Werner Wolff (SS officer)

Werner Wolff
Born	28 November 1922 Memel, East Prussia
Died	March , 1945 (age 22) Hungary or Austria
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Waffen-SS
Years of service	1940–45
Rank	Obersturmführer
Unit	1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
Commands held	1st Panzer Company 7th Panzer Company, 1st SS Panzer Regiment
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Iron Cross 1st Class Iron Cross 2nd Class Tank Destruction Badge in Silver Eastern Front Medal Honour Roll Clasp of the Army

Werner Wolff (28 November 1922 – 19 or 29 March 1945) was an Obersturmführer (first lieutenant), in the 1. SS Panzer Division 'Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler' (LSSAH) of the Waffen-SS, who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. This was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.

Wolff was awarded the Knight's Cross on 7 August 1943 while serving as Joachim Peiper's Adjutant in the III.(gep.) Battalion of 2nd SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment. Peiper recommended Wolff for the his actions after he took command of the leaderless 13th Company, following the wounding of its commander, during the Battle of Kursk in early July, and stopped a Russian tank attack. Wolff destroyed one tank single handed and refused to give ground to the Russian attack.^[1]

In November 1943 Wolff was shot through the thigh and was due to have the leg amputated. However, when the medical orderly arrived to take Wolff to be operated on, he drew his pistol and warned the orderly he was not losing his leg, even firing a warning shot into the ground. Wolff made a complete recovery.

In the Normandy Campaign (Operation Overlord) he particularly distinguished himself during the defense of Tilly, and was awarded the Wehrmacht's Honour Roll Clasp of the Army as a result.

Wolff is reputed to have died in Hungary, shortly after Operation Spring Awakening, on 19 March 1945. But according to Fellgiebel's book (2003 online edition),^[2] he died in the military hospital of Götzendorf, in Lower Austria, on 29 March 1945.

Awards

• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 7 August 1943 as SS-Untersturmführer and adjutant of the III.(gepanzert)/SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler"^{[3][Note 1]}

Notes

1. According to Scherzer as adjutant of the III./2. SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler".^[4]

References

Citations

1. Agte 2006, p. 126.
2. Read online
3. Fellgiebel 2000, pp. 452, 509.
4. Scherzer 2007, p. 797.

Bibliography

• Agte, Patrick (2006). Michael Wittmann and the Waffen SS Tiger Commanders of the Leibstandarte in World War II, Volume 1. Mechanicsburg, PA, USA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0811733342.
• 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.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.

External links