Otto Carius | Timeline

Otto Carius (27 May 1922 – 24 January 2015) was one of the leading german tank aces in the army of the Wehrmacht during World War II. Carius served mostly in the Eastern Front as a tank commander and briefly in the west during the battle of Remagen, as a Tank destroyer commander. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and credited with 150+ enemy tanks destroyed.

May 27, 1922 - Zweibrücken, Palatinate - Otto Carius is born
March 1(?), 1940 - Zweibrücken - Receives his Preparatory School Diploma

May 25, 1940 - Posen - Carius volunteers to join the 104th Infantry Replacement Battalion He arrives by train in Posen just a few days after the invasion of France =(START)

August(?) 1(?), 1940 - Darmstadt - Transfered to Darmstadt

September(?) 1(?), 1940 - Vaihingen, near Stuttgart - Carius reports to the 7th Panzer Replacement Battalion

October 5, 1940 - Vaihingen - The 21st Panzer Regiment is formed in Vaihingen (Carius is a loader)
June 1, 1941 - Ohrdruf - The 21st Panzer Regiment is integrated into the 20th Panzer Division for joint exercises with Infantry
June 15(?), 1941 - Putlos (E. of Kiel) - Training with submergible tanks. The men get combat rations but still feel that England is their destiny
June 21, 1941 - S. of Kalvarija, Lithuania - The division moves to the border, in the woods south of Karvarija
June 22, 1941 - Alytus Airfield - Reaches Alytus after a 120km road march
June 23, 1941 - Alytus | Neman River - Carius helps at a battle in Alytus, when the russians reorganize after the initial shock. Crossing of the Neman
June 24, 1941 - Vilnius - City Taken
July 3, 1941 - W. of Ulla (W. of Vitebsk) - The 20th Panzer Division reaches the Daugava River, near Ulla
July 8, 1941 - Ulla (W. of Vitebsk) - Carius' tank is knocked out by a 47mm anti-tank round, after crossing the Daugava River on a pontoon bridge. The crew bails out, but Carius is wounded in the face and looses a couple of teeth. The radio operator looses an arm
July 9, 1941 - Vitebsk - Carius rejoins his unit as it enters into Vitebsk
July 12, 1941 - Demodov - Moving towards Yartsevo, on the Smolensk-Moscow Highway
July 14, 1941 - Dukhovshchina - Moving towards Yartsevo, on the Smolensk-Moscow Highway
July 16, 1941 - Yartsevo (Smolensk-Moscow Highway) - The 20th Panzer Division reaches Yartsevo
July 17, 1941 - Yartsevo - Defensive fighting
July 27, 1941 - Yelnya (SE Smolensk/Glinka) - Defensive fighting
August 1, 1941 - Yelnya - Promoted to Unteroffizier
August 2, 1941 - Yelnya - Carius is awarded the Wound Badge in black for being wounded on July 8th
August 4, 1941 - Yelnya - Marching orders back to Wünsdorf, via Erlangen
August 6, 1941 - Wünsdorf, near Berlin - Officer candidate course
February 2, 1942 - Wünsdorf - Carius fails the officer candidate course
February 15, 1942 - Gagarin (Gshatsk), NE. of Vyazma - Carius returns to the front to see his regiment nearly decimated
March 1, 1942 - Gagarin (Gshatsk) - defensive fighting until June around winter positions on Gshatsk and East of Vyazma
June 1(?), 1942 - Sychyovka, between Vyazma and Rzhev - Transfered to the area of Sychyovka, between Vyazma and Rzhev
August(?) 1(?), 1942 - Sukhinichi-Kozelsk-Belyov Area (SW of Kaluga) - Transfered to the area southwest of Kaluga
August 7, 1942 - Sukhinichi (SW of Kaluga) - The German Army takes Sukhinichi
August 20, 1942 - Sukhinichi-Kozelsk-Belyov Area (SW of Kaluga) - Carius is promoted to Lieutenant and awarded the Medal for the Winter Campaign in the East 1941/1942
September 15, 1942 - Sukhinichi-Kozelsk-Belyov Area - Otto Carius is awarded the Iron Cross Second Class
November 14, 1942 - Promoted to Leutnant der Reserve
December(?) 1(?), 1942 - Belyayeva, W. of Orel / SW of Bryansk - Last unsucessful assault on Belyayeva through Ploskaya
December 31, 1942 - Ploskaya, N of Orel - W-NW Smolensk
January 1(?), 1943 - Belyayeva, W. of Orel - Telegram - Carius is transferred to the 500th Replacement Battalion
March(?) 1(?), 1943 - Paderborn - Carius arrives in Paderborn, home of the 500th Replacement and training Battalion
April 1, 1943 - Putlos (E. of Kiel) - Telegram: Carius is assigned to 502nd Heavy Tank Battalion (Unit formed exclusively from Eastern Front Panzer Veterans to train of the New Panzer VI Tiger). Orders to report to HQ to train with new tanks
April 5, 1943 - Ploermel (Brittany, France) - Secretive Trials with Tiger I
June 2, 1943 - Metz - Train trip from Ploermel to Metz. Carius telegraphs to his family
June 3(?), 1943 - Homburg on the Saar - Carius' mother and relatives meet him at the train station on his way to the East

July 8, 1943 - Awarded the wounded badge in black
July 21, 1943 - Mga (SE Leningrad - E Kolpino) - Carius and the Tiger train reaches Mga and the tanks begin being unloaded
July 22, 1943 - Mga (SE Leningrad - E Kolpino) - Carius is thrown into the third battle for Ladoga
August(?) 1(?), 1943 - Tosno - The germans begin laying asphalt on the roads around Gatchina (that later are used by the russians)
September 1(?), 1943 - Chernovo (W. of Gatchina), S. of Leningrad - Carius' unit is pulled out of the front line and sets up quarters in Chernovo
October 1(?), 1943 - Chernovo (W. of Gatchina), S. of Leningrad - Carius receives orders to march south to hold the Velikiye Luki-Nevel-Vitebsk road
November 4, 1943 - Nevel, SW of Velikiy Luki - The rest of the battalion joins Carius in Nevel. Carius destroys 10 tanks in a column of 12 T-34's. Later in the day, further north, he destroys another 3 and rolls over 3 anti-tank guns inside a village on the road
November 7, 1943 - Gorodok Area(?) - German attack in the direction of Vitebsk along the road
November 10, 1943 - Pugatschina (Gorodok Area?) - Counterattack
November 23, 1943 - Otto Carius is awarded the Iron Cross First Class, after destroying 3 more tanks
November 25, 1943 - W. of Sergeytsevo (NW of Nevel) - Supporting an attack by the 503rd infantry regiment against the russians in the woods west of Sergeyzevo
December 2, 1943 - Gorushka (Gorushko Nevelsk? - N of Nevel) - Carius' Tiger gets stuck in a tank ditch, unable to budge. Zwetti advances and renders assistance. Under mortar fire, the two tanks attached tow cables. While hooking up the cables, Carius is struck by shrapnel to the temple (Tigers already painted white)

December 9, 1943 - Gorushka(?) - Wounded in the hand by small arms fire
December 12, 1943 - Lovets (W. Of Nevel) - Carius is sent to Lovets, on the Nevel-Vitebsk road
December 15, 1943 - Lovets - Awarded the Wound badge in Silver for being wounded 3 times
December 16, 1943 - Lovets - Successful attack along the Vitebsk-Nevel road
December 17, 1943 - Lovets(?) - After an attack to the north, Carius' Tiger is hit by a "stalin's organ" and withraws in the direction of Nevel along the road
January(?) 1(?), 1944 - Gatchina (SW of Leningrad) - Narva-leningrad Highway - Carius' unit is sent to Gatchina on railway, with Neval sector being overrun by the soviets
January(?) 5(?), 1944 - Opol'ye (Narva-Leningrad Highway) - Gatchina is abandoned and the unit moves to the rear. Attacks toward Volosovo
January(?) 8(?), 1944 - Narva, Estonia - Carius arrives in Narva by train, where SS-Nordland Division was based
February 2, 1944 - Narva - Feldmarschall Model arrives and gives orders to Carius to stop all russian tanks without loosing a Tiger
February 12, 1944 - Narva Bridgehead (east of the city) - Carius destroys 4 more tanks at the Narva bridgehead
February 16, 1944 - Between Narva and the Baltic - Supports Wengler from a massive russian assault with two Tiger tanks
February 24, 1944 - SW of Narva - Defensive positions along the Narva River
February 27, 1944 - Lembitu, (between Rakvere and Narva) - Soviet bombers begin bombing german positions on a daily basis
March 16, 1944 - Sillamäe - The expected soviet attack doesn't happen, so Carius is allowed to rest for a few days and enjoy the sauna at Sillamäe beach with the rest of the 502nd

March 17(?), 1944 - Lembitu - Massive soviet artillery bombardment. The HQ is attacked by 6 T-34's and a few anti-tank guns. Carius wins the small battle
March 19, 1944 - Lembitu - Soviet attempt to encircle the germans in Narva Sector with a movement from the west. Carius knocks out a few more T-34s
March 22, 1944 - Meriküla, NE Estonia - The soviets try to land from the Sea. Carius moves to the coast but when he arrives, the soviets were already destroyed
March 31, 1944 - Sillamäe - By the end of March, both the Tigers and crews were needing maintenance and rest
April 6, 1944 - Lembitu - Operation Strachwitz - german attack
April 15, 1944 - Lembitu - Planning of Operation Strachwitz (third attack) with Hyacinth Graf Strachwitz (who is awarded the Diamonds for his Knight's Cross during the briefing)
April 19, 1944 - Sillamäe area(?) - Operation Strachwitz - third part - is put under way
April 20, 1944 - Sillamäe area(?) - Wounded/injured
April 23, 1944 - Sillamäe area(?) - End of Operation Strachwitz - The Germans do not gain an inch of territory but suffer many casualties
April 31, 1944 - Sillamäe area(?) - The Company receives orders to relocate to Pskov

May 4, 1944 - Pskov - Carius is awarded the Knight's Cross for his actions in the Narva sector
June 6, 1944 - Pskov Area(?) - Carius receives a letter from General Guderian, congratulating him for his "Knight's Cross"
June 24, 1944 - Pskov Area(?) - Attack against the Judennase (Jew's nose)
July 2, 1944 - Pskov Area(?) - The Battalion is transported to Daugavpils by rail
July 4, 1944 - Daugavpils, Latvia - Arrival in Daugavpils. The Tigers assemble on the Southern bank of the Diina River, 8km S. Of Daugavpils
July 11, 1944 - near Karasino - Clashes with the soviets. Carius' gunner Rudolf Zwetti is wounded
July 14, 1944 - Bolnorycze - North of Karasino, Carius captures Bolnorycze during the night. Returns back to Nurwiance
July 15, 1944 - Maruga - Carius is attached to a kampfgruppe in Maruga. Awarded the Tank Combat Badge 2nd Level
July 16, 1944 - S. of Turmantas (S. of Daugavpils) - Kampfgruppe Carius clears up an enemy penetration south of Turmantas
July 19, 1944 - 50km from Daugavpils - Carius gets a report that the soviets had broken through NE of Daugavpils with 90 to 100 tanks
July 20, 1944 - Malinava (NE Daugavpils) - Carius reaches the supply zone, where he meets Johannes Bölter. The two aces talk briefly
July 22, 1944 - Malinava - Carius attacks Malinava with Albert Kerscher, knocking out 17 IS-2s and 5 T-34s. Subsequently, the Kampfgruppe moves to a position 10km east of Krivani (N of Daugavpils) in order to defeat the rest of the enemy brigade. When the enemy brigade's main body approaches without any reconnaissance, it is ambushed; 28 tanks destroyed.
July 24, 1944 - Outskirts of Daugavpils (Road to Riga) - Carius is shot in the thigh while riding a reconnaissance motorcycle. Lying on the ground, he his hit again in the arm and four times in the back. Three russians reach him, but at the moment of his execution, the russians are surprised by the arrival of the Tigers. Instead of his head, the bullet hits him in the neck, surviving miraculously and without feeling pain with all the adrenaline and excitement
July 25(?), 1944 - Talinn, Estonia - Carius is loaded in a ship to Germany (Rail connections were broken by the russians)
July 27, 1944 -  (while in a ship to Germany) - Carius is awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross
August 1, 1944 - Swinemünde - Arrival in Germany. Carius is put in a hospital train to Lingen (Ems)
August 4, 1944 - Military Hospital - Lingen (Ems) - close to dutch border - In Hospital, Carius receives a letter from the 502nd heavy panzer battalion, congratulating him for his "oakleaves" award
August 5, 1944 - Military Hospital - Lingen (Ems) - Promoted to Oberleutnant der Reserve
August 7, 1944 - Military Hospital - Lingen (Ems) - Carius receives a letter from General Guderian, congratulating him for his "oakleaves" award
August 10, 1944 - Military Hospital - Lingen (Ems) - Letter from Heesemann congratulating him for the "oakleaves" award
August 31, 1944 - Military Hospital - Lingen (Ems) - Carius receives a letter from General Lotze, congratulating him for his "oakleaves" award
September 1, 1944 - Military Hospital - Lingen (Ems) - Carius receives the panzer assault badge in silver for 50 straight days fighting
September 10, 1944 - Military Hospital - Lingen (Ems) - Letter from new 502nd Heavy Panzer Battalion commander Von Foerster
September 11, 1944 - Military Hospital - Lingen (Ems) - Carius is promoted Oberleutnant and receives the wound badge in Gold for being wounded 5 times
September 12, 1944 - Military Hospital - Lingen (Ems) - Carius receives a letter summoning him to receive the "oakleaves" to his Knight's Cross
September 15, 1944 - Military Hospital - Lingen (Ems) - Carius starts walking on crutches
September 24, 1944 - Military Hospital - Lingen (Ems) - Carius receives a letter informing him of his promotion to "Oberleutnant"
October 31(?), 1944 - Salzburg, Austria - Carius reports to be awarded the Oak Leaves by Himmler in Salzburg. Dinner and private conversation.
November 1(?), 1944 - Berchtesgaden | Obersalzberg Mountain - Himmler puts a driver at Carius's disposal to show him the surroundings of Salzburg
November 4(?), 1944 - Halle - SS-officers give Carius a ride to Berlin via Munich and Halle, where they visit the Leuna Synthetic Oil refinery
November 5(?), 1944 - Berlin - Arrival in Berlin
November(?) 15(?), 1944 - Westphalia - Hospital in Westphalia, where his uncle was chief-surgeon

December 2, 1944 - Berlin - Returns to Berlin to check for opportunities to rejoin his unit in East Prussia. Carius is denied transfer due to his "high value" to russians. He receives orders to report to Paderborn instead
January 2, 1945 - Paderborn - Reports to the Replacement Battalion at Paderborn
February 11, 1945 - Döllersheim, NW of Vienna, Austria - Formation of 512 Abteilung Schwere Panzerjäger

JagdTiger Tank Destroyer

February 27, 1945 - Sennelager - Begins moving to the front after incomplete training
March 7, 1945 - near Siegburg (NE of Bonn) - The first 2nd company JagdTigers arrive at the front after 10 days, while US forces capture Remagen bridge
March 20, 1945 - Lauschied Woods (SE Eitorf) - Moving slowly at night
March 21, 1945 - Remagen - Battle of Remagen (objective Ludendorff Bridge Intact)
March 24, 1945 - Between Eitorf and Siegburg - Attacking SW to destroy US Bridgehead
March 26, 1945 - Siegen - Retreating to Siegen
April 8, 1945 - Unna - 11 tanks + 30 vehicles destroyed by the Company
April 15, 1945 - Iserlohn (SE Dortmund) - Fritz Bayerlein, Carius' commander, orders a cessation of all hostilities

April 21, 1945 - Iserlohn - Awarded the Tank Combat badge 4th level

May 7, 1945 - Iserlohn - Taken prisoner by the US army
January(?) 1(?), 1946(?) - Heidelberg - Otto Carius enrolls at Heidelberg University
January(?) 1(?), 1947 - Heidelberg(?) - Carius gets his start in pharmacy as an apprentice
January(?) 1(?), 1949 - Freiburg (Breisgau) - Works in a pharmacy in Freiburg until 1952
January(?) 1(?), 1954(?) - Holzkirchen, near Munich - First get-together of members of the 2nd Company of the 502nd Heavy Tank Battalion
January(?) 1(?), 1955 - Seewalchen (Attersee) - Carius and members of the 2nd Company of the 502nd Heavy Tank Battalion get together
January(?) 1(?), 1956 - Herschweiler-Pettersheim - Carius opens his own pharmacy shop called "Tiger Apotheke"
January(?) 1(?), 2011 - Herschweiler-Pettersheim - Otto Carius retires
January 24, 2015 - Herschweiler-Pettersheim - Otto Carius dies, aged 92 =(END)

Bibliography
CARIUS - Tigers in the Mud - Stackpole Books
KUROWSKI, Franz - Panzer Aces III - Stackpole Books

Sepp Allerberger | Timeline

Obergefreiter (Private First Class) Josef 'Sepp' Allerberger was an World War II Austrian sniper from Wehrmacht's 3. Gebirgsdivision (II Battalion of the 144th Gebirgsjäger Regiment), credited with 257 confirmed kills (400 unconfirmed). He served on the Eastern Front together with his more famous comrade in arms and compatriot, Matthäus Hetzenauer.

December 26, 1924 - Wals-Sieznheim, Austria - Josef "Sepp" Allerberger is born
February 10(?), 1943 - Mittenwald, W of Berchtesgaden - Conscripted into Gebirgsjäger Regiment 144 of 3.Gebirgsdivision (3GD) =(START)
July 1(?), 1943 - Mittenwald - Finished Training - qualified MG gunner (first heard about enemy sharpshooters)
July 5(?), 1943 - Mittenwald - Receives his marching orders to join G.J.R.144 in the southern sector near Voroshilovsk, Ukraine
July 8(?), 1943 - Wals-Sieznheim - Short leave to say goodbye to family
July 18, 1943 - Redkina Gap, E of Luhansk(?) - Allerberger is thrown as infantryman into the fighting one day after arriving
July 22, 1943 - Redkina Gap - German frontline re-established. In Voroshilovsk recovering from a slinter wound in his hand, Sepp finds a russian sniper rifle and asks to train with it
August 5(?), 1943 - Luhansk - Ends his 14 days of recovering and short sniper training 
August 6(?), 1943 - Redkina Gap - Rejoins his Company with his sniper rifle and Telescopic Sight - Awarded wound badge
August 18, 1943 - Redkina Gap - Soviet offensive starts heavily although Sepp mantains his calm
August 25(?), 1943 - ? - Starts orderly retreat to the Dnieper
August 30(?), 1943 - Zaporizhzhya - Heavy fighting with two russian columns trying pincer movement
September 1(?), 1943 - Unpaved main highways and roads transformed into a knee-deep impassable morass
September 20, 1943 - Division building the "Wotan Line". Soviet Attacks weaken and german lines are shortened and consolidated
September 26, 1943 - Major soviet assault, with lightning flashes, hundreds of guns and stalins organs
October 4, 1943 - Nikopol Bridgehead - Fighting abates, allowing a few days to regroup and rest
October 9, 1943 - Nikopol Bridgehead - Soviet assault restarts
October 21, 1943 - Nikopol Bridgehead - Fresh soviet assault
October 31, 1943 - Nikopol Bridgehead - Orders arrive to fall back on the Dniepr. 3GD had already done it
November 20, 1943 - Nikopol Bridgehead - Russians attack on a modest scale
November 25, 1943 - Nikopol Bridgehead - Russian attack concentrates directly against 3GD
December 19, 1943 - Nikopol Bridgehead - Fresh soviet offensive against the Nikopol Bridgehead
December 29, 1943 - Nikopol Bridgehead - german positions begin to crack
January 30, 1944 - Dniepr Bend(?), Basawluk Estuary - Major soviet offensive threatens to encircle 2 german armied at the Basawluk estuary
February 12, 1944 - Nikopol Bridgehead - Orders arrive to evacuate the near encircled Nikopol Bridgehead - -50ºC cold
February 20, 1944 - Ingulez - Snow and wind storm. Halt in fighting
February 25, 1944 - Ingulez - Russians attack but are repulsed by a newly operational mountain artillery regiment
March 1, 1944 - Streams of russian soldiers toward the german lines
March 7, 1944 - Ingulez River - Germans hold positions although russians cross river and dynamite parts of front line
March 8, 1944 - Orders arrive to retreat along the Ingulez forthwith
March 15, 1944 - Crossing the Ingulez towards the Bug - Heavy rains, strong winds, violent hail and blizzard
March 16, 1944 - Crossing the Bug - 3GD is one of the last divisions crossing the river - russians intensify pressure
March 19, 1944 - Bug River west bank - Division crosses river
March 26, 1944 - Bug River west bank - after a week of "almost vacations", russian assault troops cross the bug at night
March 27, 1944 - Bug River west bank - Orders arrive to retreat to the Dniester, 300km to the SW
April 2, 1944 - Bakalov - 25km from Kutschurgan river - Russian armour break the lines and encircle 3GD
April 6, 1944 - Bakalov - Kampfgruppe Lorch breaks encirclement
April 10, 1944 - Dniester River - the 1000 survivors of 3GD cross the Dniester - Enters Bessarabia
April 17, 1944 - Dniester River, Bessarabia side - Allerberger has the luck to stay behing, as 800 companions are killed trying to bolster another sector
May 25, 1944 - Bistritz, Romania - Period of tranquillity ends - 3GD is ordered to the Aurel Pass in the Carpathians
May 30, 1944 - Bistritz - Hands over his rifle and prepares to travel to Austria
June 4, 1944 - Judenburg, Austria - Arrives in Judenburg
June 5, 1944 - Seetaleralpe, Austria - Starts the course "Scharfschützen Ausbildung Kompanie WK XVIII
July 1, 1944 - Seetaleralpe - Finishes sniper course in Austria
July 2, 1944 - Wals-Sieznheim - While colleagues go to the front, he enjoys a leave in his hometown
July 13, 1944 - Wals-Sieznheim - Allerberger says goodbye to his family and leaves for the front
July 18(?), 1944 - Bistritz, Romania - Arrives to Bistritz - hears rumours of Romania ready to defect
August 23, 1944 - Bistritz - Allerberger hears the news that the King of Romania switched his allegiance
August 27, 1944 - Draceni(?) - Russians attack along the Aurel Pass-Bistricidara(bistritz) front
September 7, 1944 - Bistricioara - Bistricioara has to be abandoned
September 24, 1944 - Deda (SE Bistritz?) - Repositioned at Deda
October 1(?), 1944 - Nyíregyháza, Hungary - house-to-house fighting in and around Nyiregyhaza
October 27, 1944 - Nyíregyháza - Receives the wound badge in silver
November 3, 1944 - Tisza River (Theiss) - 3GD crosses the Tisza and is integrated into a new front line
November 15, 1944 - Miskolc - by mid-November, the division is in the industrial city of Miskolc
December 3, 1944 - Miskolc - 3GD abandons Miskolc and withraws towards the slovakian Erzgebirge Mountains
January 30(?), 1945 - Gran River (between Erzgebirge and Lower Tatra) - Regiment retreats
February 5(?), 1945 - Ruzomberok, Slovakia - Receives some reinforcements
February 30(?), 1945 - Bielsko-Biala, Poland - Division pulls back further
March 2, 1945 - Bielsko-Biala - Summoned to HQ and awarded sniper badge in gold
April 2, 1945 - ? - Awarded the Knights Cross while attached to 8./144
April 20, 1945 - Mönninghofen - Receives the Knights Cross
May 5(?), 1945 - Ostrava (Mährisch-Ostrau) - Regiment moves (Russians at Brno)
May 8, 1945 - Olomouc, Czechoslovakia - Retreats to Olomouc. Russians cease fire
May 10, 1945 - Olomouc(?) - Gets rid of his sniper rifle and decides to walk 250km by night to Austria with a colleague
May 25(?), 1945 - ? - Escapes US captivity (germans handed to soviets for gulags)
June 2(?), 1945 - Linz - Arrives in Linz
June 4(?), 1945 - Salzburg - on his way home
June 5, 1945 - Wals-Sieznheim - Arrives unannounced to his village. Becomes a Carpenter, like his father
March 1, 2010 - Wals-Sieznheim - Josef "Sepp" Allerberger dies, aged 85 =(END)

Kurt Knispel | Timeline

Kurt Knispel (20 September 1921 – 28 April 1945) was a Sudeten German tank loader, gunner and later commander, who became the highest scoring tank killer of World War II, with 168 enemy tanks destroyed. Knispel has been relatively unknown for decades because as a non-commissioned officer, he had a lower rank and fewer decorations than most of the tank commanders. Knispel was known for loathing the discipline of military life, not being a member of the NSDAP or moved for decorations. His promotions in the Wehrmacht may have been also frozen after he assaulted an officer who was being specially harsh to soviet prisoners.

September 20, 1921 - Salisfeld (Salisov), czechoslovakia - Kurt Knispel is born

May 15, 1940 - Sagan (Zagan-POL)?| Putlos - Knispel starts basic training

September 30, 1940 - Sagan (Zagan-POL)?| Putlos - Knispel finishes basic training

October 1, 1940 - Sagan (Zagan-POL)?| Putlos - transfer - 3 ableitung - 29 PZ Rg - 12 Pz Division =(START)

March 12, 1941 - Camp Warthe, near Posen (Poznan) - Training continues at Camp Warthe

March 26, 1941 - Meseritz (Miedzyrzecz) - NE Frankfurt an der Oder - Training continues at Meseritz

May 1(?), 1941 - Warthe District - Knispel’s 12th Panzer Division passes through Arys (Orzysz), Rastenburg (Kętrzyn) and Angerburg (węgorzewo)

June 11, 1941 - Sagan (Zagan-POL)?| Putlos - Tank and gunning Training complete

June 12, 1941 - Rastenburg - East Prussia - The 12th Panzer Division moves to Rastenburg

June 20, 1941 - East Prussia - The division moves to the border, arriving on June 22nd

June 26, 1941 - Minsk - The 12th Panzer Division enters in Minsk from the north

June 28, 1941 - After advancing to southwest, the division joins Panzergruppe 2

June 30(?), 1941 - North of Minsk - Knispel's unit gets some days to rest

July 7, 1941 - North of Minsk - Back in combat. Knispel's tank is hit twice

July 20, 1941 - between Mogilev and Smolensk - Knispel's unit breaks through between Mogilev and Smolensk and helps surrounding the russians

July 21, 1941 - Babruysk (SE Minsk) - The soviet army attacks the division in Babruysk

August 20, 1941 - Narva - moves out - Northern Sector of the Eastern Front - 12 Pz Div

August 25, 1941 - Highway S of Leningrad - First combats on the Northern sector

August 28(?), 1941 - Mga - Orders to suspend the approach to Leningrad - Attack to Schlisselburg

August 29(?), 1941 - Mga - Knispel's unit is surrounded at Mga

September 5(?), 1941 - West of Schlisselburg - Knispel destroys 4 tanks on the first attack to Schlisselburg

September 8, 1941 - Schlisselburg - Schlisselburg is captured

November 1(?), 1941 - West of Tikhvin - The first combats for Tikhvin start

November 8, 1941 - Tikhvin - Tikhvin is captured, to cut russian supply lines

November 29, 1941 - Tikhvin - Kurt Knispel is awarded the Panzer Assault Badge

December 1, 1941 - Tikhvin - East of Leningrad - Soviet Attack

December 16, 1941 - Tikhvin - Knispel is awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class, after a decisive combat

December 19, 1941 - Tikhvin - Soviet attack to take Tikhvin, mostly IL-2 - Germans begin retreating across the Volkhov

December 23, 1941 - On the way to Estonia - As Knispel's unit retreats, it is attacked during all the way, under -38ºC

December 27, 1941 - Narva - Knispel reaches Estonia

January 3, 1942 - Narva - Knispel departs for offensive operations

January 4, 1942 - Kingisepp - Moves out

January 13, 1942 - Volkhov River | Tikhvin - Moves to Front

March 1(?), 1942 - Narva - Back at Narva - Signs of Spring - the unit is reequiped with Pz IV, armed with 75mm cannons

April 17, 1942 - Volkhov River | Tikhvin - Combats in the forest, with many russian snipers - Knispel commands a tank temporarily

May 17, 1942 - Knispel departs for Narva to take a train back to Germany

May 18, 1942 - Krasnogvardeysk (Gatchina) - On his way to Germany

May 20(?), 1942 - Narva - Knispel arrives at Narva and takes the train to Germany

May 22(?), 1942 - Elbing | Elblag - On his way to Germany

May 23(?), 1942 - Frankfurt | Oder - On his way to Germany

May 24(?), 1942 - Sagan (Zagan-POL)?| Putlos - Arrival to destination - Knispel's leave (it would last a week)

June 5(?), 1942 - Burg, Magdeburg - Transfered to the III.Ableitung - 4th Panzer Regiment - 13th Panzer Division

July 11, 1942 - Dresden - The Battalion (Ableitung) takes the train to the Front, via Dresden

July 12, 1942 - Katowice - Arrival in Katowice, via Breslau

July 13, 1942 - Kraków - Delay during the passage through Kraków

July 15(?), 1942 - Lviv(?) - Travelling to Stalino (Donetsk, Ukraine)

August 4, 1942 - Stalino (Donetsk) - The train of the III Company arrives in Stalino

August 5(?), 1942 - Rostov-na-Donu - Approaching the Front in the Caucasus

August 6(?), 1942 - Salsk (SE Rostov) - Approaching the Front in the Caucasus

August 8(?), 1942 - Kurganinsk, NE Maykop - Kurganinsk is taken

August 9, 1942 - Maykop - The 13th Panzer Division assaults Maykop

August 13, 1942 - Sablinskoye (N of Pyatiosrsk) - Terek River Sector - The 13th Panzer Division is withrawn from the frontline

November 12, 1942 - Gisel - W of Vladikavkaz - The battalion is surrounded and takes heavy casualties, but it is saved by other german units. Knispel comes out of the heavy fighting with 12 enemy tanks destroyed, since the war started.

November 15, 1942 - Gisel - At the same time that weather and snow, aswell as russian resistance, prevents german advance. Knispel's unit receives orders to deliver their tanks and head to Germany to receive new tanks.
Rumours spread about the situation in Stalingrad, but also about the soviet intention of retaking Rostov-na-Donu and cut the german retreat from the Caucasus.

November 22, 1942 - Rostov-na-Donu - The 3rd Battalion is attached to the 1st regiment, 4th Panzer Division in Von Kleist and Mackensen's 1st PanzerArmee

November 27(?), 1942 - Kraków - Knispel arrives in Kraków on leave

December(?) 1(?), 1942 - Salisov, Altvater Mountains (CZE) - On leave in the Altvater Mountains with his Family

January 10, 1943 - Sagan (Zagan-POL)?| Putlos - Knispel returns to Putlos Artillery School and is transfered to the 503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion

January 12(?), 1943 - Salisov, Altvater Mountains (CZE) - Knispel returns to Salisov to enjoy a few more days with his Family

January 24, 1943 - Salisov, Altvater Mountains (CZE) - End of his 14-days licence with is Family

January 31, 1943 - Sagan (Zagan-POL)?| Putlos - Return to his unit. Training with the Tiger I heavy Tank

Knispel on Tiger I

April 14, 1943 - Bogodukhov - NW Kharkov - Returns to the Front, in the region of Kharkov (Battle of Kharkov)July 5, 1943 - Kursk - Assigned to the 1st Company - 7th Panzer Division - Operation Zitadelle, South FlankJuly 14, 1943 - Belgorod-Kursk Main Road - The battalion reaches the main road from Belgorod to KurskJuly 16, 1943 - The german withrawal begins (lasts until September)September 30, 1943 - Snamenka (E of Kiev?)October(?) 5(?), 1943 - Kiev Area - The unit moves to KievNovember 3, 1943 - Kiev Area - The Soviet offensive begins and the Second Battle of Kiev startsNovember 5(?), 1943 - Kiev - The Battalion retreats from Kiev - The City is taken by the russians the following day

November 8(?), 1943 - Zhytomyr - The Battalion retreats from Zhytomyr - The City is taken by the russians the following day

November 9(?), 1943 - Berdychiv? - S of Zhytomyr - The Battalion settles outside of Zhytomyr

November 19, 1943 - Zhytomyr - The City is recaptured by the germans

December 30(?), 1943 - Zhytomyr - The Battalion retreats from Zhytomyr - the City is retaken by the russians the following day

January 15, 1944 - Vinnitsa - Knispel's unit under command of Franz Bäke

February 10, 1944 - Schubennyj

February 11, 1944 - Bosovka-Frankovka-Bushanka Road - Korsun-Cherkassy Pocket

February 13, 1944 - Chishinzy - Attack by T-34's

February 14, 1944 - Dzhurzhentsy - Advance to the town in 2 columns

February 23, 1944 - Alum-Podolsky - Retreating from Cherkassy and passing through Jambol

March 2, 1944 - Proskurov - Knispel arrives at Proskurov

March 25, 1944 - Kamenets-Podolsk - Withrowing from Pocket

April 25, 1944 - Sagan (Zagan-POL)?| Putlos - Transfer to the western front - Knispel's unit is reequiped with the King Tiger Heavy Tank

May 9, 1944 - Paderborn - The 503rd Battalion arrives at Paderborn, later to Ohrdruf

May 14, 1944 - Ohrdruf - Knispel tries the KingTiger for the first time

May 15, 1944 - Ohrdruf - Dinner at the Mess with presence of General Guderian

Knispel, with the German Cross in  Gold

May 20, 1944 - Ohrdruf - Knispel is awarded the German Cross in Gold, and promoted to Feldwebel

July 8, 1944 - Dreux, France - The Battalion departs for Normandy

July 11, 1944 - Caen, France - Arrival in Normandy

July 18, 1944 - Cagny - During Operation Goodwood
July 30, 1944 - Saint-Pierre sur Dives (SE Caen) - The Battalion is forced to retreat towards St-Pierre.

August 15, 1944 - Ticheville (E of Falaise) - Hans Fendesack, Knispel's tank commander, is killed by an air-attack with rockets

August 16, 1944 - Ticheville (E of Falaise) - Knispel and comrades repel a french attack to the barn where they sleep

August 20, 1944 - Ticheville (E of Falaise) - Several KingTigers have to be destroyed - the personnel retreats on foot. After saving several crews, many times with long range cannon shots, the last functional KingTiger is Knispel's

August 30(?), 1944 - German border - The personnel of the 503rd arrives in Germany

September 5(?), 1944 - Paderborn - The Battalion is refitted and divided in companies. Knispel departs on leave

September 22, 1944 - Paderborn - The Battalion receives the last of 45 new KingTigers

October 8, 1944 - Paderborn - End of preparations - The Battalion is loaded on trains and departs for Budapest

October 14, 1944 - Budapest - Arrival at Budapest

October 18, 1944 - Törökszentmiklós (E of Szolnok) - Advance to Southeast

October 19, 1944 - Mezötúr - Advance to Southeast

October 20, 1944 - Kisújszállás - Advance to Southeast

October 21, 1944 - Mezötúr - Heavy street fighting

October 31, 1944 - Szolnok | Cegléd - Withrawing to the West

November 1, 1944 - Kecskemét - Combat with IS-2 heavy tanks

December 3, 1944 - Balatonkenese (E of lake Balaton) - moves out

February 11, 1945 - Balatonkenese (E of lake Balaton) - Moves North to participate in Operation Südwind

February 25, 1945 - NW of Budapest

March 15, 1945 - Tohol (Tehla) - SE of Nitra - Soviet attacks and combat until 26-3-1945

March 28, 1945 - Nitra - Extensive damage to KingTigers

March 31, 1945 - Báb Castle - Between Nitra and Trnava - Knispel's KingTiger is hit 24 times!!!

April 1, 1945 - Trnava - Fierce fighting

April 5, 1945 - W of Apfeldorf - March to Schlossberg - attack repelled on Marvaor

April 6, 1945 - Novy Dvor - Withrawing to farm area

April 9, 1945 - Lansdorf Area (E of Vienna) - Withrawing

April 11, 1945 - Lanzhot (CZE) - Combat with soviets

April 12, 1945 - Zisterdorf (SE Laa)| Breclav (CZE) - Relocated to Oil Fields

April 13, 1945 - Breclav (CZE) - 16 soviet tanks knocked out

April 15, 1945 - Wilfersdorf (SE of Laa) - 4 KingTigers back into service by maintenance

April 18, 1945 - Erdberg (W of Bratislava) - Relocated

April 19, 1945 - Erdberg (W Bratislava) - Counterattack to the North - 13 soviet tanks knocked out

April 20, 1945 - Poysdorf

April 22, 1945 - Laa-an-der-Thaya | Vlasatice

April 27, 1945 - Vlasatice - 6 sovier tanks destroyed

April 28, 1945 - Urabau, Czechoslovakia - Knispel is hit and gravely wounded

April 29, 1945 - Vrborec - Kurt Knispel dies of his wounds in hospital, aged 23, ten days before the end of World War II =(END)