Max Wünsche

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Max Wünsche
20 April 1915(1915-04-20) – 17 April 1995 (aged 79)

Max Wünsche
Place of birth Kittlitz
Place of death Munich
Allegiance Germany
Years of service 1933–1945
Rank Obersturmbannführer
Awards Ritterkreuz des Eisernes Kreuz mit Eichenlaub

SS-Obersturmbannführer Max Wünsche (1915 - 1995) was a legendary German Waffen-SS officer who served and commanded various elements of the 1.SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler and the 12.SS-Panzer-Division Hitlerjugend. He was also a winner of the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub

Contents

[edit] Early Life - Pre-War SS Service

Max Wünsche was born on April 20, 1915 in Kittlitz (Löbau/Oberslausitz county) Germany. After finishing high school in Bautzen, he attended secondary business school. In 1928 he joined the Reichslandbund (agricultural union) and was employed as a department head at an accounting firm. In November 1932 Wünsche became member of the Hitlerjugend, and six months later then the SS-Verfügungstruppe. After completing a five month NCO training course at Jüterbog, Wünsche attended the new SS-Junkerschule at Bad Tölz, graduating in the class of 1936. After his graduation he was assigned to the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (LSSAH) where he served as a Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 9.Kompanie.

[edit] Early War Campaigns

Later on 1936, Wünsche was transferred to the 17.Kompanie and stayed with it until October 1, 1938. He was then assigned to the Begleitkommando des Führers (Hitler's personal escort detachament) where he served as an Orderly Officer. Wünsche remained in this post throughout the Operation Fall Weiß, but on February 2, 1940 he was transferred back to the Leibstandarte as a commander of the 1.Zug in 15.Kradschützenkompanie which was under the command of Kurt Meyer. On May 15, 1940 Wünsche was wounded in Holland and a day later replaced by SS-Obersturmführer Gustav Knittel as a commander of the 1.Zug. During the fighting in France, Wünsche stayed with the Leibstandarte and served as a Offizier zur besonderen Verwendung (Officer for special duties) in charge of the 15. Kompanie because Meyer was wounded, and was with Dietrich at Esquelberg. On June 1, 1940 at the conclusion of the operations in the west, Wünsche returned back to the BdF. However, six months later on December 5, 1940, following a minor scandal involving a complaint from one of Hitler's butlers, Wünsche was dismissed from this post and re-assigned back to the LSSAH as Dietrich's Adjutant.

[edit] Operations in Russia

Max Wünsche served as Sepp Dietrich's Adjutant throughout the Balkans Campaign, but it wasn't until Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of Russia, that Wünsche would distinguish himself. The Leibstandarte was attached to Gerd von Rundstedt's Heeresgruppe Süd (1.Panzerarmee) and met bitter resistance in the opening days of the invasion. By late July the LSSAH punched its way through the soviet defenders and pockets of trapped soviet divisions. During these times Wünsche would often take to a Fieseler Storch and fly reconnaissance missions over enemy-held territory. One such mission, on July 31, 1941, proved particularly important, as it contributed to the capture of Novo-Archelsk, which closed the Uman pocket and sealed the resulting Axis victory.

As the Leibstandarte pushed deeper into southern Russia and reached the entrance to the Crimea, the Isthmus of Perekop, Wünsche was called upon to deputise for the Divisional Ia, SS-Hauptsturmführer Rudolf Lehmann on two separate occasions. (At the time Lehmann was deputizing for SS-Sturmbannführer Wilhelm Keilhaus.) Later, during the battles at Berdjansk, Mariupol and Taganrog, Wünsche assumed command of various sub-units when their commanders had fallen, time and time again "driving his men to substantial success" 2. All the while he was still considered, officially, Divisional Adjutant.

On 15 February 1942 Wünsche was appointed commander of the Leibstandarte's Sturmgeschützabteilung, repelling all Soviet breakthrough attempts in the following weeks. That March Wünsche's command was placed as Korps reserve, where at the Muis bridgehead his command succeeded in halting all soviet attempts at penetrating the front lines of the 73. Infanterie and 13. Panzer Divisions. On 1 June Wünsche left the front and was sent to the War College in Berlin, where he successfully completed a three-month General Staff training course and was promoted to SS-Sturmbannführer. Resuming command of the Leibstandarte's Sturmgeschützabteilung on 1 September, Wünsche was shortly thereafter appointed commander (22 October 1942. Author) of I. Abteilung in the Leibstandarte's newly formed Panzerregiment. The Panzerregiment began forming in early January 1942; its formation was completed by mid January 1943. The Panzerregiment left for Kharkov in early February.

Right from detraining, SS-Sturmbannführer Max Wunsche and his troops were thrust into combat. Fighting in blizzard conditions, with temperatures well below freezing, there began a series of battles that Wünsche would later recall as his most difficult. On 8 and 9 February, utilizing a mobile defense, I. Abteilung halted the hitherto unstoppable Russian advance and held Merefa, inflicting heavy losses on the Soviets. On the 10th I. Abteilung went over to the attack with just one goal in mind: smash open the supply and communication lines to Kurt Meyer and the encircled Aufklärungsabteilung. Pushing further into the Soviet lines on the 11th, further still on the 12th, I. Abteilung was credited with destroying 16 anti-tank guns through the deepest snows and coldest temperatures. On the night of the 13th, despite the extreme climatic and terrain difficulties, SS-Sturmbannführer Max Wünsche's Panzerabteilung succeeded in breaking open the supply and communication lines to Meyer's beleaguered troops, saving them from certain annihilation 3. Wünsche's I. , now linked up with Meyer's Aufklärungsabteilung, formed a Kampfgruppe and pressed forward the attack, helping to smash the VI Guards Cavalry Corps on the 15th. That very same day Kharkov was abandoned. By the 22nd, through all of the local successes the Germans had regained the initiative and were focusing on what they had given up just one week earlier; Kharkov. On the 25th, the very same day Wünsche was honored with the German Cross in Gold for actions previously mentioned, he would again distinguish himself, this time worthy of the Knight's Cross.

Reconnaissance by Wünsche's Kampfgruppe revealed a strong enemy column approaching on the Division's southern flank. Wünsche, on his own initiative and without waiting for orders, gave the command to his Kampfgruppe to encircle the enemy out of Jeremejwka in a northward thrust. The action was a success, with 54 heavy guns destroyed (two 122 mm guns by Wünsche personally) and over 900 casualties inflicted on the Russians. It was for this battle that Wünsche was awarded the Knight's Cross on 28 February 1943. On 15 March the battle for Kharkov was over, "Red Square" was renamed "Leibstandarte Square" and the city was firmly in the grasp of II. SS-Panzerkorps. The men of the Leibstandarte received a brief respite during the month of April, refitting around Kharkov.

[edit] 12.SS-Hitlerjugend

In June 1943 SS-Sturmbannführer Max Wünsche received orders to transfer to a new division under going formation: the 12. SS-Panzerdivision "Hitlerjugend", of which Wünsche was assigned to command the Panzerregiment. On 6 June, the Allies commenced with the largest amphibious assault in history. As the Allies hit the beaches and consolidated their beachhead, thoughts turned to pushing inland. As the British and Canadian forces pushed deeper inland on the 7th they then ran smack into the 12. SS-Panzerdivision "Hitlerjugend". In the ensuing battle's Wünsche and his Regiment were credited with destroying 219 enemy tanks 4 up to mid July, and for his resolute leadership was awarded Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross on 11 August 1944. A few days later, as the Allied forces encircled the German divisions in what is known as the Falaise pocket, it would come to an end.

On the night of 20 August, Wünsche, along with his adjutant SS-Hauptsturmführer Isecke, SS-Untersturmführer Freitag and a wounded medical officer, all made good their escape. Travelling on foot, they encountered an enemy outpost where the injured Doctor was captured and Wünsche wounded in the calf. On the 24th, Isecke became separated and was captured. Wünsche's group was now down to two. A short while later, Wünsche and Frietag found a German vehicle in good working order and drove through St Lambert in plain view of the Canadians that occupied the town. As fate would have it, later that day while waiting under the cover of bushes for darkness they were captured.

[edit] Postwar

Wünsche survived the war, and became a manager of an industrial plant in Wuppertal, Germany. Though admired by officers of allied occupation forces, he remained until his death a steadfast defender of Adolf Hitler's "honor" and questioned the systematic German murder of Jews in concentration camps. He died in Munich on the 17th of April 1995. He was 80 years old.

[edit] Summary of SS career

[edit] Dates of rank

[edit] Notable decorations

[edit] References

  • Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit. Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 - 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, 2001. ISBN 3-931533-45-X.

1.) Charles Hamilton, Leaders and personalities of the Third Reich, RJ Bender Publishing 1984. Back

2.) German Cross in Gold Vorschlag Back

3.) Kurt Meyer, Grenadiers J.J. Fedorowicz 1994 Back

4.) For further details on the battles that earned Wünsche Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross see History. Back

5.) Hubert Meyer, The History of the 12. SS-Panzerdivision "Hitlerjugend" J.J. Fedorowicz 1994 Back

See: Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-45, Franz Thomas, Band II Pg. 461 Die Ritterkreuzträger der Waffen-SS, Ernst Krätschmer Pgs. 378-380