Michael Wittmann and atrocities

[grudgebringer]

Atrocities

Hello All,

Just to throw another spanner in the works here, please note that while I do this I also an unaware of any atrocities ever attributed to Michael Wittman.

But, my spanner is, as a tanker, if he/his gunner etc, straffed the crew of a burning tank as they tried to escape is that considered an atrocity?

I have no facts to quote but as far as I can remember this was common enough as I suppose it was generally believed that if they took out the crew as well as the tank then they would never have to face them again??

Also, I do not blame this entirely on the German armoured divisions but also allied tankers too?

Any comments?

[fknorr]

Hello All,
Just to throw another spanner in the works here, please note that while I do this I also an unaware of any atrocities ever attributed to Michael Wittman.
But, my spanner is, as a tanker, if he/his gunner etc, straffed the crew of a burning tank as they tried to escape is that considered an atrocity?
I have no facts to quote but as far as I can remember this was common enough as I suppose it was generally believed that if they took out the crew as well as the tank then they would never have to face them again??
Also, I do not blame this entirely on the German armoured divisions but also allied tankers too?
Any comments?

You have to take all comments such as these in the initial post "from another site" with a grain of salt. 99.9% of the people who make these claims, obviously know very little about history, their agenda is to smear the Waffen-SS and all personnel therein.

One would have to do very little research to find out that the Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler, may have been the most professional of all the Waffen-SS divisions and actually have very few claims of "War Crimes" attributed to them (I believe one in Poland, one @ Dunkirk and the Malmedy thing), none of which Wittmann was involved in. (Were there more?)

As far as "spraying" the crews of knocked out tanks, I believe it was common place and done by all sides involved.

[nellyp51]

Meyer was a hero and a legend

[behblc]

Michael Wittmann.

There are certainly members of the Wafen SS who were guilty of war crimes .
Michael Wittmann was not one of them.
Peiper and Meyer answered as they held the rank , not beacuse they ordered the action or had any part in it.
To stay on topic , if anyone is looking for a way of tarnishing Wittmann , they will not find any evidence to support what are general statements which are without substance.
Unless someone can provide the "proof of the pudding" I usggest that this subject is closed and an apology is owed to the late Michael Wittmann and any of his family who may read this thread.

[stoneagegixer]

Mayer commited atrocities??? Well, it depends the way you look at it. Troops under his command murdered a large number of Canadian soldiers. The question is if he knew about it. He was after all a general and could not know about every little thing that happened. If he hypothetically said to one of his subordinates "Take care of the POW's I don't want them around" it could have been misunderstood as to shoot them instead of take them to the rear....

Mayer was given a sentence of death, which was then commuted to life. He was in a prison in New Brunswick, Canada (I'm not sure about the province). I believe he was released in 1950's to "house arrest". I believe the reason for the turn of judgement was the lack of evidence agaist him.

Peiper a war criminal? Malmedy is an on going debate. Did the germans execute unarmed troops? I've heard a number of "facts".
1. The American's saw a squad of their own in the distance and decided to make a break for it, in turn shot in the back by their captives.
2. A column of SS troops came into the town, not seeing Germans guarding the prisoners, thought that they surprised US troops and opened fire.
3. The Americans decided to make a run for it because they were near a forest...
When the bodies were examined were the bullet holes in the front of the body or the rear? I do not know myself.
Its ironic that Peiper was spared by the Amis but ended up being murdered by the French.

Wittman a war crimminal? I never hear of such a statement. I've read many bits about his life from the front and it NEVER mentioned about atrocities.

That is my 2 cents
Many murdered civilians were thought to have been executed by the Germans but people don't realize that the Russians killed their own. During and after the war Russian political squads roamed villages in order to find who colla

[behblc]

War Crimes.

This could become a full scale war crimes issue , what issue will this serve , is it really something for this particular forum ? ( Don't want this to sound pompous or self serving)

[Vadim K]

This could become a full scale war crimes issue , what issue will this serve , is it really something for this particular forum ? ( Don't want this to sound pompous or self serving)

Actually, I believe this thread has run its course: someone asked if there are any atrocities attributed to Wittmann and was told by a number of people they were not aware of any. If anyone wants to discuss Peiper or Meyer, they should start another thread.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Guys, I agree with Vadim this about this thread, it has ran it's course. So with that I am closing the thread.


Thank you all for your input and have a good 2005.

Cheers, Ade.