger to yell at the idiot blocking the road and for his lack of light discipline. The sounds of the tank motors overcame his voice, so he jumped from the turret and ran to the other tank. He reached the other tank discovering it was a Russian T-34. Staudegger’s infantry training however took over, he took one of the grenades he was carrying and threw it at the T-34 hatch. It fell inside and the detonation illuminated yet another T-34, standing behind the first one.
Staudegger realized the other crew would hear the explosion, shouted a warning to his own Tiger crew, and quickly proceeded to climb on the other T-34. When the other Soviet crew opened the hatches to see what was going on, Staudegger threw another grenade inside destroying the second Soviet tank. Staudegger returned to his Tiger and resumed movement. The very next day he was awarded the Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse. Operation Citadel was the largest tank battle in history. Even as the German forces fought they suffered casualties, tanks were damaged and were recovered. Front-line workshops worked 24-hour shifts to get the Panzers back into the battle. Staudegger’s Tiger was waiting to be repaired and 8 Juli was unable to participate in the upcoming attack. Around 1000 a message notified the repair company that a Soviet assault force of 50-60 tanks was approaching from the northwest. Staudegger and his crew, Herbert Stahlmacher – driver, Gerhard Waltersdorf – radio operator, Heinz Buchner – gunner and Walter Henke – loader would perform some field repairs and meet the threat head-on.
Moving slowly on a compromised track and suspension they slowly advanced towards the Soviet onslaught. They arrived just in time to rescue elements of the Infanterie Regiment “Deutschland” from being overrun. Two Soviet tanks were already burning, destroyed previously by the infantry. The arrival of the steel behemoth changed the tide of battle. The Tiger crew, guided by the Infanterie quickly took out three Soviet T-34s. Following three hours of combat the Tiger crew knocked out 17 Soviet tanks. By the time the Russians started to withdraw the tank had been hit numerous times, but its thick armor proved to be impenetrable to the Soviet 76mm guns. At that point, Staudegger’s crew was exhausted, especially Henke the loader. Staudeg ger wasn’t done yet: he ordered the crew to advance on Soviet positions.
The Soviets were re-grouping right behind the lines, in a forest. Not expecting to be at tackled by a single tank, they were in for a shock, when they saw the Tiger slowly emerging from the woods The massive 88mm destroyed 5 more Soviet tanks before armor armor-piercing ammo was exhausted and Staudegger ordered a retreat. Slowly reversing back into the woods, Staudegger’s tank was again hit numerous times, while the gunner continued to shell the retreating Soviets with HE and smoke shots. By the time Staudegger returned to German lines, his suspension was heavily damaged, his track was nearly gone and the tank itself was hit no less than 67 times by the Soviet 76mm guns. The crew – including Staudegger himself – was totally exhausted and on the verge of collapse, but the Soviet attack was broken.
For this action Staudegger was awarded, the first “Tiger commander” ever, der Ritterkreuz des Eisernes Kreuz. Staudegger survived the war and died in 1995 in Frankfurt. Staudegger wears the SS-Panzer Kombi, a reversible camouflage coverall in Plane Tree Oak Leaf Overprint material. The coverall was first issued in 1943 to tank crews practical alternative to black uniforms. While the camouflage provided an advantage when the men were outside their vehicles the Kombi was issued in non-camouflage versions as well. They could be worn over or without the black wool uniform The period photo shows no collar or sleeve insignia and only RK u. EKI is being worn.
Major, Gustav Knittel, SS-Panzer Afklarung Abteilung 1, “LSSAH”:
Gustav Knittel joined the NSDAP on the 1st of May 1933. He received party number 2 242 615. He enlisted in the SS on 15 April 1933 with service number SS NR; 111 507.
Knittel attended the SS-Junkerschule Bad Tolz as an SS-Officer Candidate on the 1st of October 1937 and successfully took his final exams on the 28th of July, 1938. He was awarded the rank of “Untersturmfuhrer” and assigned to SS-Regiment “Deutschland”. He took part in the occupation of the Sudettenland. He served with various SS units before becoming the Adjutant of “SS-Reserve Bataillon” “Ellwangen” in August 1939.
Knittel was awarded the Eiseerne Kreuz II Klasse u. Infantrie Surm Abzeichen in June 1940 for his role as Zugvuhrer of the 15. Kompanie “LSSAH” during the Battle of France. After “LSSAH’s” actions in the Bulkans and “Operation Barbarossa” (The Invasion of the Soviet Union) Knittel was awarded the Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse u. Winterschlacht im Osten for combat in 1941/42.
In April 1943 he appointed Bataillon Commander of 1. SS-Panzerauflarung Bataillon “LSSAH”, where he won both the Nahkampfspange in Gold and Deutsche Kreuz in Gold u. Ritterkreuz in 1944. Knittle was wounded during the “Wacht am Rhein” (the Battle of the Bulge) and was still convalescing at the time the war ended.
SS-Sturmbannfuhrer Knittel was photographed wearing a very rare panzerjacke during the Battle at Kursk, not because it was camouflaged, but because this pattern was short-lived and used in the early years of the war, and this “brown-side” being used rather than the other green-side, is next to never seen in use. Called the “German Tiger-Stripe” pattern print, by some, it is not clear if the jacket was made in the field or by a factory-produced item, his helmet is of a bit different pattern, and I assumed brow sid out too.
Like most SS men, Knittel uses standard insignia items on the uniform in-lieu of regulations, that state the use of the specifically designed Heer/Waffen-SS woven sleeve rank on camouflage uniforms. Interestingly it appears he used enlisted pattern collar ranks with pips added, and officer-grade shoulder boards applied, they’re piped it the golden-yellow Afklarung Waffenfarbe. He also wore Fall/Oak pattern camouflaged trousers with Panzer-Boots completing the uniform.
SS-Brigadefuhrer, 1st SS-Panzer Division:
SS-Brigadefuhrer, I.SS-Panzer Division "LSSAH" Formed in 1934 as a bodyguard unit for Hitler the 1st SS grew into a Panzer Division in Italy in 1943. The Division fought on all fronts except Afrika, including the Normandy Invasion. Always in the thick of things, this division grew several combat leaders. The division ended the war on the Eastern Front. This officer's tunic is made from the standard Heer or Army field service uniform.
Officer grade bullion insignia has been added. The shoulder boards have the gold divisional LAH ciphers mounted matching the cuff title. This officer served in the armored units of the First World War, like the division's premier commander Otto "Sepp" Dietrich. His combat Leadership is proven, and he’s been awarded the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd CLass for leadership under fire. Remarkably lucky this man was only wounded after a very long time on the field! He has the silver bullion SS-Officer National Eagle displayed on the Left Sleeve.
This uniform is more a general representation, rather than a particular fellow, and as so, has been fooled around with over the years in the way of decorations, and details. So I don’t know if there was a real fellow like this. It was dolled up for a couple of photo shoots in the past.
