Thanx Guys!
and BTW, I donīt want to take the credit for myself the threadīs for all of us to learn and understand of this great battle.
From the interesting book by Frankson-Zetterling that I have mentioned a couple of times before, it is actually claimed that Hitler had already BEFORE the beginning of the operation Zitadelle decided that the Waffen-SS troops would be sent to Italy if there was an invasion ( read when ) and possibly fall of Mussolini ( later on ). So it may be that Hitler did not invent the withdrawal of troops from the battle as he heard of the invasion in Sicily ( invaded on 10 July 1943 ).I think Hitler cancelled Zitadelle on 13th. Yet as the Russians made breakthroughs only LAH could be sent.
http://www.geocities.com/wolfram55/russia43.html
And:
Although Manstein still had hopes of victory as late as the 12th, Hitler ordered a withdrawal on the 13th in order, he said, to transfer troops to the Mediterranean to deal with the Anglo-American invasion of Sicily. Dunn comments, "Although Hitler mentioned Sicily as one reason for the termination of the offensive, Manstein also noted other reasons were given including the threat to the Mius River front and the Soviet attack north of Orel that began on July 12".
http://www.skalman.nu/history/books-review-kursk.htm
I guess the reason why it is also seen that taking the Waffen-SS troops away from the battle caused failure is that von Manstein has so forcefully claimed that he could have continued and maybe win with the troops he had but could not continue without the Waffen-SS.
