Fritz Witt Fritz Witt ( 27 May 1908 – 14 June 1944 ) was a German Waffen - SS officer who served with the 1 . SS - Panzergrenadier - Division " Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler " before taking command of the 12 . SS - Panzer - Division " Hitlerjugend " . Witt was killed by an allied naval barrage in 1944 . Early life – Pre - war SS service . Fritz Witt was born on 27 May 1908 in Hohenlimburg , a suburb of the city of Hagen . Witt ' s family was middle class , his father being employed as a textiles salesman . After attending school Witt followed his father ' s trade , working as a textiles salesman from 1925 until 1931 . During this period of time , he witnessed the rise of Adolf Hitler and the NSDAP , becoming a strong supporter . Witt saw the Nazis as the answer to the chaos and poverty of the Weimar Republic . On 1 December 1931 , Witt applied to join both the NSDAP ( Nr . 816 . 769 ) and the SS ( Nr . 21 . 518 ) . On 17 March 1933 , Witt was admitted to the SS - Stabswache " Berlin " , an élite guard formation of only 117 men . On 1 October 1933 , Witt received his commission as an SS - Untersturmführer . In On 9 May 1934 , Witt was promoted to SS - Obersturmführer , and soon after took command of the third company of SS - Standartenführer Felix Steiner ' s SS - Standarte " Deutschland " , one of the then - three Standarten which comprised the SS - Verfügungstruppe ( SS - VT ) . The other Standarten were the Leibstandarte SS " Adolf Hitler " , SS - Standarte " Germania " and ( from 1938 ) SS - Standarte " Der Führer " ) . In October 1938 , the SS - VT was subordinated to Heer command , stepping closer to its future combat role . While commanding the 3 . / SS - Standarte " Deutschland " , Witt was involved in the march into Austria as part of the " Anschluß " in 1938 . After this , the Standarte was motorised . The " Deutschland " now took part in the occupation of the Sudetenland . In March 1939 , Witt served with the Standarte during the bloodless annexation of Bohemia and Moravia . Hitler ordered the formation of an SS - Verfügungs - Division , comprising all three SS - VT Standarten ( The Leibstandarte was to form its own unit ) . The Polish crisis put these plans on hold , and the SS - Standarten were deployed for action during the upcoming offensive , Fall Weiß . Witt ' s SS - Standarte ( mot ) " Deutschland " was subordinated to Panzer - Verband " Kempf " , based in East Prussia . Early war campaigns . On 1 September 1939 , the Invasion of Poland began , sparking the Second World War . Witt was still in command of the 3 . / SS - Standarte " Deutschland " , and although the " Deutschland " played a mostly supporting role to Kempf ' s panzer s , Witt ' s company saw some heavy fighting and he served well during the campaign . For personal bravery in combat , Witt was awarded both the first and second classes of the Iron Cross within a ten - day period . By October 1939 , Witt had attained a rank of SS - Hauptsturmführer and was placed in command of I . Battalion of the " Deutschland " , redesignated SS - Infanterie - Regiment ( mot ) " Deutschland " . In the same month , the SS - Verfügungs - Division was formed and placed under the command of SS - Gruppenführer Paul Hausser . Witt led his battalion through the Invasion of France , again showing bravery and skill commanding his unit . On 27 May 1940 , 20 British Matilda tanks attacked Witt ' s battalion . Despite the fact that Witt ' s unit had no anti - tank weapons , Witt rallied his battalion and they held , destroying nine of the British tanks with grenades and other improvised methods . In Hausser ' s post battle report , he said of Witt ' s actions : For his actions repulsing the armoured attack , Witt was awarded the Knight ' s Cross of the Iron Cross , which he received on 4 September 1940 . On 16 October , Witt was transferred to the Infanterie - Regiment ( mot . ) " Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler " , where he took command of III . Battalion . Balkans – Barbarossa . Witt , an SS - Sturmbannführer since late May 1940 , was again transferred to command of the Leibstandarte ' s I . Battalion on 26 March 1941 . The Leibstandarte was poised to take place in Operation Marita , the invasion of the Balkans and Greece . I . Battalion played a crucial role . On 10 April , Witt ' s battalion was reinforced with artillery and a battery of 88mm Flak 18s and renamed " Kampfgruppe Witt " . The unit was given the task of clearing resistance from the Klidi Pass , just south of Vevi and opening the way to the heart of Greece . The pass was defended by a hastily - assembled Australian - British - New Zealand - Greek force , under an Australian , Maj . Gen . Iven Mackay . Witt ' s men were engaged in heavy fighting for three days before the pass fell . Witt ' s brother , Franz Witt , fell in the fighting . Witt ' s battalion had inflicted many casualties and captured over 520 prisoners for the loss of only 37 dead and 95 wounded . After the conclusion of the Balkan campaign Witt remained in command of I . Battalion . The " Leibstandarte " , now upgraded to a division , was to take part in the advance into Russia as a part of Army Group South . Witt ' s Battalion was first committed to action in August 1941 , when the division was transferred to Panzergruppe 1 , engaged in the encirclement of over 600 , 000 men near Kiev . Witt ' s unit now moved south , to join the LIV . Armeekorps . On 17 September 1941 , the " Leibstandarte " was involved in the launch of the offensive to clear the Crimean Peninsula . Witt ' s battalion took part in the fighting for the town of Perekop , and the later advance across the Perekop Isthmus and the assaults on the Soviet defensive positions near the Tarter Ditch . In November , the " Leibstandarte " was transferred back to Panzergruppe 1 and took part in the heavy fighting for the city of Rostov on Don . After capturing the city , heavy Soviet counterattacks during the winter meant that the Germans had to fall back to defensive lines on the river Mius . Witt ' s battalion was engaged in several ferocious rearguard actions . Through the bitter winter battles , Witt led from the front , maintaining unit morale and showing care for his men . He was known as a sharp dresser , always seen in immaculate dress uniform resplendent with his many awards with his German Shepherd " Bulli " by his side . On 8 February 1942 , Witt was awarded the German Cross in Gold for his bravery during the Rostov battles . Paris – Kharkov . In the early months of 1942 , Witt ' s battalion continued defensive actions along the Mius . In May 1942 , the division went back on the offensive and Witt ' s battalion was again committed to action in the recapture of Rostov on Don . After over a month ' s heavy fighting , the city had fallen , and the exhausted division was ordered back to France to rest and refit . Witt had led his formation exceptionally over this period , and as a reflection , in the month of July 1942 he was awarded the Order of the Star of Romania , Officer Class with Swords on the Ribbon of Military Virtue , and the Bulgarian Military Order for Bravery in War 4th Class , 1st Grade . The " Leibstandarte " was to be reformed as a Panzergrenadier division . For refitting and training , the division was ordered to the Normandy area in Northern France . Witt travelled the scenic countryside , unknowingly gaining information which would later prove invaluable . In August , he was promoted to SS - Standartenführer and given command of the " Leibstandarte ' s " 1st SS Panzergrenadier Regiment . Witt and the division spent the remainder of 1942 resting and refitting in France . In January 1943 , the reformed SS Panzergrenadier Division " Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler " was deemed ready for action , and together with the SS Panzergrenadier Division " Das Reich " and the SS Panzergrenadier Division " Totenkopf " was formed into the SS Panzer Corps . The SS Panzer Corps , commanded by Witt ' s old commander Paul Hausser , was sent east to Kharkov to join Erich von Manstein ' s Army Group Don which was attempting to halt the Soviet advance after the 6th Army ' s defeat at the Battle of Stalingrad . Witt ' s 1st SS Panzergrenadier Regiment was stationed in the outskirts of Kharkov , and in early February saw heavy fighting against the forces of the Soviet Mobile Group Popov . At the town of Merefa , Witt ' s regiment , fighting alongside SS - Sturmbannführer Max Wünsche ' s 1st Battalion / 1st SS Panzer Regiment , fought a bitter delaying action on 8 – 9 February . Although severely outnumbered , Witt and Wünsche halted the spearhead of Mobile Group Popov , inflicting heavy losses on the Soviets . Despite these actions , the Soviets were still advancing on the SS Panzer Corps ' flanks . Fearing encirclement , Hausser disobeyed Hitler ' s orders and authorised a full withdrawal from Kharkov . In early March , Witt ' s regiment now took part in the Third Battle of Kharkov . Witt ' s force was reinforced with tanks , artillery and assault guns , and was given the task of attacking from the North . The force , renamed Kampfgruppe Witt , was to form one of three pincers which would destroy Mobile Group Popov and recapture Kharkov . The attack got underway on 2 March , and by 10 March KG Witt had reached the suburbs of Kharkov . After ferocious fighting near Dergatschi , Witt broke through and advanced into the city centre , fighting alongside Kurt Meyer ' s Kampfgruppe Meyer . Over the next few days , the Kampfgruppes of Witt and Meyers ' saw intense fighting , and were cut off several times inside the city . Despite this , they held and Kampfgruppe Peiper under Joachim Peiper reached them and together the three " Leibstandarte " units annihilated the Soviet defenders . By 16 March , the battle was over , with Kharkov retaken . In honour of the 4 , 500 casualties suffered by the Leibstandarte in the severe fighting , Kharkov ' s Red Square was renamed " Platz der Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler " . The division was pulled back for much needed rest and refit . For his actions in leading his Kampfgruppe , Witt was awarded the Oakleaves to the Knight ' s Cross and promoted to the rank " SS - Oberführer " . Hitlerjugend command . In February 1943 , the SS had begun formation of a new Waffen - SS division composed primarily from Hitler Youth members born in 1926 . The division was designated 12th SS Panzer Division " Hitlerjugend " . To provide officers for this new division , a number of veteran " Leibstandarte " officers and NCOs were transferred . Witt , along with Max Wünsche , Kurt Meyer , ' Gerd ' Bremer , Wilhelm Mohnke , Hugo Kraas and Rudolf von Ribbentrop were among those transferred . On 1 July 1943 , Witt was promoted to SS - Oberführer , and at the end of the month he was officially given command of the " Hitlerjugend " division . Witt took over the divisional command at Beverloo in occupied Belgium , and began the huge undertaking of overseeing the formation and training of a new SS Panzer Division . Witt , realising that the division had to be made ready for combat as quickly as possible , ignored many rules and regulations and instead focused on realistic combat scenarios and live - fire exercises . A result of this was that the morale of the HJ was exceptionally high , and the relationship between the officers and men was an informal one , based on mutual trust and respect . In January 1944 , Witt ' s new command was the subject of a major scandal . Early in the month , SS - Untersturmführer Wilifred Murr , a junior officer in " SS - Sturmbannführer " Erich Olboeter ' s 12th SS Reconnaissance Battalion had , in a drunken state , raped a 15 year old Belgian girl after threatening her parents with his pistol . Murr was the son of Wilhelm Murr , Gauleiter of Stuttgart . Olboeter heard of the incident , and along with " SS - Sturmbannführer " Dr . Eberhard Denzel , the division ' s legal officer , visited Murr in his room and persuaded him that he should make use of his pistol to avoid embarrassing his family . As soon as the officers had left , Murr did so . Murr ' s father soon heard details of what had happened , and , enraged , wrote to Martin Bormann demanding an investigation . In the resulting investigation , Olboeter was demoted and transferred to command of the 3rd Battalion of the 26th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment . He was replaced by " SS - Hauptsturmführer " Gerd Bremer and Dr . Denzel was demoted to " SS - Schütze " and sent to serve with the 3rd SS Panzer Division " Totenkopf ' s " 6th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment . Despite this , Witt managed to avoid any repercussions , and the formation of the division continued . In March 1944 , in a high profile event , OB West , " Generalfeldmarschall " Gerd von Rundstedt and I SS Panzer Corps commander SS - Obergruppenführer Josef Dietrich visited the Division ' s training grounds . Witt escorted the OB West and Dietrich as they witnessed elements of the division engaged in training exercises . After witnessing this , both Rundstedt and Dietrich were convinced that the division would soon be combat ready , and ordered Witt to move his division to Normandy where it was to join Panzergruppe West , Rundstedt ' s armoured reserve . On 20 April 1944 , Witt was promoted to " SS - Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der SS " . Witt continued training exercises for his division , allowing his troops to familiarise themselves with the terrain around Caen . This training would later prove vital . On 27 May 1944 , Witt turned 36 and celebrated his birthday with a party . A few days later , on 2 June , he finally announced that the " Hitlerjugend " division was ready for combat . Normandy invasion . On 6 June 1944 , the Western Allies launched Operation Overlord , the invasion of Normandy . Witt ' s Division , along with the 21st Panzer Division , was the closest armoured unit to the landing beaches . Witt readied the division for immediate action , but was forced to wait for Hitler ' s personal authorisation releasing the panzer units . The unit did not move out until 14 : 30 , early in the afternoon of D - Day on 6 June . The division ' s advance to the areas near Sword and Juno Beach es was severely hampered by incessant Allied fighter - bomber attacks . Forward elements of the division finally reached their assembly area near Evrecy at 2200 on 6 June , too late in the day to be committed to action . Witt ordered his division to form up north of Caen , defending the city and the Carpiquet Aerodrome . On 7 June , SS - Standartenführer Kurt Meyer ' s 25th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment , along with the 2nd Battalion from SS - Obersturmbannführer Max Wünsche ' s 12th SS Panzer Regiment , attacked the advancing 3rd Canadian Infantry Division , destroying 28 Canadian tanks and annihilating a company of The North Nova Scotia Highlanders for the loss of only six tanks , according to Meyer ' s recollection of the battle after the war . Records from the 27th Canadian armored regiment rather suggest that at least 31 German tanks were destroyed , mainly Panzer IV ' s . Infantry casualties on both sides were heavy ; the North Nova ' s lost 242 men , including 128 prisoners ; German casualties are uncertain , but at least 50 German wounded were seen by Canadian prisoners at the nearby Ardenne Abbey . It is generally believed that the 12th SS lost around 80 killed and 150 + wounded . One thing is certain though : the 12th SS fell short of their objective , which was to push back the allies to the sea , but they did stop their advance north of Caen for weeks . Meyer ' s regiment was then deployed near the villages of Authie and Buron , in positions covering Carpiquet . On 8 June , the 26th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment under command of SS - Obersturmbannfuhrer Wilhelm Mohnke arrived and took up positions to the west of Meyer . Upon arrival , the regiment launched an attack towards Norrey - en - Bessin , capturing the vital village . The 12th SS Reconnaissance Battalion , under the command of SS - Sturmbannführer Gerd Bremer deployed to the west of Mohnke ' s regiment , and by the evening of 8 June the division was in position to halt the allied advance on Caen . Witt visited the front frequently , working hard to provide all the support he could to his subordinates . He set up his command post at the village of Venoix , close to the front lines . Over the next week , Witt ' s division managed to hold the line above Caen despite incessant determined attacks and constant air , artillery and naval bombardments . The HJ inflicted devastating losses on the British and Canadian forces , the training which Witt had developed maintaining his unit ' s morale and fighting ability . However , Witt himself was not immune from the unrelenting Anglo - Canadian attacks . On 14 June , a British naval barrage hit the divisional command post in Venoix . Witt was hit in the face by shrapnel and killed instantly . The division and his former 1st Panzer Division comrades mourned his loss . The 33 year old Kurt Meyer was ordered to take command of the division . Witt was buried with full military honours at Champigny — Saint - André - de - l ' Eure in France .