Michael Wittmann

German Waffen-SS tank commander

Source-basedRising

Lived 1914–1944, aged 30

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39 languages
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Era
1914–1944
Aged 30

Summary

Updated 2026-05-29

German tank commander whose single ambush at Villers-Bocage in June 1944 became WWII lore: destroyed a dozen-plus British tanks in 15 minutes from his Tiger I before going down himself.

Biography

About

Michael Wittmann was a German Waffen-SS tank commander during the Second World War. He is known for his ambush of elements of the British 7th Armoured Division during the Battle of Villers-Bocage on 13 June 1944. While in command of a Tiger I tank, Wittmann destroyed up to 14 tanks, 15 personnel carriers and two anti-tank guns within 15 minutes before the loss of his own tank.

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