Fritz Darges Fritz Darges ( 8 February 1913 – 25 October 2009 ) was an Obersturmbannführer ( Lieutenant Colonel ) in the Waffen SS during World War II who was awarded the Knight ' s Cross of the Iron Cross . He was born in Dülseberg near Salzwedel . Early life . After attending school , Darges volunteered to join the SS in April 1933 . By 1934 he had been selected to become an officer and attended the SS - Junkerschule at Bad Tölz . After graduation in April 1935 he was promoted to Untersturmführer ( Second Lieutenant ) . In 1936 he was named Adjutant to Reichsleiter Martin Bormann . In May 1937 he joined the NSDAP , and in September of that same year he was promoted to Obersturmführer ( First Lieutenant ) . World War II . In October 1939 he returned to the Waffen SS as a company commander in the " Deutschland " and " Der Führer " Regiments in the SS - VT . He fought in the Battle of France and was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd class in July 1940 and promoted to Hauptsturmführer ( Captain ) . Darges was then posted to the newly formed SS Division " Wiking " , took part in Operation Barbarossa and was awarded the Iron Cross 1st class in August 1942 . In March 1943 he became Adjutant to Adolf Hitler and was promoted to Obersturmbannführer ( Lieutenant Colonel ) in January 1944 . He remained in this position until mid - year . Dismissal . On 18 July 1944 , during a strategy conference in the Wolfsschanze , a fly began buzzing around the room , allegedly landing on Hitler ' s shoulder and on the surface of a map several times . Irritated , Hitler ordered Darges to dispatch the nuisance . Darges suggested that , as it was an airborne pest , the job should go to the Luftwaffe adjutant , Nicolaus von Below . Enraged , Hitler dismissed Darges on the spot and had him banished to the Eastern Front . Another version of this story claims Darges was merely snickering as Hitler looked up from the map . Yet another version of Darges ' dismissal and banishment by Hitler involves his refusal to marry Eva Braun ' s sister Gretl Braun , who was pregnant at the time . Service in the Eastern Front . In August 1944 Darges returned to the SS " Wiking " to replace Johannes Mühlenkamp as the commander of the 5th SS Panzer Regiment . It was in command of this unit that Darges was awarded the Knight ' s Cross for his actions on the night of 4 January 1945 . The division was advancing towards Bicske when it was stopped by the 41st Guards Rifle Division of the Soviet 4th Guards Army . Darges initially probed the Soviet line with a mixed Panzer and Panzer Grenadier Kampfgruppe and succeeded in breaking through the line at dawn . Subsequently he ambushed and destroyed a Soviet task force , knocking out four 122mm guns , four 76mm anti - tank guns , twelve trucks and a number of supply vehicles . He then attacked Regis Castle , forcing the garrison to retreat . Darges then found himself surrounded by Soviet reinforcements and was forced to repel several attacks . Three days later when they were relieved by another Kampfgruppe from SS " Wiking " , they left behind more than thirty destroyed Soviet tanks . Post war . Not much is known about his activities after Germany ' s surrender . He had a career as a car salesman after the war . He appeared in the 2000 documentary " Hitlers Krieg im Osten " , credited as himself . Shortly before his death , Darges stated that he found Hitler to be a " genius " and that " I served him and would do it all again now . " Darges authored a manuscript recounting his experiences as a member of Hitler ' s inner circle , with instructions that it be published after his death . It is hoped that these memoirs will shed light on Hitler ' s personal involvement in the Holocaust and other topics . Notes . Citations Sources