Panzerknackern - Holders of the Tank Destruction Badge

The following is a copy of a post I did on thirdreichforum. I thought it might be interesting to have it here as well.

I decided to try to make an effort in gathering the names of soldiers that recieved the tank destruction badge (panzervernichtungsabzeichen aka Sonderabzeichen für das Niederkämpfen von Panzerkampfwagen durch Einzelkämpfer). Mind you 18.541 of these badges were handed out. With the help of Mark V. and others who have posted information on the thread about panzerknackers (http://www.thirdreichforum.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=7910&highlight=panzerknackers) as well as doing some searching on feldgrau and the german awards forum I was able to make a little list. This list contains names of panzerknackers who aren't listed on Marcus list (http://www.skalman.nu/third-reich/awards-tank-destruction-holders.htm). I hope this research can be to some use to you or atleast you think it's interesting. I also hope this means Marcus will update his list. I doubt this list is totally correct so I hope people who are able to correct information and make further contributions will do so.

Marcus list:

Holders of the Tank Destruction Badge
A
Unteroffizier Hinrich Ahrens (4 kills)
Oberleutnant Friedrich Anding (18 kills)

B
Oberst Ernst-Günther Baade (1 kill)
Gefreiter Hans Baindner (2 kills)
Oberst Franz Bäke (3 kills)
Stabsfeldwebel Ludwig Barth (1 kill)
Oberleutnant d.R. Hans Barthle (1 kill)
Oberfeldwebel Rudolf Bayer (1 kill)
Oberleutnant Heinz Berger (1 kill)
Leutnant der Reserve Karl Berger (2 kills)
Oberleutnant der Reserve Alfons Bialetzki (2 kills)
Hauptmann Gustav-Adolf Blancbois (1 kill)
Oberfeldwebel Reinhold Böhmke (2 kills)
SS-Obersturmführer Hemrann Boltke (2 kills)
Oberleutnant Hans-Georg Borck (4 kills)
Feldwebel Rudolf Brasche (6 kills)
Leutnant Christian Gottlieb Braun (4 kills)

C
Oberleutnant der Reserve Klaus Coracino (1 kill)
Major Kurt Creuzkacher (1 kill)

E
Oberleutnant Eckel (2 kills)
Leutnant Alfred Egghardt (5 kills)
SS-Unterscharführer Ewald Ehm (2 kills)

F
SS-Standartenjunker Willi Fey (12 kills)
Unteroffizier Josef Fink (7 kills)
Oberleutnant Ferdinand Frech (4 kills)

G
Leutnant der Reserve Siegfried Gerke (1 kill)
Leutnant Josef Glantz (1 kill)
Oberjäger Andreas Greiner (2 kills)
Hauptmann Heinz Grimberg (1 kill)

H
Oberst Hermann Haderecker (1 kill)
Hauptmann Josef Heichele (2 kills)
SS-Oberscharführer Hans Hirning (1 kill)
Oberfeldwebel Hanns Hönscheid (3 kills)

J
Hauptmann Hermann-Gustav Jochims (4 kills)

K
SS-Hauptsturmführer Vincenz Kaiser (4 kills)
Leutnant Peter Kiesgen (5 kills)
Hauptmann Hans Klärmann (1 kill)
Oberleutnant Gerhard Konopka (4 kills)
Major Hermann Krenzer (3 kills)
Oberleutnant Harald Krieg (1 kill)
Oberleutnant Wilhelm Kuhlwilm (2 kills)
Obergefreiter Walter Kuhn (4 kills)
Leutnant Ekkehard Kylling-Schmidt (3 kills)

L
Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel d.R. Werner Lang (2 kills)
SS-Hauptsturmführer Karl Heinz Lichte (2 kills)
Hauptmann Erick Löffler (4 kills)
Oberleutnant der Reserve Karl-Willi Lumpp (1 kill)
Major Erich Lorenz (2 kills)

M
SS-Sturmbannführer Heinz Macher (1 kill)
Hauptmann d.R. Wilhelm Massa (3 kills)
Obergefreiter Metzl (2 kills)
Leutnant der Reserve Georg Michael (2 kills)
Oberstleutnant Hubert Mickley (1 kill)

N
Unteroffizier Georg Nietert (5 kills)
Leutnant Wilhelm Niggemeyer (4 kills)

O
Major Wilhelm Osterhold (3 kills)
Hauptmann Hans Arno Ostermeier (1 kill)
Oberleutnant der Reserve Helmuth Ott (2 kills)

P
Leutnant der Reserve Dr Walter Paulus (2 kills)
SS-Untersturmführer Adolf Peichl (11 kills)
SS-Standartenführer Joachim Peiper (1 kill)
Oberfeldwebel Erich Petermann (3 kills)
Oberleutnant der Reserve Peter Prien (2 kills)

R
Hauptmann Emil Heinrich Rentschler (2 kills)
Feldwebel Adam Riedmüller (2 kills)
Unteroffizier Georg Rietscher (2 kills)
Unteroffizier Hans Röger (3 kills)
Hauptmann Dr.Jur. Wolfgang Rust (2 kills)

S
Major Fritz Sann (1 kill)
Oberwachtmeister Emil Schareina (1 kill)
Hans Schlott (2 kills)
Oberfeldwebel Jakob Schmitt (2 kills)
Oberfeldwebel der Reserve Josef Schneider (3 kills)
Obergefreiter Leopold Schrems (3 kills)
Feldwebel Johann Schwerdfeger (2 kills)
Jäger Hans Siegler (3 kills)
Oberleutnant Bodo Spranz (4 kills)
Hauptmann der Reserve Eberhard Steinborn (5 kills)
SS-Rottenführer Stefan Strapatin (4 kills)

V
Oberleutnant Günther Viezenz (21 kills)
Oberfeldwebel Walter Voigt (5 kills)

W
SS-Hauptscharführer Alois Weber (1 kill)

Please note that the numbers who precede some of the followingnames is due to that they are from a list composed by Mark V.

Panzervernichtungsabzeichenlist
*2. Ustuf. Frithjof-Elmo Porsch (SS-Sturmbataillon 500) - 20-24*
*4. Olt. d. Schupo Heinz Heuer (KG Berlin 5) - 13
*5. Ostuf. Wilhelm Weber (Divisionskampfschule Charlemagne) - 13
*7. Ustuf. Karlheinz Giesler (Nordland) - 11*
*9. Hscha. Ehlers (SS-Sturmbataillon 500) - 9
*10. Uscha. Schuler (SS-Sturmbataillon 500) - 9
*11. Maj. Gustav Walle (Pz.Jg.Abt. GD/GD) - 9
*12. Uscha. Eugene Vaulot (Divisionskampfschule Charlemagne) - 8*
*14. Nepomuk Stützle (Pz.Jg.Abt. GD/GD) - 7
*15. Oscha. Francois Apollot (Divisionskampfschule Charlemagne) - 6*
*18. Lt. Johannes Lutz (116.Panzer Division) - 5
*24. Uscha. Roger Albert-Brunet (Divisionskampfschule Charlemagne) - 4
*29. Ustuf. Hans Leykauf (SS-Pz.Pi.Btl.9/Hohenstaufen) - 4
*32. Hstuf. Oskar Wolkerstorfer (»Der Führer« Rgt./DR) - 4
*33. Oberst Dr. Franz Bäke (Pz.Rgt.11/6. Pz.Div.) - 3
*34. Olt. Babo von Rohr (Pz.Rgt.25/7.Pz.Div.) - 3
*35. Sturmmann Schneider (SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. »H«/Hohenstaufen)-3
*36. Stubaf. Fritz Vogt (SS-Pz.AA 5/Wiking) - 3
*37. Oscha. Simon Grascher (»Der Führer« Rgt./DR) - 2
*Uscha. Eberhard Köpke - 1
*Peter Cremer - 1
*Obstlt. Buck (commander Pz.Gren.Rgt.2) - 1
*Hstuf Karl Heinz Gustavsson (Kdr SS Flak Abt 2/Das Reich) - 1
*Brig Fhr Heinz Harmel - 1
*Ustuf Jacques Leroy (Zugführer in ??) - 3
*Uscha d. SS Roger Albert-Brunet - 4
*Lt. Helmut Bollmann (1./fallschirmjäger Pz.Jg.Abt. 3) - 1
*Ogefr. Willi Haschke - 2
*Lt Johannes Lutz (Pz.Div.116) -5
*Hauptsturmführer Oskar Wolkerstorfer (SS-Pz.Gre.Rgt 4 »DF«) -4
*Sturmmann Schneider (SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. »H«) -3
*Gefreiter Wilhelm Bremann (Pz.Gren.Rgt.128) -3
*Oberleutnant Karl Berger (Fsch.Jag.Rgt. 15) - 2
*Oberscharführer Simon Grascher (SS-Pz.Gre.Rgt 4 »DF«) - 2
*Oberleutnant Walter Paulus (Pz.Jg.Abt.263) - 2
*Unterscharführer Prinz (SS-Pi.Btl.9) - 2
*Unteroffizier Heinrich Ofenloch (Gruppenführer 1./PiBtl 323) - 1
*Mangold 8
*Jahn - 3
*Ehm - 2
*Günther Nowak (Hitlerjugend ?) -9 (am not sure if he was awarded with the PVA)
*Oberfeldwebel Heinz Heuer (feldgendarmerie) - 3 (but is reported to have destroyed 13 russian tanks in Berlin, 21 April and was awarded with KC of the IC for that)
*Obergefr. Rudolf Ziegenhalg (Infanterie Regiment 552) - 2
*Ostuf. Oskar Wolkerstorfer ( 15./ SS Pz. Gren. Regt. 'Der Führer')- 3
*Fw. Marunowski - 2
*Oberjäger Herbert Muller (Jäg.Rgt. 741, Jäg.Div. 114.) - 1
*Oberleutnant Karl Rinklef (Kradsch.Btl.17) - 2
*Willi Peters - 5

best regards/ daniel

[ 19. January 2003, 07:22 PM: Message edited by: charlie don't surf ]

 

Impressive listing Daniel ! Are you aware of a book on the subject by Roger James Bender ? The listings in whatever fashion will never be complete especially for eastern front soldiers and the year being 1945 the last three months of the war.......too much chaos and numerous battles that will never be told as the men are dead.

E

 

Heres two more that I can think of off hand. The 3rd im not sure is correct but I think it is.

(RKT) Hauptmann Peter Kiesegen (4) kills.
(RKT) Alfred Schneidereit at least (1) Kill.
(RKT) ????? Briedenbach (Sp?) at least 1 TDB and also 1 of only 27 Destruction of a low flying aircraft badge.

Hope this helps.

 

Hi guys, I'm glad you liked it. I do know of the book and intend to purchase it. Thanks for the contribution Carl, do you know which unit they served in? Could Kiesegen be Kiesgen? Here's another TDB holder:

Hauptsturmführer Hans- Gösta Pehrsson (3./SS-Pz.-Aufkl.-Abt. 11, SS Pz. Gren. Div. Nordland) - 1

best regards/ daniel

[ 14. December 2002, 04:57 PM: Message edited by: charlie don't surf ]

 

SUCCESS!!! Finally I have got my list of TDB holders-thanks for your extensive research to bring this to our forums!~!~!

 

You're welcome panzerknacker, glad you liked it! Please note that I will update this every once and then.

best regards/ daniel

 

This is the new list, corrections and contributions are welcomed.

Panzervernichtungsabzeichenlist

Holders of the Tank Destruction Badge
A
Unteroffizier Hinrich Ahrens (4 kills)
Oberleutnant Friedrich Anding (18 kills)
Oscha. Francois Apollot (Divisionskampfschule Charlemagne) - 6#

B
Oberst Ernst-Günther Baade (1 kill)
Gefreiter Hans Baindner (2 kills)
Oberst Franz Bäke (3 kills)
Stabsfeldwebel Ludwig Barth (1 kill)
Oberleutnant d.R. Hans Barthle (1 kill)
Oberfeldwebel Rudolf Bayer (1 kill)
Oberleutnant Heinz Berger (1 kill)
Oberleutnant Karl Berger (Fsch.Jag.Rgt. 15) - 2
Oberleutnant der Reserve Alfons Bialetzki (2 kills)
Hauptmann Gustav-Adolf Blancbois (1 kill)
Oberfeldwebel Reinhold Böhmke (2 kills)
Lt. Helmut Bollmann (1./fallschirmjäger Pz.Jg.Abt. 3) - 1
SS-Obersturmführer Hemrann Boltke (2 kills)
Oberleutnant Hans-Georg Borck (4 kills)
Feldwebel Rudolf Brasche (6 kills)
Leutnant Christian Gottlieb Braun (4 kills)
Briedenbach - 1
Gefreiter Wilhelm Bremann (Pz.Gren.Rgt.128) -3
Uscha. Roger Albert-Brunet (Divisionskampfschule Charlemagne) - 4
Oberfeldwebel (ph) Ottmar Bruttel - 7
Obstlt. Buck (commander Pz.Gren.Rgt.2) - 1

C
Oberleutnant der Reserve Klaus Coracino (1 kill)
Peter Cremer (kriegsmarine)- 1
Major Kurt Creuzkacher (1 kill)¨

D
Obersturmführer Eugen Deck (commander of 11. Comp of Nordland Regiment)- 3

E
Oberleutnant Eckel (2 kills)
Leutnant Alfred Egghardt (5 kills)
Hscha. Ehlers (SS-Sturmbataillon 500) - 9
SS-Unterscharführer Ewald Ehm (2 kills)

F
SS-Standartenjunker Willi Fey (12 kills)
Unteroffizier Josef Fink (7 kills)
Oberleutnant Ferdinand Frech (4 kills)

G
Ustuf. Karlheinz Giesler (Nordland) - 11#
Leutnant der Reserve Siegfried Gerke (1 kill)
Leutnant Josef Glantz (1 kill)
Oberscharführer Simon Grascher (SS-Pz.Gre.Rgt 4 »DF«) - 2
Oberjäger Andreas Greiner (2 kills)
Hauptmann Heinz Grimberg (1 kill)
Hstuf Karl Heinz Gustavsson (Kdr SS Flak Abt 2/Das Reich) - 1

H
Oberst Hermann Haderecker (1 kill)
Brig Fhr Heinz Harmel - 1
Ogefr. Willi Haschke - 2
Hauptmann Josef Heichele (2 kills)
Olt. d. Schupo Heinz Heuer (KG Berlin 5) - 3 (but is reported to have destroyed 13 russian tanks in Berlin, 21 April and was awarded with KC of the IC for that)
SS-Oberscharführer Hans Hirning (1 kill)
Oberfeldwebel Hanns Hönscheid (3 kills)

J
Jahn - 3
Hauptmann Hermann-Gustav Jochims (4 kills)

K
SS-Hauptsturmführer Vincenz Kaiser (4 kills)
Leutnant Peter Kiesgen (5 kills)
Hauptmann Hans Klärmann (1 kill)
Oberleutnant Gerhard Konopka (4 kills)
Major Hermann Krenzer (3 kills)
Oberleutnant Harald Krieg (1 kill)
Oberleutnant Wilhelm Kuhlwilm (2 kills)
Obergefreiter Walter Kuhn (4 kills)
Leutnant Ekkehard Kylling-Schmidt (3 kills)
Uscha. Eberhard Köpke - 1

L
Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel d.R. Werner Lang (2 kills)
Ustuf Jacques Leroy (Zugführer in ??) - 3
Ustuf. Hans Leykauf (SS-Pz.Pi.Btl.9/Hohenstaufen) - 4
SS-Hauptsturmführer Karl Heinz Lichte (2 kills)
Hauptmann Erick Löffler (4 kills)
Oberleutnant der Reserve Karl-Willi Lumpp (1 kill)
Major Erich Lorenz (2 kills)
Lt. Johannes Lutz (116.Panzer Division) - 5

M
SS-Sturmbannführer Heinz Macher (1 kill)
Mangold - 8
Fw. Marunowski - 2
Hauptmann d.R. Wilhelm Massa (3 kills)
Obergefreiter Metzl (2 kills)
Leutnant der Reserve Georg Michael (2 kills)
Oberstleutnant Hubert Mickley (1 kill)
Oberjäger Herbert Muller [sic] (Jäg.Rgt. 741, Jäg.Div. 114.) - 1

N
Unteroffizier Georg Nietert (5 kills)
Leutnant Wilhelm Niggemeyer (4 kills)
Günther Nowak (Hitlerjugend ?) -9 (am not sure if he was awarded with the PVA)

O
Unteroffizier Heinrich Ofenloch (Gruppenführer 1./PiBtl 323) - 1
Major Wilhelm Osterhold (3 kills)
Hauptmann Hans Arno Ostermeier (1 kill)
Oberleutnant der Reserve Helmuth Ott (2 kills)

P
Oberleutnant Dr. Walter Paulus (Pz.Jg.Abt.263) - 2
SS-Untersturmführer Adolf Peichl (11 kills)
SS-Standartenführer Joachim Peiper (1 kill)
Hauptsturmführer Hans- Gösta Pehrsson (3./SS-Pz.-Aufkl.-Abt. 11, SS Pz. Gren. Div. Nordland) - 1
Oberfeldwebel Erich Petermann (3 kills)
Willi Peters - 5
Ustuf. Frithjof-Elmo Porsch (SS-Sturmbataillon 500) - 20-24#
Oberleutnant der Reserve Peter Prien (2 kills)
Unterscharführer Prinz (SS-Pi.Btl.9) - 2

R
Hauptmann Emil Heinrich Rentschler (2 kills)
Feldwebel Adam Riedmüller (2 kills)
Unteroffizier Georg Rietscher (2 kills)
Oberleutnant Karl Rinklef (Kradsch.Btl.17) - 2
Unteroffizier Hans Röger (3 kills)
Olt. Babo von Rohr (Pz.Rgt.25/7.Pz.Div.) - 3
Hauptmann Dr.Jur. Wolfgang Rust (2 kills)

S
Major Fritz Sann (1 kill)
Oberwachtmeister Emil Schareina (1 kill)
Hans Schlott (2 kills)
Oberfeldwebel Jakob Schmitt (2 kills)
Oberfeldwebel der Reserve Josef Schneider (3 kills)
Sturmmann Schneider (SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. »H«/Hohenstaufen)-3
Alfred Schneidereit - 1 (at least)
Obergefreiter Leopold Schrems (3 kills)
Uscha. Schuler (SS-Sturmbataillon 500) - 9
Feldwebel Johann Schwerdfeger (2 kills)
Jäger Hans Siegler (3 kills)
Unterscharführer Alf-Erik Silfverberg (III/Norland Regiment) - 1
Oberleutnant Bodo Spranz (4 kills)
Hauptmann der Reserve Eberhard Steinborn (5 kills)
SS-Rottenführer Stefan Strapatin (4 kills)
Nepomuk Stützle (Pz.Jg.Abt. GD/GD) - 7

V
Uscha. Eugene Vaulot (Divisionskampfschule Charlemagne) - 8#
Oberleutnant Günther Viezenz (21 kills)
Stubaf. Fritz Vogt (SS-Pz.AA 5/Wiking) - 3
Oberfeldwebel Walter Voigt (5 kills)

W
Maj. Gustav Walle (Pz.Jg.Abt. GD/GD) - 9
SS-Hauptscharführer Alois Weber (1 kill)
Ostuf. Wilhelm Weber (Divisionskampfschule Charlemagne) - 13
Hauptsturmführer Oskar Wolkerstorfer (SS-Pz.Gre.Rgt 4 »DF«) -4

X

Z
Obergefr. Rudolf Ziegenhalg (Infanterie Regiment 552) - 2
Oberscharführer Zinnöcker (III/Norland Regiment) - 1

Ä

Ö

# These ones aren't KC holders but were considered as such for sometime, this of course doesn't mean they didn't destroy the number of panzers in question. I guess either the documents about the award don't exist anymore or they just thought they should have received it. Another thing you must understand is that Hitler gave an order to decorate any soldier, who destroyed more then 6 tanks with a Pz.Faust or Pz.Schreck, with KC. ( Mark's note)

best regards/ daniel

 

Top scorer would appear to be Frithjof-Elmo Porsch with 24.However he has largely been discredited having claimed to have been awarded the Ritterkreuz,DKiG,CCC IN Gold but it has been shown through official records that he didn't receive any of these awards and was branded a liar.

His highest official award was the EK1.Therefore his claims of 24 destroyed Panzers must i think also be in serious doubt.

As Erich says ,very difficult in reality to ascertain the top scorers for this award.

Paul

 

Well I don't think one should be so quick on the trigger since the last months of the third reich was total chaos, many soldiers did indeed have awards but many records were lost. I still feel the need to look into this further 'tough.

regards/ daniel

 

Daniel , don't think Paul was trying to be a pain, it is just without proper documentation and especially towards war's end with so much materials lost it is very hard to prove what is accurate. I can also think of Porsch's detachment which is credited overall with some outstanding scores. Also my waffenmeister friend Helmuth and his squad of soldiers in Infantrie regiment 43 in Königsberg and retreated out towards Hela/Danzig, and all the Soviet tanks they left in a burning. No records were kept as much of the 1st Infantrie Division was destroyed around Königsberg. He doesn't care anyway.....but of course if would be able to find the records in the Divisional histories, but we all know in many cases nothing has or ever will be written of the feats of many.

E

 

wow, those brave men destroyed a total of 438 tanks!

 

Thanks CDS, and if they arent on the list I think these are some to add:

RKT Uffz Rudi Brasche, 1st Kompanie, 901st Panzer Lehr Regiment, Panzer Lehr Division. (6) kills.

RKT Uffz Franz Juschkat, 1st btn, 43rd inf rgmt, 1st inf div. (4) kills.

 

Hi everyone! Paul, sorry if I was hard on you, no offence intended. Carl, Braschke was listed (altough as feldwebel) but Juschkat is new, thanks! I also want to note a correction: 18.541 of the silver and 421 of the gold badges were handed out.

best regards/ daniel

 

CDS was that 18, 541 silver badges?!

 

Yes, making it a total of 20 646 knocked out tanks (altough some were knocked out by several persons).

regards/ daniel

 

Thats Amazing!!

 

Huh, new layout, new site? Have I missed something? Thanks anyway!

best regards/ daniel

 

It was Oberleutnant Gunter Viezenz with 21 kills who was credited with being the top-scoring "Tank Cracker"

 

Daniel,

No offence taken my friend,you are right these awards are worthy of further investigation but this is very difficult due to the chaos of the final few months of the war and the number of tanks knocked out in situations were it was impossible to record these Kills.

I have corresponded with a number of these exceptionally brave men about their awards and have nothing but respect for their personal courage.

With regard to Porsch i mention him as he has been discredited with his claim to other awards and so his Tanks destroyed claim may or may not be correct.I don't think we will ever know.

An example of how difficult it was to record all these events i list below,as some Others i could add to the list are Obergefreiter Gerhard Doss and Obergefreiter Willi Wenk of Sturmgeschutz Brigade 276 who destroyed a number of JS 2 Tanks at the Hussar Barracks in Danzig near to the end of the war.It was written about Wenk:
Willi Wenk had averted a disaster for them with courage and presence of mind.He received no honour for it.The war was in it's final throes.Everyone was concerned with survival.Willi Wenk lives in the memory of his comrades as a brave soldier.That is his reward!

His comrades call him the Hero of Hussar Barracks.

Paul