Kurt Knispel (Tank Commander)
Kurt was born in the Sudetenland of Chezhoslovakia, in 1921 and is recognized as one of, if not the greatest, tank commander of all time. He received basic infantry training before tank training on the Panzer I, Panzer II, and Panzer IV.On 1 October 1940, he was transferred tothe 3rd Company of the 29th Panzer Regiment, 12th Panzer Division. Knispel completed his training as a loader and gunner in a Panzer IV.
Knispel was the gunner of a Panzer IV under Lt. Hellman at the time of Operation Barbarossa. Knispel returned to training at the end of January 1943 and became familiar with the new Tiger I tanks. At this time, Knispel was credited with 12 kills. In June, he was sent to the 503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion to participate in the Battle of Kursk. After a long campaign in Russian, he was sent to Russia to particpate in the defense of Caen in the 503rd's new Tiger IIs. In the battle of Bab Castle, his Tiger II received 24 non penatrating hits from Allied Anti-Tank guns.
In the Battle of Wositz, he recieved a fatal wound with his fellow tank commander, Feldwebel
Skoda, the hit came from an allied Anti-Tank shell that penetrated the side of the Tiger's turret, and crippled both commanders. They died in a nearby field hospital that day on April 29, 1945. Germany surrendered 10 days later. He is credited with 168 confrimed Allied Tank kills (and had up to as many as 195 total). Several consider his most notable single achievement to be his kill on a T-34 tank at 1.85 Miles away. He was the only non-commissioned officer of the German tank arm to be named in a Wehrmacht Communique(A national radio broadcast of honored Tank Commanders). In a Tiger I and II he had 42 confirmed kills. Other things to note was his belief in human rights and fair treatment for POWs and he only reached the equal rank of sergeant due to his lack of nationalism and showing respect to the "Sub-Human" Russians.
Knispel was the gunner of a Panzer IV under Lt. Hellman at the time of Operation Barbarossa. Knispel returned to training at the end of January 1943 and became familiar with the new Tiger I tanks. At this time, Knispel was credited with 12 kills. In June, he was sent to the 503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion to participate in the Battle of Kursk. After a long campaign in Russian, he was sent to Russia to particpate in the defense of Caen in the 503rd's new Tiger IIs. In the battle of Bab Castle, his Tiger II received 24 non penatrating hits from Allied Anti-Tank guns.
In the Battle of Wositz, he recieved a fatal wound with his fellow tank commander, Feldwebel
Skoda, the hit came from an allied Anti-Tank shell that penetrated the side of the Tiger's turret, and crippled both commanders. They died in a nearby field hospital that day on April 29, 1945. Germany surrendered 10 days later. He is credited with 168 confrimed Allied Tank kills (and had up to as many as 195 total). Several consider his most notable single achievement to be his kill on a T-34 tank at 1.85 Miles away. He was the only non-commissioned officer of the German tank arm to be named in a Wehrmacht Communique(A national radio broadcast of honored Tank Commanders). In a Tiger I and II he had 42 confirmed kills. Other things to note was his belief in human rights and fair treatment for POWs and he only reached the equal rank of sergeant due to his lack of nationalism and showing respect to the "Sub-Human" Russians.
Tanks of the 503rd
The Battle of Kursk
A German T-34 used in the mission (Before Tarp was used to cover the German Cross)
With the introduction of the Tiger and Panther, German armor was far better than the armor of the Russian Counterparts in 1943. The Battle of Kursk however had the germans vastly outnumbered. The 503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion was the head of one of the most dangerous missions conducted during the battle.
With the cover of darkness the Germany moved a column of Panzer IVs in a column right to the Russian lines. However, they were lead by two captured T-34s. The Germans followed protocol by putting the German Cross on the T-34s but they were covered by a tarp, so the Russians couldn't tell that they were captured. The sound of the engines and shape of the T-34 let the germans go through the line.
A few miles in a column of about 20 Russian T-34s crossed the Panzers, everything seemed fine, but after the two columns passed, the Russians stopped and started turning around to look at the Panzer IVs. The Commander's Panzer, which was armed with a dummy gun, turned his tank 90 degrees to protect the other tanks in the column from getting shot. The crew used the emergency exit on the bottom of the tank to escape in the ditches along the road. The crew then used Anti-Tank Explosives to destroy the column of Russian Tanks. Not a single Panzer IV of the 503rd was destroyed in the battle.
With the cover of darkness the Germany moved a column of Panzer IVs in a column right to the Russian lines. However, they were lead by two captured T-34s. The Germans followed protocol by putting the German Cross on the T-34s but they were covered by a tarp, so the Russians couldn't tell that they were captured. The sound of the engines and shape of the T-34 let the germans go through the line.
A few miles in a column of about 20 Russian T-34s crossed the Panzers, everything seemed fine, but after the two columns passed, the Russians stopped and started turning around to look at the Panzer IVs. The Commander's Panzer, which was armed with a dummy gun, turned his tank 90 degrees to protect the other tanks in the column from getting shot. The crew used the emergency exit on the bottom of the tank to escape in the ditches along the road. The crew then used Anti-Tank Explosives to destroy the column of Russian Tanks. Not a single Panzer IV of the 503rd was destroyed in the battle.