SS-Obersturmbannführer Max
Wünsche
(20th April 1915 - 17th April 1995)
Max Wünsche was born on 20th April 1915. In November
of 1932 Wünsche joined the Hitlerjugend, and in July
of 1933 the SS. Wünsche was commissioned and
promoted to the rank of SS-Untersturmführer on 20th
April 1936, and assigned to the Leibstandarte where
he served as a Zugführer in 9th Kompanie. After many
transfers from unit to unit, on 5th December 1940
Wünsche was re-assigned to the Leibstandarte, posted
as Dietrich's adjutant. It was "Sepp"
Dietrich whom Wünsche would recall as most
influential after the war.
It wasn't until Operation Barrabossa, the invasion of
Russia, that Wünsche would distuingish himself.
Attached to Army group South, specificly General
Eberhard von Mackensen's III Korps, the Leibstandarte
met bitter resitance in the opening days of the
invasion. Numerous times Wünsche would take to a
Fieseler Storch and fly over enemy held teritory on
reconnaissence missions. These missions particulary
proved their worth on 31st July, when the results of
his reconnaissence contributed signifigantly to the
capture of Novo-Archelsk, which in turn closed the
Uman pocket and sealed the fates of the trapped
Russian divisions. Later, during the battles at
Berdjansk, Mariupol and Taganrog, Wünsche assumed
command of various sub-units when their commanders
had fallen, time and time again "driving his men
to substantial success".
On 15th February 1942 Wünsche was appointed
commander of the Leibstandarte's
Sturmgeschützabteilung, repelling all Soviet
breakthrough attempts in the following weeks. That
March Wünsche's command was placed as Korps reserve,
where at the Muis bridgehead his command succeeded in
halting all soviet attempts at penetrating the front
lines of the 73rd Infanterie and 13th Panzer
Division. On 1st June Wünsche left the front and was
sent to Kriegschule Berlin, where he successfully
completed a three month General Staff training course
and was promoted to SS-Sturmbannführer. He resumed
command of the Leibstandarte's
Sturmgeschützabteilung on 1st September, and shortly
thereafter on 22nd October 1942 Wünsche was
appointed commander of I Abteilung in the
Leibstandarte's newly formed Panzerregiment.
Right from
detraining, SS-Sturmbannführer Max Wunsche and his
troops were thrust into combat. Fighting in blizzard
conditions, with temperatures well below freezing, so
began a series of battles that Wünsche would later
recall as his most difficult. On 8th and 9th
February, utilizing a mobile defense, I Abteilung
halted the up to then unstoppable Russian advance and
held Merefa, inflicting heavy losses on the Soviets.
On the 10th, I Abteilung went over to the attack.
Pushing further into the soviet lines on the 11th,
further still on the 12th, I Abteilung was credited
with destroying 16 Anti-Tank guns through the deepest
snows and coldest temperatures. On the night of the
13th, despite the extreme climatic and terrain
difficulties, SS-Sturmbannführer Max Wünsche's
Panzerabteilung succeeded in breaking open the supply
and communication lines to Meyer's beleagured troops,
saving them from certain anhiliation. Wünsche's I
Abteilung, now linked up with Meyer's
Aufklärungsabteilung, formed a Kampfgruppe and
pressed forward the attack. On the 25th, Wünsche was
honored with the German Cross in Gold for actions
previously mentioned, he would again distinguish
himself, this time worthy of the Knight's Cross.
Reconnaissance by Wünsche's Kampfgruppe revealed a
strong enemy column approaching on the division's
southern flank. Wünsche on his own initiative and
without waiting for orders, gave the command to his
Kampfgruppe to encircle the enemy out of Jeremejwka
in a northward thrust. The action was a success, with
54 heavy guns destroyed (two 12,2 cm guns by Wünsche
personally) and over 900 casulties for the Russians.
It was for this battle that Wünsche was awarded the
Knight's Cross on 28th February 1943. In June 1943,
SS-Sturmbannführer Max Wünsche recieved orders to
transfer to a new division under going formation: the
12th SS-Panzer-Division "Hitlerjugend", of
which Wünsche was assigned to command the
Panzerregiment.
On 6th June 1944, the D-Day began. As the British and
Canadian forces pushed deeper inland on the 7th, they
then ran smack into the 12th SS-Panzer-Division
"Hitlerjugend". In the ensuing battles,
Wünsche and his regiment were credited with
destroying 219 enemy tanks up to mid July, and for
his resolute leadership was awarded Oak Leaves to the
Knight's Cross on 11th August 1944.
Max Wünsche survived the war. He died in Munich on
the 17th of April 1995. He was 80 years old.
Awards:
Iron Cross II: 26th May 1940
Iron Cross I: 31st May 1940
Inf. Assault Badge Bronze: 30th October 1940
Eastern Front Medal: 6th July 1942
German Cross in Gold: 25th Febuary 1943
Knight's Cross: 28th Febuary 1943
Wound Badge in Silver: 11th June 1944
Oak Leaves: 11th August 1944
Commissioned Ranks:
Commissioned: 20th April 1936
SS-Obersturmführer: 11th September 1938
SS-Hauptsturmführer: 25th May 1940
SS-Sturmbannführer: 1st September 1942
SS-Obersturmbannführer: 30th January 1944
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