Feldwebel Kurt Knispel (1921-1945)
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Feldwebel Kurt Knispel (1921-1945)
Hi.
I can look anywhere on the web and find more than enough articles about Wittmann but I can't seem to find anything about Knispel. Where, on the internet, can I find complete biographical information about Knispel's encounters and battles that gave him the top ace ranking, what was the number on his KT? Any searches I do come up empty, your help in locating information would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
I can look anywhere on the web and find more than enough articles about Wittmann but I can't seem to find anything about Knispel. Where, on the internet, can I find complete biographical information about Knispel's encounters and battles that gave him the top ace ranking, what was the number on his KT? Any searches I do come up empty, your help in locating information would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
- rammjaeger
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Unfortunately there is nothing more to find in the net about him, except a couple of photos. The only source about his actions is a book form Fedorowisz Publishing: the story of s. Pz Abt 503. Anyway he was not popular to the Nazi High Command due to his un-military conduct and that's probably why he never got the Knight's Cross
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Kurt Knispel information required
Thanks rammjaeger for the reply. I'd like to read what Fedorowicz has in the book but I don't feel like coughing up $120 CDN for one article. I'm still trying to find out his King Tiger number and some pictures. You mention that you saw some pictures on the net, do you remember where?
I think you probably are right about why he never received the KC, it all makes sense.
Thanks again.
I think you probably are right about why he never received the KC, it all makes sense.
Thanks again.
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Kurt Knispel information required
Thanks bake for your information and help.
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Kurt Knispel information required
Once again thank you bake for your time and trouble.
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Hello ,
There is a research for Knispels history on the way via WASt & Bundesarchiv :
http://panzer-archiv.marcof.de/forum/vi ... php?t=1454
http://panzer-archiv.marcof.de/forum/vi ... php?t=1856
Jan-Hendrik
There is a research for Knispels history on the way via WASt & Bundesarchiv :
http://panzer-archiv.marcof.de/forum/vi ... php?t=1454
http://panzer-archiv.marcof.de/forum/vi ... php?t=1856
Jan-Hendrik
Kurt Knispel was born in 1922 in the former Sudetenland. He had a carefree childhood and grew up to be a broad shouldered lad of medium heigh, whose dark hair was always a little too long, something he would be chided for later in life.
After completing his apprenticeship in an automobile factory in 1940 Knispel applied to join the armored forces. Predestined by build and training, he was accepted immediately.
For his basic training Knispel went to the Panzer Replacement Training Battalion at Sagan in Lower Silesia. There, like all other budding soldiers, he had to learn to march and salute, then progressed to basic weapons training. This included learning to handle the Kar 98k rifle and P 38 pistol, how to throw hand grenades and how to operate the MG 34, later followed training on the Pz I, II & IV.
On 1 October 1940 he was transferred to the 3rd Company of the 29th Panzer Regiment, 12th Panzer Div. Knispel completed his training as a loader and gunner in a Pz IV, training lasted until 11 June 1941 and consisted of courses at Sagan and Putlos.
Knispel was gunner in Pz IV under Lt. Hellman at the time of Barbarossa, where he participated in the initial assault as part of Panzergruppe 3, LVII Army Corps (later LVII Panzer Corps) commanded by General Adolf Kuntzen. Knispel saw action from Yarzevo to the gates of Stalingrad, in the North around the Leningrad-Tikhvin area and also in the Caucasus under Mackensen.
Knispel returned to Putlos at the end of January 1943 and became familiar with the new Tiger tanks, at this time, Knispel was credited with 12 kills.
From Putlos, a group of men was sent to 500th Panzer Battalion at Paderborn. This group was led by Oberfeldwebel Fedensack and included Kurt Knispel, it was to become the 1st Company of the elite 503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion, and fought at Kursk as flank cover to 7th PzDiv (Armee Abteilung Kempf). Knispel saw further action during the relief attack on the Cherkassy Pocket (a.k.a. Khorsun Pocket), Vinnitsa, Jampol, Kamenets-Podolsk. The Company re-equipped with Tiger IIs and fought around Caen and the retreat from Normandy. From there back to the Russian front and action around Mezőt¨²r, Törökszentmikl¨®s, Cegl¨¦d, Kecskem¨¦t, the Gran bridgehead, Gyula, Neutra, Bab Castle(In one action, Knispel reports 24 enemy hits on his Tiger II), Laa and finally Wostitz, where he was killed in action.
With 168 (all confirmed, possibly as high as 195) kills, Kurt Knispel was by far the most successful tank soldier of the Second World War. He was an exception in the German armored forces. He fought in virtually every type of tank as loader, gunner and commander. He was awarded the Iron Cross, First Class after destroying his fiftieth enemy tank and the Tank Assault Badge in Gold after far more than 100 tank battles. When Knispel had destroyed 126 enemy tanks (with another 20 unconfirmed kills) he was awarded the German Cross in Gold. He became the only non-commissioned officer of the German tank arm to be named in the Wehrmacht communique. As commander of a Tiger and then a King Tiger Knispel destroyed another 42 enemy tanks. This raised his total to 168 enemy tanks destroyed, making him by far the world's top "tank killer". Although it was richly deserved, he was never awarded the Knight's Cross although he was recommended four times.
After completing his apprenticeship in an automobile factory in 1940 Knispel applied to join the armored forces. Predestined by build and training, he was accepted immediately.
For his basic training Knispel went to the Panzer Replacement Training Battalion at Sagan in Lower Silesia. There, like all other budding soldiers, he had to learn to march and salute, then progressed to basic weapons training. This included learning to handle the Kar 98k rifle and P 38 pistol, how to throw hand grenades and how to operate the MG 34, later followed training on the Pz I, II & IV.
On 1 October 1940 he was transferred to the 3rd Company of the 29th Panzer Regiment, 12th Panzer Div. Knispel completed his training as a loader and gunner in a Pz IV, training lasted until 11 June 1941 and consisted of courses at Sagan and Putlos.
Knispel was gunner in Pz IV under Lt. Hellman at the time of Barbarossa, where he participated in the initial assault as part of Panzergruppe 3, LVII Army Corps (later LVII Panzer Corps) commanded by General Adolf Kuntzen. Knispel saw action from Yarzevo to the gates of Stalingrad, in the North around the Leningrad-Tikhvin area and also in the Caucasus under Mackensen.
Knispel returned to Putlos at the end of January 1943 and became familiar with the new Tiger tanks, at this time, Knispel was credited with 12 kills.
From Putlos, a group of men was sent to 500th Panzer Battalion at Paderborn. This group was led by Oberfeldwebel Fedensack and included Kurt Knispel, it was to become the 1st Company of the elite 503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion, and fought at Kursk as flank cover to 7th PzDiv (Armee Abteilung Kempf). Knispel saw further action during the relief attack on the Cherkassy Pocket (a.k.a. Khorsun Pocket), Vinnitsa, Jampol, Kamenets-Podolsk. The Company re-equipped with Tiger IIs and fought around Caen and the retreat from Normandy. From there back to the Russian front and action around Mezőt¨²r, Törökszentmikl¨®s, Cegl¨¦d, Kecskem¨¦t, the Gran bridgehead, Gyula, Neutra, Bab Castle(In one action, Knispel reports 24 enemy hits on his Tiger II), Laa and finally Wostitz, where he was killed in action.
With 168 (all confirmed, possibly as high as 195) kills, Kurt Knispel was by far the most successful tank soldier of the Second World War. He was an exception in the German armored forces. He fought in virtually every type of tank as loader, gunner and commander. He was awarded the Iron Cross, First Class after destroying his fiftieth enemy tank and the Tank Assault Badge in Gold after far more than 100 tank battles. When Knispel had destroyed 126 enemy tanks (with another 20 unconfirmed kills) he was awarded the German Cross in Gold. He became the only non-commissioned officer of the German tank arm to be named in the Wehrmacht communique. As commander of a Tiger and then a King Tiger Knispel destroyed another 42 enemy tanks. This raised his total to 168 enemy tanks destroyed, making him by far the world's top "tank killer". Although it was richly deserved, he was never awarded the Knight's Cross although he was recommended four times.
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I'm trying to get a turret no/vehicle type for Knispel aswell. The closest I can find to any evidence is that he was a gunner for Rippl, Fendesack and Rubbel. With Rippl he might have been in a Tiger I no.133? With Fendesack maybe a Tiger I or a Porsche no.131? and with Rubbel a Henschel Turret no.114? Whether I am right or even close to right I don't know these are the best I could work out through my investigation. If any one can help further with any dates to distinguish tank types for Rippl, Fendesack or Rubbel that would be helpful as to what tank Knispel may have served in.
Thanx
Sikerone
Thanx
Sikerone
- AlifRafikKhan
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Re: Kurt Knispel information required
Photo of Kurt Knispel taken by Alfred Rubbel sometime during the war, Alfred Rubbel would later have the fate of burying Kurt....
Source : http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/e ... nispel.jpg
Source : http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/e ... nispel.jpg
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- AlifRafikKhan
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Re: Kurt Knispel information required
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- AlifRafikKhan
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Re: Kurt Knispel information required
This is the picture and short video of Kurt Knispel with Schwere Panzer Abteilung 503. I think, this is the BEST panzer video ever!
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Re: Kurt Knispel information required
Hi
There is a book on market from Franz Kurowski (in german)
Feldwebel Kurt Knispel
"Der erfolgreichste Panzerschütze und Panzerkommandant des 2.Weltkrieges
Source:
2007 Verlagshaus Würzburg GmbH & Co.KG, Würzburg
Flechsig Verlag
http://www.verlagshaus.com
ISBN 978-3-88189-734-1
chris
There is a book on market from Franz Kurowski (in german)
Feldwebel Kurt Knispel
"Der erfolgreichste Panzerschütze und Panzerkommandant des 2.Weltkrieges
Source:
2007 Verlagshaus Würzburg GmbH & Co.KG, Würzburg
Flechsig Verlag
http://www.verlagshaus.com
ISBN 978-3-88189-734-1
chris
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