12/30/07

The history of s. SS-Pz.Abt. 501 began with the formation of the initial heavy tank unit in the LSSAH.  In November 1942 the SS Operational Headquarters ordered the formation of a heavy tank company for what was then SS-Panzergrenadierdivision Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler.  The company was formed at the armor training center at Fallingbostel (Sennelager).  By February 1943 the unit, equipped with the Tiger I and designated the 4. (Heavy) Kompanie of the LSSAH Panzerregiment, completed its formation and training and shipped to the Kharkov area of the Eastern Front by train to begin its career.  In its ranks were several officers and noncommissioned officers destined for fame as Tiger commanders.  Foremost among these was SS-Untersturmführer Michael Wittmann.  At that time Wittmann led the company's light platoon, which was equipped with the PzKw. III tank.  Already a veteran of armored combat with the Leibstandarte's assault gun battalion, Wittmann would rise to the rank of SS-Hauptsturmführer and serve as company commander and acting battalion commander of the Leibstandarte's Tiger battalion.  Along the way he destroyed over 138 enemy armored vehicles.  For his valor and leadership Wittmann was successively awarded the Knights Cross, Oakleaves, and Swords.  He was killed in combat against British tanks south of Caen in Normandy, on 8 August 1944.

At Wittmann's side were several other future Knights Cross wearers.  SS-Unterscharführer Franz Staudegger was the first LSSAH Tiger commander to win that coveted award, after he destroyed 22 enemy tanks on 8 July 1943 during the battle of Kursk.  In January 1944 Wittmann won his Knights Cross and Oakleaves, and his gunner, SS-Rottenführer Balthasar "Bobby" Woll, was also awarded the Knights Cross.  The company commander, SS-Hauptsturmführer Heinz Kling, and platoon leader SS-Obersturmführer Helmutt Wendorf soon followed.  The Leibstandarte's Tiger company had more Knights Cross wearers than any other tank company.  Attrition took its toll on the Western Front; by the time of the Ardennes Offensive only Staudegger was still on active service with the Tigers.  Wittmann and Wendorf had been killed in Normandy, Kling was in another unit, and Woll was still recovering from a dangerous head wound.

The original intent had been for each SS Panzerkorps to have a Tiger battalion.  Plans for the formation of the 1. SS-Panzerkorps and its heavy battalion were put into effect at the end of July 1943 after the Leibstandarte had been transferred to Italy for refitting.  Schwere SS-Panzerabteilung 101 began formation at the Sennelager training grounds in Germany.  SS-Sturmbannführer Heinz von Westernhagen, commander of the LSSAH assault gun battalion, was named to command the new heavy tank battalion.  He remained the battalion commander until his death in March 1945.  The battalion's formation was not completed until April 1944, when the entire unit was together in Belgium.  In the meantime, the old Tiger company had continued its battles on the Eastern Front.

The photo at the top of the page shows Heinz von Westernhagen as an SS-Sturmbannführer. (Wilhelm Kiesselbach)

s. SS-Pz.Abt. 101 was heavily engaged during the Normandy campaign.  Like most German armored units, it lost the majority of its equipment in the retreat across France in August 1944.  The 1. Kompanie was withdrawn from the front in July and returned to Sennelager to draw new Tiger II tanks.  They returned to the battle for France in August, but lost all but one of the Königstigers to enemy fire, unfordable rivers, or lack of fuel. (1)

The Allied slowdown at the West Wall in the fall of 1944 provided time for the Tiger battalion and the rest of the 1. SS-Panzerkorps to refit once more.  The battalion personnel regrouped in the area between Bielefeld and Sennelager.  In October the SS-Panzerkorps units were renumbered, and the Tiger battalion received its final designation of schwere SS-Panzerabteilung 501.  Issue of new Tiger II tanks began in mid-October.

The Staff and Supply Company of s. SS-Pz.Abt. 501 at Schloss Holte, their headquarters near Sennelager in October 1944.  The company commander, SS-Obersturmführer Paul Vogt, is seated in the center of the second row.  (author’s collection)

By the first week of December the battalion's reorganization was complete.  Records of tank issues and veteran accounts indicate that s. SS-Pz.Abt. 501 was at full strength of 45 Tiger IIs on the eve of the Ardennes Offensive.  Each of the three tank companies had 14 tanks:  four each in three platoons, one for the company commander, and one for the company headquarters squad leader.  The three battalion staff tanks carried the battalion commander, his adjutant, and the signals officer.

SS-Obersturmbannführer Heinz von Westernhagen had returned in November to command the battalion after a period of hospitalization, recovering from an earlier wound.  SS-Untersturmführer Eduard Kalinowsky continued in his assignment as battalion adjutant, and SS-Obersturmführer Dollinger remained as the signals officer.

The commander of the 1. Kompanie was SS-Obersturmführer Jürgen Wessel, formerly commander of the 2. Kompanie.  SS-Untersturmführer Rolf Henniges and Heinz Buchner and SS-Oberscharführer Jürgen Brandt, all panzer veterans of long standing, were his platoon leaders.  In the ranks of the 1. Kompanie as a section leader was SS-Standartenjunker Franz Staudegger, the only Knights Cross wearer still on active duty with the battalion.

SS-Standartenjuncker Franz Staudegger. Photo taken in July 1943 after he won the Knight’s Cross. (Bundesarchiv)

SS-Hauptsturmführer Rolf Möbius led the 2. Kompanie.  Möbius was a Tiger veteran from the Normandy campaign.  The 2. Kompanie platoon leaders were SS-Untersturmführer Georg Hantusch and Walter Hahn, and SS-Hauptscharführer Georg Lötzsch.  Hahn had been with the Tigers since the summer of 1943, and had earned the silver Panzerkampfabzeichen (Tank Battle Badge) with special designation for 25 separate armor actions.

The Panzerkampfabzeichen, or Tank Battle Badge.  The silver grade on the left was awarded to tank crewmen for three separate tank actions on different days.  The bronze badge on the right was awarded to crews in armored reconnaissance units.  The badge in the center with the special designation for 25 actions was instituted in July 1943 but was rarely awarded; only four soldiers of s. SS-Pz.Abt. 501 had won it prior to the Ardennes Offensive.  (author’s collection)

The 3. Kompanie commander was SS-Hauptsturmführer Heinz Birnschein.  Birnschein transferred from schwere SS-Panzerabteilung 103 on the Eastern Front at the beginning of December 1944.  His platoon leaders were SS-Untersturmführer Thomas Amselgruber and Winfried Lukasius, and SS-Hauptscharführer Rolf von Westernhagen, the battalion commander's brother.

In common with other corps heavy tank battalions, s. SS-Pz.Abt. 501 possessed an extensive organic combat support and service support capability.  The battalion's 4. Kompanie, commanded by SS-Hauptsturmführer Wilhelm Spitz, included an armored reconnaissance platoon, a pioneer (combat engineer) platoon with half-tracks and half-tracked trucks, and two Flak platoons of four self-propelled antiaircraft guns each. The staff and supply company, commanded by SS-Obersturmführer Paul Vogt performed service functions.  In addition to a medical platoon, this company operated more than 40 fuel and ammunition trucks.  The workshop company provided maintenance and recovery support.  SS-Obersturmführer Gottfried Klein commanded the company.  His vehicles included maintenance trucks, wheeled and halftracked wreckers, and the Bergepanther armored recovery vehicle.

Notes:

(1) Agte, Michael Wittmann, 291 (English translation page 478).  The personnel details in this chapter are derived from Agte’s chart of battalion personnel, information from veterans Werner Wendt and Rolf von Westernhagen, and information from Timo Worst.

All text copyright 2005-2008 Gregory A. Walden. All rights reserved; material from this website may only be republished with the author’s permission.