Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Major

Unit:

Kommandeur Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 16

Awarded on:

February 6th, 1942

In mid-January 1942 a Kampfgruppe of the 16. Panzer-Division was dispatched northwards to help prop up Italian forces that the Soviets were putting heavy pressure on. Following the wounding of the Kampfgruppe’s previous commander, Oberst Wagner, Major von Witzleben took over leadership of the Kampfgruppe.

It was thrown into battle around Makejewka under the command of Hoth’s Armee-Korps. At this time the Soviets had broken through the Axis lines between Sslawjansk and Balakleia, and was advancing towards Izyum. Witzleben’s Kampfgruppe was ordered to retake the village of Nikiforowka. Despite the failure of initial attempts, the village was finally captured after 48 hours of hard and costly combat in temperatures of minus 30-40 degrees. By the conclusion of the fighting a total of 500 dead Soviets lay among the trenches, streets and houses of the village. They lost a further 300 men in a futile counterattack launched shortly afterwards.

For the role his Kampfgruppe played in stabilizing the frontline situation here, under extremely trying circumstances, Witzleben would be decorated with the Knight’s Cross.