Second World War
Kurt Knispel – was he the most dangerous tank man of all time, but the Nazis hated him
Kurt Knispel put little value on the clothing standards of the Wehrmacht.
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He was never an officer, and the knight was never cross, while kurt Knispel towered over even tank heroes such as Michael Wittmann, or Otto Carius. However, Knispel was a non-conformist, and despised the Regime.
There are many famous German tank commander. But the most deadly tank man of war, and probably of all time, hardly anyone knows. Kurt Knispels achievements were overlooked during the war “”. He was not promoted and not with religious tinsel overwhelmed. Knispel was the epitome of a veteran, but the Regime and its Propaganda, he stood at a distance. The less from a well-established political picture of the world out, his human decency made him the Nazi state to be despised. This is an innate penchant for nonconformity comes.
Kurt Knispel – the “black Baron” was forgotten and ignored
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Images
It began to look with Knispels to Occur. On the few photos of him, he is more reminiscent of a Landsknecht as a NS-patterns soldiers. Often with a Cigarette in the corner of his mouth, never to be freshly washed. The collar of the field blouse was twisted, including a scarf of questionable cleanliness stuck. Even the Highness eagle on the Uniform was ruined. His trademark, He always wore a type of goat’s beard, and showed his dishevelled wild hair.
Nonconformist Character
Was born Knispel in the Sudetenland, the part of the Czech Republic, by Adolf Hitler in 1938 abpresste. His military career Knispel began as a gunner in a Panzer IV-the workhorse of the German tank gun. His skills were evident in the handling of the weapon. However, Knispel was also stubborn, and a cross-head, took a leaf from your mouth. Loud clashes with his superiors were on the agenda.
On the way to the Front endangered Knispel in Krakow, a SS man with the weapon and beat him up, because he had beaten a prisoner. Thus, his career was over. He never became an officer. He has been nominated four Times for the knight’s cross, the famous neck order of the Empire, but he always was ignored. For the Propaganda of other tanks men were better. Michael Wittmann received the knight’s cross of the Iron cross with oak leaves and swords, Otto Carius, the knight’s cross of the Iron cross with oak leaves.
The master of Tiger tank
The beginning of 1942, Knispel was trained at the new “Tiger I”. With the heavy Panzer battalion 503, he participated in the battle of Kursk. In twelve days, he shot down 27 T-34. The heavy Eight-Eight-gun of the tank and Knispels Talent as a gunner complemented each other . Knispel, a T-34 to three kilometres to shoot down. One of his commander, Alfred scratch, later said that Knispel on the battle field, even under the worst conditions and the most desperate Situation never gave up. Several times he covered with his Tiger I as the only tank in the withdrawal of units of the Wehrmacht.
Shortly before the Invasion of Normandy, his Department was equipped with the superheavy Tiger II. Only ten days before the end of the war Kurt Knispel in Wostitz fell, only 100 kilometres from his home town. The heavy Panzer Abteilung 503 had only eight tanks. For a long time suspected, a Stalin II tank had penetrated the armour of the Tiger II, and the entire crew killed instantly. This isn’t right. The Crew was still out. As his body in 2013, barg, showed that Knispel without a helmet stand in the hatch and MG-shots in the chest was taken. During the Transport of the severely injured in a Mine exploded, Knispel was hit by a shrapnel in the forehead.
Its official launch numbers is 168 enemy tanks. Comrades said, in reality, it had been 30 more. In order to increase the confidence of young soldiers, should Knispel have regularly credited his kills other.
