August Wittmann

August Wittmann (20 July 1895 – 29 March 1977) was a German 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	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Army (Wehrmacht)
Rank	Generalleutnant
Unit	390th Field Division 3rd Mountain Division 117th Jäger Division 1st Mountain Division
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Life and career

August Wittmann was born in Munich on 20 July 1895. He entered the German 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 left the army in December 1918. 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 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

• 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]
• 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]

References

Citations

1. Lucas 1980, p. 219.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 364.
3. Mitcham 2007, p. 93.
4. Mitcham 2007, p. 266.
5. Mitcham 2007, p. 253.
6. Mitcham 2007, p. 262.
7. Wehrmacht 1985, p. 556.
8. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 519.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Lucas, James (1980). Alpine Elite: German Mountain Troops of World War II. Jane's Publishing. ISBN 0531037134.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941–1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3931533458.
• Mitcham, Samuel W (2007). German Order of Battle: 291st–999th Infantry divisions, named infantry divisions, and special divisions in World War II. Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3437-0.
• Wehrmacht (1985). Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 1 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 1] (in German). Munich: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag. ISBN 3423059443.