"Teddy" Wisch - Commander LSSAH

[markus]

Markus-

Are the Oaks and swords a original example, and if so can they be attributed?

Also, who's Soldbuch is shown in post #200?

Thanks,
Rob

Hi Rob-

No, the swords with diamonds are only a filler for my "Sepp" Dietrich display and the Soldbuch is Günther Borchers' of 9. (Pz.Pi.) Pz.Rgt.1 LSSAH (together with his 1941-45 diary and photo albums).

Best,
Markus

[markus]

Oakleaves recommandation - Operation "Citadel"

From

"Vorschlagsliste für das Eichenlaubes zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes.", signed "Dietrich" and dated Feb. 8, 1944:

“During operation “Citadel”, SS-Brigadeführer Wisch, as commander of the 1.SS-Panzer.Gren.Division “LSSAH”, again proved himself as a soldierly leader with high military capabilities, strong energy and toughness. Under constant and personal commitment, he led from the front lines in these hard offensive and defensive battles. The success during the attack days, are to be thanked to his personal intervention. The armored personnel carrier of the divisional commander within the tank attacks, the attacking grenadiers or rushing from command post to command post straight across the battlefield was a repeatedly seen image during the days of combat. His essential evaluation of the situations, his evaluation of the strength of his own offensive battles and his constant presence on the battlefield are to thanked for the successful defense of the surprise enemy attacks of two tank corps on <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:date Month="7" Day="12" Year="1943">July 12, 1943</st1:date>, through the operative defense carried out by the SS-Pz.Rgt. 1 and the assault gun attachment. Within two hours 130 enemy tanks were knocked-out and destroyed by tanks, assault guns and close combat troops.”
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[markus]

Telcon with former divisional staff member today

What a beautiful day!

I just got off the phone talking almost 90 minutes to one of "Teddy" Wisch's former divisional staff members, giving me some new and additional insights into this LAH commander and battles of the LAH.

Nothing beats these first person accounts !

[mdj]

should be a great experience...

Good you tracked him down and got the oppurtunity for a phonecall and getting the further information.

Good luck in your research!

martin

[markus]

should be a great experience...

Good you tracked him down and got the oppurtunity for a phonecall and getting the further information.

Good luck in your research!

martin

Thank you Martin!

History becomes so lively all the sudden when the old fighters talk.

"Heros" made by the Propaganda machine are suddenly seen in a different light, other not so important, not highly decorated COs, formerly unnoted by readers/history step out of the shadows and gain importance and receive their earned respect.

The nice thing was that at the end of our long telcon, he motivated me to "please call again" with more questions, as soon as the arise, so I'm writing down more questions right now.

[Spanish Freiwillige]

What a beautiful day!

I just got off the phone talking almost 90 minutes to one of "Teddy" Wisch's former divisional staff members, giving me some new and additional insights into this LAH commander and battles of the LAH.

Nothing beats these first person accounts !

way to go!!!

[Mark C. Yerger]

Some of my best help in research, confirmations and insight came from commanders at detachment or battalion level, also certain staff officers (Ic and IIa especially). Aside from their own recollections and experience, they were often invloved in the awards process for insight into award winners who didn't survive the war.

Most sought were the living Ia, a mostly overlooked and critical position that was the brain of a formation much of the time aside from having the same contacts as the divisional or corps commander. Many of the latter (actual commanders) didn't survive the war.

A man who had leadership personality for the troops he commanded, such as Sepp Dietrich, had success in the field in a planning and tactical sense because he had Rudi Lehmann as a Ia who had the tactical/staff training needed. Similar partnerships existed throughout the Army and Waffen-SS.

[JeremyJ]

group

Markus,

As has been stated before I commend you on your putting the pieces of this group and the history back together.

More often than not we see groups broken up due to price, greed or both and when the pieces come back "home" it is trully nice to see.

Keep up the good work!

Jeremy

[mdj]

Markus,

Do you perhaps have pictures of his KC / Oaks + Swords??

Any idea where they are now??

Martin

[markus]

Wisch

Markus,

As has been stated before I commend you on your putting the pieces of this group and the history back together.

More often than not we see groups broken up due to price, greed or both and when the pieces come back "home" it is trully nice to see.

Keep up the good work!

Jeremy

Thanks a lot Jeremy-

Yes, it is very sad to see groups broken up, but also reality. In this case one of his sons took it in a huge box to Sevetal and sold it for truely very little money to German dealer Kai Winkler who tried to sell it all in one piece, but did not find any takers. Hence it was put on auction and spread all over the world, from where I am bringing it back together again.

It feels really great to unite items after so many years again.

The thing with this group is that Wisch began his career as one of the first original 117 members of the LAH and finished the war in 1945. So the pieces one adds, add up in the timeline not only of one man's career, but also in the history of the Leibstandarte as such.

If you then start adding other LAH groups, than you can pretty much create a beautiful unit's history with documents and photos from the very first days in March 1933 to the last photo shots taken in Austria in 1945.

In my personal case, I complimented things by meeting the men in person, listening to and taping their stories and also added postwar mtrl to my collection.

It's really enjoyable, but above all personally rewarding and thus highly recommendable. The only thing one needs besides a little change is patience and that one can not buy.

[markus]

Markus,

Do you perhaps have pictures of his KC / Oaks + Swords??

Any idea where they are now??

Martin

Hallo Martin -

No, but simply because Wisch apparently never got his swords after being evacuated out of the Falaise pocket.

I know, there is a set being offered for auction these days, but if not a fake as such it is not Wisch's. Even the put-together auction catalogue back in 1997 does not incl. genuine swords. Only a post war set of KC with oaks and swords (with swas) Wisch wore postwar at his birthday parties etc.

He apparenty also never got a preliminary award document or it was lost.
His Soldbuch is the only document, besides official records of course, that confirms the award with the swords.

[Schweizer]

Hallo Markus!
Didn´t want to post these to the PzPortrait-thread, as they wouldn´t fit, so please excuse that I post them here...
Don´t intend to sell them, but I understand, you have a special interrest in them.
Anyway, the first is also from Sepp Dietrich´s Geburtstagsfeier in 1943 - some kilos of awards on this one!

Hi, I´m looking for more personal information and picture of Albert Frey. Just found this tread. Have you got any more pictures of Frey? Can you help me with any information on him? Do you have any ideas where I can look for pictures or information.
I would be very happy if you could help me.

[Schweizer]

I could never have enough photos!

Any pictures of Albert Frey? I am looking for any kind of information as I have a personal interest in this man.

[Schweizer]

Another well-known shot (left to right):

Albert Frey - Theodor "Teddy" Wisch - Joachim Peiper

Where can I find the picture???

[markus]

Lah-1

Sorry, no pictures of Frey here, but there are many great books on the LAH which feature photos of Frey, including his own called "Ich wollte die Freiheit", Podzun-Pallas, 1997.

Here a photo of a neat license plate.