Heinz von Westernhagen

Early Life and Family

Heinz von Westernhagen was born on 29 August 1911 in Riga, Latvia. He bore an ancient Junker family name that can be traced back to early twelfth centuries. From 1914 to 1919, over the course of 5 years, the von Westernhagen family has been forced to abandon their home twice to make the escape to Germany. The 1st time was in the winter of 1914-1915, when all German were ordered to leave Riga within 3 days or be deported to Siberia. In 1917, when Riga was taken by German forces, the family returned. Only to leave again in July 1919 for fear to relive the terror when Riga was occupied by Bolsheviks in January, and this time was for good.

The following years the von Westernhagen family has endured incredible hardship. In March 1927, two weeks after graduated from high school, not even 16, von Westernhagen joined the German merchant marine. In the next 6 years he has made many voyages, sailed beyond Mediterranean Sea to the West Indies, Far East and Australia. In November 1933, von Westernhagen finally docked, and worked on-shore in a rubber factory till October 1934.

Rolf von Westernhagen (24 May 1920 - ) was Heinz's younger brother, served under him in Sturmgeschutz (Assault Gun) Battalion, and later as platoon commander in the 3rd Company of 101st(501st) SS Heavy Panzer Battalion.

Military career pre-World War II

Between the sea voyages, von Westernhagen joined NSDAP on 1 December 1929 with membership number 174562, and later joined SA (Sturmabteilung) in 1930. On 1 April 1932, he converted to Allgemeine-SS and was assigned to the 1st Sturm of the 17th SS-Standarte.

On 1 November 1933, von Westernhagen was promoted to SS-Sturmmann and on 1 May 1934 to SS-Rottenfuhrer, followed by another promotion to SS-Unterscharfuhrer on 20 August 1934.

Von Westernhagen joined the SS-Verfugungstruppe on 1 October 1934 and assigned to 1st Company of the Germania Regiment in Hamburg-Veddel. In April 1935, he began his second officer training course at SS-Junkerschule Bad Tolz. In January 1936, upon having successfully passed the final exam he was promoted to SS-Standartenjunker and on 1 February 1936 he became SS-Standartenoberjunker. It followed by 2 months of obligatory platoon commander training course at Dachau Training Area from 10 February to 4 April 1936. That's when von Westernhagen met Jochen Peiper, these two SS future commanders would later join forces at many battles on both Eastern and Western Front.

On account of his experiences with foreign countries from years of travelling abroad and resulting maturity, after leaving Bad Tolz, von Westernhagen was transferred to the Security Service (Sicherheitsdienst or SD). From April to May 1936, further training needed in Berlin-Grunewald to prepare him for his new role. On 20 April 1936 he was promoted to SS-Untersturmfuhrer. Von Westernhagen and other comrades were introduced to Adolf Hitler as part of the events marking Reich Party Day 1936 and awarded swords of honor by Reichsfuhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler.

Von Westernhagen worked in the Foreign Service of Amt III and his responsibilities were foreign counter intelligence. During Mossolini's visit to Berlin in September 1937, he took the role as liaison officer to Chief of Police Bocchini. He was promoted to SS-Obersturmfuhrer on 13 September 1937.

In 1938, after an extended period of posting in Austria and Rome, on 10 September von Westernhagen was transferred to the 1st Company of the SS Regiment Deutschland in Munich. From there he was briefly assigned to the army, from 23 September to 21 December, he was a platoon commander in the 16th Company of the 94th Infantry Regiment.

Von Westernhagen returned to Security Service on 1 January 1939 and on 30 January was promoted to SS-Hauptsturmfuhrer; he found himself lacking any interest in pursuing criminal investigation work, and started to press vigorously to be transferred to the front-line combat unit, especially after the war broke out.

... so I will not have to feel ashamed to myself and to the world later on.

Campaigns in France and the Low Countries

Heinz von Westernhagen was assigned to First SS Armored Division, Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler(LSSAH), and he took part in the fighting in the Netherlands, Belgium and France in 1940 as an acting company commander.

Depart Security Service (SD)

After the fighting, Heinz von Westernhagen was transferred back to the Security Service (SD), which was against his wishes to stay with the troop. In September 1940 he was in Rome and took part in a course on Africa.

Von Westernhagen was constantly searching for ways to get himself out of SD and return to front-line units. After some obstacles which included his dismissal from the active SS and transfer to a reserve unit, he was quickly re-instated based on a fiercely protesting letter from the head of the Waffen-SS personnel office who made it very clear that his training was specifically intended to make him a combat leader. He was back to LSSAH on 14 March 1941, thus began his career as a combat officer.

Battle of Greece

The Battle of Greece began soon after von Westernhagen has returned to SS Division LSSAH. He served in the staff of the 1st Battalion, namely Kampfgruppe Witt (KG Witt), commanded by SS-Sturmbannfuhrer Fritz Witt. He at first complained that working as a staff officer who only 'fights with a fountain pen' doesn't suit him at all, that was soon to change during the fighting in Greece. Men of KG Witt were tasked to clear the Klidi Pass just south of Vevi and subsequently engaged in heavy fighting for three days before winning the Battle of Vevi.

On 13 May 1941, von Westernhagen was awarded Iron Cross, Second Class, for his battlefield bravery during the campaign.

Eastern Front

In June 1941, at the beginning of Russian Campaign, von Westernhagen served as adjutant to the First General Staff Officer (Ia) of Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, Obersturmbannfuhrer Wilhelm Keilhaus, in charge of tactical leadership. The Leibstandarte was part of Gerd von Rundstedt's Army Group South, was involved in the Battle of Uman and the subsequent capture of Kiev in July and August. After a brief pull out of combat for rest and recuperation at Bobrinez for the period 21 August to 7 September, the Leibstandarte engaged in a series of hard fought battles in the following months. In September, the Leibstandarte crossed the Dnieper and moved along the Sea of Azov to the east, attacked on the entrance to the Crimea at Perekop, and later fought in the Melitopol area. In October, the Leibstandarte took Berdjansk, Mariupol and crossed the Mius captured the port city of Taganrog. In November, it was the Battle of Rostov. Von Westernhagen described the battle scene on 25 November:

Rostove is ours, our guns roar without pause, and the shells howl through the night....

On 1 December 1941, Leibstandarte moved into the Mius sector and build its winter position on the Ssambek, and remained there until 2 June 1942.

Commander of Sturmgeschutz (Assault Gun) Battalion

On 1 June 1942 von Westernhagen became the commander of Leibstandarte Sturmgeschutz (Assault Gun) Battalion, he took over this position from SS-Hauptsturmfuhrer Max Wunsche when Wunsche returned to Berlin for a training course at the Staff College. Von Westernhagen remained on this position until 5 August 1943 when he was chosen to command the 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion.

His brother, Rolf von Westernhagen, was also serving in the battalion as an Assault Gun commander.

Transfer to France

In July 1942 the Leibstandarte was transferred to the Normandy region of occupied France to rest and refit, and to be reformed into a Panzergrenadier division.

On 10 July 1942, SS-Hauptsturmfuhrer von Westernhagen was awarded the Royal Bulgarian Medal of Bravery IVth Class, 2nd Grade. On 3 September 1942 he was awarded Romanian Crown with Swords Vth Class, and on the next day, 4 September, the Eastern Front Medal.

As commander of the Assault Gun Battalion, on 9 November 1942 he was promoted to SS-Sturmbannfuhrer.

For the period of 7 September to 2 October, von Westernhagen studied in Paris on battalion commandership.

His battalion was organized into three batteries and a headquarters battery. On August 1942, the Battle of Stalingrad started, as winter approached and German's situation worsened, once again the LSSAH division was deployed where the fighting was expected to be the harshest. Von Westernhagen had his men trained intensively in Verneuil, preparing for their next deployment back to the Eastern Front. That came quickly on January 1943, von Westernhagen and his battalion were transferred to the Kharkov area, and went into action immediately.

Third Battle of Kharkov

In late January 1943, LSSAH was transferred back to the Eastern Front. Von Westernhagen and his battalion went into action immediately in the Kharkov area. From January to March, city of Kharkov has changed hands twice. On 2 February, the Red Army launched Operation Star, and recaptured the city on 16 February. What was known to the Germans as the Donets Campaign took place between 19 February and 15 March 1943, city of Kharkov has once again back to German hand on 14 March, and Germans continued on to capture Belgorod on 18 March.

Assault Gun Battalion was LSSAH divisional battalion, however rarely did von Westernhagen lead his entire battalion into action, instead the batteries of his battalion were assigned to different Leibstandarte's Panzer-grenadier units or Kampfgruppen; the 1st and 3rd Batteries were attached to SS-Sturmbannfuhrer Jochen Peiper's SPW-Bataillon (III. (gep.) Bataillon, SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 2) as the reinforcement. Often von Westernhagen accompanied his batteries, his assault guns took part in numerous attacks, and proved to be effective fighting forces. During the battle, he was always on the move, keeping constant communication with the commanders of the panzer-grenadiers, his company commanders and gun commanders. There was no rest for him or any of the others.

On 6 March 1943, von Westernhagen was decorated with Iron Cross, First Class and the Tank Battle Badge in Silver.

Battle of Kursk (Operation Zitadell)

The long-planned and much-delayed Operation Zitadell was to cut off the expansive Russian salient (200 kilometer wide by 120 kilometer deep) west of Kursk, that has separated German's Army Group Center from Army Group South. The German would launch attacks from both northern and southern flanks of the salient, Generalfeldmarschall Walter Model's 9th Army would attack southwards from Orel, while the 4th Panzer Army led by Generaloberst Hermann Hoth would push northwards from Belgorod. The two forces would meet near the city of Kursk and hoping to encircle and destroy the Soviet army units within the bulge.

The II SS Panzer Corps (SS-Obergruppenfuehrer Paul Hausser) was to form the spearhead of the 4th Panzer Army, it consisted of three SS Panzergrenadier Divisions: LSSAH (SS-Brigadefuehrer Theodor Wisch), Das Reich and Totenkopf. Assault Gun Battalion (Sturmgeschutz Abteilung) LSSAH and Anti-Tank Battalion (Panzerjager Abteilung) LSSAH would provide additional armor to Panzergrenadier Regiment of LSSAH. Assault Gun Battalion LSSAH has three batteries each had a platoon of 10.5 cm assault howitzers and total of 34 assault guns as of 4 July 1943.

On 5 July 1943, the 1st day of Operation Zitadelle formally started. The Assault Gun Battalion LSSAH commanded by von Westernhagen was part of reinforced 2nd Panzergrenadier Regiment LSSAH, the objective for the day was to capture the town of Bykovka. Moving northward, among the initial targets of the offensive was Hill 220.5. Advanced from Hill 228.6 (captured at 01:33 and secured at 02:15), the battle for Hill 220.5, the strong point of the Berezov sector, started at 03:15 with a German artillery barrage lasted till 03:55, following a 15-minute attack by Stuka dive bombers. At 04:05 both 1st and 2nd Panzergrenadier regiments LSSAH began their assault on the Hill with supporting fire from the Assault Gun Battalion and the 13th (Tiger) company. Hill 220.5 was heavily defended with well fortified bunkers and anti-tank trenches densely covered with mines and barbed wire. Flamethrowers, concealed anti-tank guns and dug-in T-34 with only their turrets visible were making it tough to capture. While Tigers were safe against small field guns but the assault guns were not so lucky and were taking casualties. Nevertheless, at 11:45 the Assault Guns and Tigers, together with the 2nd SS Panzergrenadier Regiment, took Hill 220.5 after five hours of vicious fighting. LSSAH went on to capture Bykovka by 16:10. It was a minor victory for the Germans but came at a heavy cost. By the end of the day's fighting, the LSSAH had sustained 97 personnel killed, 522 wounded and 17 missing and lost about 30 tanks. While tanks can be repaired, some of the losses were irreplaceable, among the wounded was von Westernhagen, who had been evacuated with a serious head wound on that day.

Injury

Grenade splinter struck him left a wound from eye to ear and penetrated the right side of the skull. From the main dressing station, von Westernhagen was taken to the SS field hospital in Kharkov where it appeared almost impossible to save him. He was conscious when he was operated on the skull, and provisionally patched up by a Romanian doctor. Few days later he was flew back to Berlin and further operated at Charite.

The head injury sustained during the Operation Zitadelle has plagued von Westernhagen the rest of his life. The injury was so severe that he should never have been classified fit for combat and permitted to return to battle. He has lost part of his brain fluid and suffered devastating consequences. Initial 7 months of recuperation time, and half an year later another 4 months of convalescent leave for the recurring complications. During the final months of the war, he could not sleep anymore, nor had any sense of hunger (he just ate raw eggs when he saw other eating) and has to be regularly flown to Berlin from the front line for treatment. The debilitating injury was most likely the direct reason of him been relieved from commanding the s.SS-Pz. Abt. 501, which subsequently caused his death.

Commander of 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion

101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion (in German Schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101, commonly abbreviated as s.SS-Pz. Abt. 101) was created on 19 July 1943 as a part of the I SS Panzer Corps, It was a Corps unit consisting of the battalion headquarters, a headquarters company, a maintenance/workshop company and three panzer companies (equipped with Tiger I tanks), of its 3rd panzer company was formed from the 13th (Heavy) company of 1st SS Panzer Regiment LSSAH. Despite the almost fatal head wound he has sustained just a month ago and was still in recuperation, von Westernhagen was the hand picked officer chosen to build up and command this new battalion. On 5 August 1943, he was official commander of the 101 st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion.

The large proportion of battalion personnel were seasoned assault gun aces from LSSAH Assault Gun Battalion, this was due to von Westernhagen who had been the battalion commander since June 1942. Although he should never have been classified fit for combat and permitted to return to battle, his old comrades wanted for him to lead them and petitioned I SS Panzer Corps commander Dietrich for his return.

Further treatment of his head wound and subsequent participation in a training course for battalion commanders at the Armored Forces School in Paris delayed his arrival until 13 February 1944 (23 February 1944). The new commander began his duties with an impressive inaugural speech:

Here stands no baron before you

He then addressed the difficulty of the tasks facing the battalion in the future and referred to his style of command, which was based on personal and mutual trust between officers, NCOs and enlisted men, that demands the sense of responsibility in each and every one of them.

As soon as the battalion passed into von Westernhagen’s hands the atmosphere changed abruptly. He brought freshness, drive and much-needed leadership to the battalion. As a front-line commander, he was calm, even during the most difficult situations, as he was confident, assertive and aggressive; yet he was also modest and at ease with those under his command, showing understanding and sensitivity to their needs while maintaining his full authority, he soon won the respect and affection of his men.

Von Westernhagen remained the battalion commander until his death in March 1945.

The 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion was heavily engaged during the Normandy campaign, and lost virtually all its equipment in the retreat across France in August 1944. The remains of the unit were ordered to rest and completely refit with the new Tiger IIs. On 22 September, 1944, it was redesignated as the 501st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion (Schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 501, s.SS-Pz. Abt. 501).

Turret numbering system, example as of 6 June 1944

Battle of Normandy (Operation Overlord)

Preparation

Early in April 1944, the 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion relocated from Mons to the area of Gournay-en-Bray-Beauvais in expectation of an Allied invasion in the area of the Pas de Calais. On 22 April 1944, the last element of the 13th(Heavy) Company of 1st SS Panzer Regiment that had remained in Russia returned to the battalion. With that, the 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion completed its formation, all three panzer companies were up to strength each with fourteen Tigers and all the company and platoon commanders were assigned, training and field exercises were the next on the agenda.

From 10 to 17 May 1944, the one and only battalion-size exercise took place near east of Amiens, France. It was a live-fire exercise by the now completed battalion with practices on various attack formations, such as the inverted wedge and the arrowhead, involving every possible wrinkle in a large, open area. Strict and razor-sharp training regulations were enforced, from company commanders down to the youngest trooper. Every error committed under combat condition was sharply criticized. As the result, the battalion commander Heinz von Westernhagen was satisfied with the course of the exercise.

March to the Front

On 6 June 1944, the day of the invasion, surprisingly, there was not a single Tiger formation on the coast. Only one formation was on its approach march, though still far away at Beauvais, some 70 kilometres (43 mi) north of Paris, was SS-Sturmbannfuhrer von Westernhagen's 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion. On that day in the early morning hours of 0600, the battalion was placed on alert, and came to operational readiness with feverish haste. Between 0200 and 0300 hours on 7 June, the Tiger battalion set off for the invasion front, on its own power, due to the extensive damage to the railway network northwest of Paris.

Initially, the Tigers drove through Gournay-en-Bray, Morgny, Saussay-La-Champagne to Les Andelys. However the bridge at Les Andelys to cross Seine was badly damaged, the battalion had to move through Paris. In an effective bit of propaganda, the Tigers rolled along the Champs-Elysees, passed the Arc de Triomphe to Versailles. March continued on to Falaise through Dreux, Verneuil and Argentan in the following days.

There was an episode that occurred at refueling stop just outside Paris on 8 June. The crew poured a few canisters of water into the fuel tanks of SS-Oberscharfuhrer Rolf von Westernhagen's Tiger, markings for the water canisters were overlooked in the darkness. When the march was resumed, Rolf's Tigers was suddenly stopped and halted the traffic. Heinz von Westernhagen was quickly on the scene and learned what had happened. Despite Rolf was his own younger brother, the battalion commander didn't give him an easy pass, the two brothers stepped aside, and Heinz, in quite loud voice, gave Rolf a stern talk.

The entire road march was an arduous and strenuous journey, in the area of Allied air superiority, started from day one, the march was often strafed by Allied fight-bombers and casualties mounted. Tigers could only drive out during the night with single tank movement, that is one tank at a time with lengthy intervals between vehicles up to several hundred meters. The road march was nearly 450 kilometres (280 mi) in distance, but took the battalion six days to reach. By the time the battalion has reached its designated assemble area during the night of 12 June 1944, it had suffered total casualties of twenty-seven, including nine killed. The long road march had also caused many mechanical problems and failures to the Tigers, of its theoretical strength of fourteen tanks, the 1st company ended with eight tanks; and the 2nd company, six. The 1st company assembled at Noyers (8 kilometres (5.0 mi) northeast of Villers-Bocage); the 2nd company assembled in a defile south of Montbrocq (2 kilometres (1.2 mi) norhteast of Villers-Bocage); the 3rd company was still held up farther to rear; von Westernhagen's battalion command post was established at Baron-sur-Odon. The battalion was immediately ordered to cover the left flank of the I. SS Panzer Corps, the crews had no rest.

Battle of Villers-Bocage

In the days following the Allied D-Day landings of 6 June, both British and Germans regarded control of Caen as vital to the Normandy battle. When a 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) gap has opened up between 352nd Infantry Division and Panzer Lehr Division, the British 7th Armoured Division (Desert Rats) was given the mission to exploit through this gap and encircle Caen from the south-west to form what Montgommery has termed the 'right hook'.

At 08:30 on 13 June 1944, the 22nd Armoured Brigade entered Villers-Bocage without encounter serious resistance, from there A Squadron 4th CLY and A Company of the 1st Battalion the Rifle Brigade continued pushing on along N175, to occupy Point 213, the highest point of the ridge. The advancement conducted without additional reconnaissance was a costly mistake for the British as they were oblivious to the presence of 2nd Company, 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion, just 250 yards (230 m) south of Point 213. The Company commander, SS-Obersturmfuhrer Michael Wittmann, engaged the British with a lone Tiger tank first along N175 as he advanced towards Villers-Bocage, and later in the town itself, until his Tiger was immobilized from an antitank gun.

The British at Point 213 were then engaged by the rest of the 2nd Company, joined by the 1st Company commanded by SS-Hauptsturmfuhrer Rolf Mobius. At 1000 hours, the 4th Company (Light) 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion has arrived and began to take British prisoners. By noon, the 1st Company has cleared Point 213 and advanced into Villers-Bocage for the counter-attack. However Tigers of the 1st Company were ambushed in the town and suffered casualties. Despite this success, the battle was turning against the British. With the arrival of 2nd Panzer Division in the afternoon, holes began to appear in the defence line hold by the entire QRR(Queen's Royal Regiment) battalion. As pressure built and darkness fell, the British decided to withdraw towards a defensive "Brigade Box" at Tracey-Bocage. The withdrawals continued from 1800 to 2000 hours, and were further harassed by Germans till 22:30 that night.

The effects of Villers-Bocage has started to affect the Allied troops. In particular Tiger-phobia, the formidable Tiger shaped the Allied tanker's view of the campaign more than any other. Despite its own mechanical vulnerabilities, the Tiger elicited fear and trepidation among opponents, and though few in number in Normandy, they played an important part in subduing aggression in Allied tank crews. Montgomery, who viewed morale as being a crucial factor in determining the success of Operation Overlord and the war in general. Three weeks into the Campaign, he was particularly infuriated about reports being circulated from XXX Corps HQ, recently shaken by the debacle at Villers-Bocage: "If we are not careful, there will be a danger of the troops developing a 'Tiger' and 'Panther' complex – when every tank becomes one of these types."

7 days after the battle, von Westernhagen decorated his men who had taken part in the action. The Battle at Villers-Bocage marked the debut of von Westernhagen's Tiger Battalion in Normandy, and it has been a dramatic one. The Battalion's engagement has brought about the complete collapse of the advance of the British 7th Armoured Division. The British withdrawal indicated the end of the post D-Day "scramble for ground" and the start of the a grinding attritional battle for Caen.

On 21 June 1944, the battalion commander von Westernhagen was promoted to SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer.

Convalescent Leave

The serious head wound was again troubling von Westernhagen, his appetite and ability to sleep were affected and his memory suffered.

During the entire time of the invasion battles, as long as I was there, there was neither day nor night for me and so I can't remember specific days or dates but only events(combats) and towns.

Finally, on 13 July 1944, the battalion commander, in a state of complete physical exhaustion, was ordered by SS-Obergruppenfuehrer Sepp Dietrich to go on convalescent leave. Wittmann took over as the acting commander of the battalion.

8 August 1944

On 8 August 1944, Anglo-Canadian forces launched Operation Totalize. Michael Wittmann, in von Westernhagen's battalion commander Tiger #007, led a group of six Tiger tanks from 3rd Company, 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion, including one commanded by Rolf von Westernhegen, formed the spearhead for the counterattack on the Canadian II corps. Just before 1300 hours, right outside of Gaumesnil, the 3rd platoon of A Squadron of the 1st Northamptonshire Yeomanry opened fire and knocked-out five Tigers, Michael Wittmann and his crewmen were killed. Rolf von Westernhagen and his Tiger survived the attack. As Battalion Commander, von Westernhagen, though at the time he was on convalescent leave at home, personally delivered the news to Frau Wittmann, for she was clinging on a faint hope that Michael Wittmann might have been MIA or POW.

On 19 August 1944, Rolf von Westernhagen was awarded Iron Cross, First Class.

Conclusion

In the following three months, the Battalion, often employed with 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend and various Kampfgruppen, had engaged in a sequence of operations: Battle of Island, Operation Epsom, Operation Goodwood, Operation Totalize, Battle of the Falaise Pocket and many scattered battles. From 29 August to 9 September, the Battalion retreated through France and Belgium into Reich territory. On 3 September, the 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion received the official order from Army Group B to transfer into the Reich for a complete overhaul. In the fighting in Normandy, the battalion suffered more than 300 casualties and almost all Tigers. 22 September, the company is relieved from attachment to the General der Panzertruppen West and then attached to the 6. Panzer-Armee. Consequently, it ends its habitual relationship with the 1st SS Panzer Corps, thus resulting in its redesignation as the 501 SS Heavy Panzer Battalion (Schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 501).

Battle of the Bulge

Return to Battalion

On 21 November 1944, SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer Heinz von Westernhagen returned to the battalion, now designated as the 501st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion, and was received by the men with great joy. Even after four months of convalescent leave, the effects of the head wound still hampered him severely, his state of health had not improved as much as he had hoped.

Wacht am Rhein

The plan for the Ardennes Offensive was to deliver a powerful blow to disrupt the Anglo-American alliance - an alliance that Hitler believed was fragile and vulnerable to begin with, and regain the initiative in the West Front.

The main attack would be led by the 6th Panzer Army advancing from Monschau to Losheim, crossing the Meuse on both side of Liege and then advance on Antwerp. The advance roads were assigned to the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte and the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend. Leibstandarte was to use Roads D and E, Hitlerjugend Roads A, B and C.

Kampfgruppe Peiper

As early as on 12 November 1944, and again just prior to the offensive on 11 December 1944, von Westerhagen and SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer Jochen Peiper had discussed on the attachment of the 501st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion to the 1st SS Panzer Regiment Leibstandarte. No longer as a Corps unit, but as an integral part of Panzer Regiment, as its 2nd battalion. Von Westernhagen and Peiper knew each other well, had fought together in the Eastern Front, and thought highly of each other.

On 14 December 1944, Peiper was informed by SS-Oberfuhrer Mohnke the planned attack in the Ardennes on 16 December 1944, along with assigned route, Route (Rollbahn) D, and the formations of his battle group, Kampfgruppe Peiper. Peiper discovered that his Kampfgruppe would play the primary role as the spearhead forcing a path to the Meuse.

The 501st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion was at full strength except for the 4th (Light) Company. Each panzer company possessed 14 Tiger IIs, gave a total strength of 45. However the battalion was plagued with maintenance problems and mechanical breakdowns, it is probable that only around 30-35 Tigers actually participated in the initial advance of Kampfgruppe Peiper.

On the afternoon of 14 December 1944, Peiper assembled the commanders of the units attached to him, and briefed them on the offensive. From the Tiger Battalion, there were battalion commander SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer von Westernhagen and all three panzer company commanders SS-Obersturmfuhrer Jurgen Wessel (1st), SS-Hauptsturmfuhrer Rolf Mobius (2nd) and SS-Hauptsturmfuhrer Heinz Birnschein (3rd). Von Westerhagen handed out the maps to the company commanders and informed them the march route, organization, and mission for the battalion. On the next day, the unit commanders met once again at Peiper's command post to discuss final details of the attack. Upon his return, von Westerhagen summoned all the company commanders and went over the plan of attack with them.

Due to the blitz action KG Peiper needed as the spearhead of the offensive, considering the sixty-eight tonne Tigers could reach a speed of only thirty-eight kilometers per hour, and rough terrain and road conditions that more suited for bicycles than tanks, the Tiger Battalion were placed to the rear of the march column from the beginning, formed as the rearguard together with Luftwaffe Flak Battalion 84 (Major von Sacken) and 1st Battalion (Armored) of SS Panzer Artillery Regiment 1 (SS-Obersturmfuhrer Kalischko). However, after leaving the hilly section of the offensive zone the Tiger Battalion was to be moved forward and spearhead the breakthrough to the Meuse. The sequence of the battalion in the march column were 2nd Company, Headquarters, 3rd Company, 1st Company.

Initial Advances (16 - 17 December)

Peiper calculated that his battle group march column would stretch for 25km along the single road, and it would take two hours for the entire column to pass a given point. On 16 December 1944, due to 12th Volksgrenadier's (VG) slow progress in breaking through the American lines thus opening a gap for Route D, Peiper did not start to advance the battle group until 16:30. By the time Peiper's point group had reached Losheim then on its way west to Lanzerath in the evening, after overcoming a destroyed bridge and minefields, the Tiger Battalion just started to roll out from its assembly area at Tondorf. Wessel's 1st Company was in the lead, which brought up from the rear. Von Westerhagen left his Battalion Commander Tiger #007 behind at assembly area, he was riding in a command car. The spearhead of the Tiger Battalion reached Losheim at approximately 22:00.

Peiper and his point group reached Lanzerath toward midnight, eager to make up the lost time, barely four hours later the battle group launched its second day's attack of the offensive near the Bullingen Forest. While many American forces were still not fully aware the extent of the German attack, KG Peiper took the full advantage of the element of surprise, as the battle group moved through Honsfeld at 0430 hours watched by sleepy eyed GIs. Next it captured Bullingen (0700 - 0900 hours) and refuelled there from an American fuel depot; it reached Ligneuville (Engelsdorf) just before 1400 hours through Moderscheid, Schoppen, Ondenval, Thirimont (1100 hours) and the deadly crossroads at Baugnez (between noon and 1300 hours); it continued west at 1700 hours through Pont Beaumont and Lodomez and stopped just before Stavelot for the night.

A Bridge Too Far (18 - 19 December)

Like a Mouse in a Trap (20 - 23 December)

Panzergruppe Peiper evacuated Stoumont and Cheneux in the early evening hours of 21 December 1944 and withdrew his entire battle group to La Gleize, the small village thus became the center point of the pocket. During the night of 22 December 1944 Peiper learned by radio that the relief attack by SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer Max Hansen down the Trois-Ponts-Coos road had failed. The promised air-drop of supplies the next night didn't go well as majority of the supply canisters fell in no-man's land, or fell away to the Ambleve. Only few fell into the hands of Peiper's men and efforts to recover the others failed. The situation of the defenders of the pocket became ever more difficult, the outlook for supply was hopeless. With the failed relief attempt, Panzergruppe Peiper was on its own.

in the end, however, we were cut off and surrounded. For five days we sat like a mouse in a trap with no food and little ammunition, being pounded by the American artillery.

As SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer Heinz von Westernhagen rather drastically but accurately characterized the situation.

Peiper knew that because of shortages of fuel, munitions and rations, the Panzergruppe was practically immobile and the exhausted unit wouldn't be soon defenseless. For the first time Peiper mentioned the possibility of breakout in a conference with commanders von Westernhagen, Diefenthal and Poetschke, there they had a frank discussion concerning the hopeless situation. They were unanimous in their assessment of their own chances. Peiper radioed the division for permission to breakout.

Breakout from La Gleize (24 - 25 December)

The breakout began at 0200 hours on 24 December 1944, of the approximately 3000 men of Panzergruppe Peiper, 850 of them who could still walk, including wounded, assembled to begin the breakout to freedom. Among them were members of the 510st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion: battalion commander von Westernhagen; his adjutant Kalinowski; company commanders: Wessel, Mobius and Birnschein; and the remaining Tiger crews. The men tramped through the dense forest in knee-deep snow in freezing temperatures. They were all held together by their determination to survive. Von Westernhagen, just as exhausted, led his men by asserting his confidence that they could escape the American encirclement and reach their own lines again.

Almost 24 hours later, SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer von Westernhagen and his group broke through the enemy lines at about midnight and reached the Salm. There they came under accurate machine-gun fire. Von Westernhagen at once drove into the icy flood. The Salm was too deep to wade there and these exhausted men had to swim. "a raging torrent under furious machine-gun fire" as von Westernhagen later recalled. He personally carried along a wounded man with him while crossing the river. In the morning hour of 25 December 1944 he and his group has finally reached the Leibstandarte Division's command post in Wanner after a 33 hours march: 'we got back to our own lines looking like wandering icicles'.

Malmedy Trial

Panzergruppe Peiper became infamous in what became known as the Malmedy massacre. No members of the 501st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion were indicated or tried, though some were called as witnesses.

Death

On 19 March 1944, SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer Heinz von Westernhagen received a surprise order to leave his Tiger battalion and join the officer reserve. This decision was received in the battalion with incomprehension and disbelief. With a heavy heart he was forced to hand over the battalion to SS-Sturmbannfuhrer Heinz Kling. He then drove to the command post of the 1st SS Panzer Corps to report to SS-Brigadefuhrer Kumm and give notice of his departure. As he has reached the farmhouse in which the command post was situated, a small bomb fell near him. A piece of its shrapnel penetrated his old head wound and killed him instantly.

SS-Brigadefuhrer Otto Kumm, SS-Oberst-Gruppenfuhrer Sepp Dietrich, SS-Gruppenfuhrer Hermann Pries, SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer Jochen Peiper were all present, and were shaken by his tragic death. The battalion commander had been much loved and respected by his men, news of the his death caused great dismay in the battalion.

SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer Heinz von Westernhagen was buried at German Military Cemetery in Veszprem, Hungary.

Controversy

According to the official statement, SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer von Westernhagen was killed by an aircraft bomb, however Wolfgang Schneider in his book 'Tigers in Combat' volume 2, with almost daily activity account of 101st/501st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion, has clearly indicated that von Westerhagen has committed suicide after been relieved as battalion commander. This was supported by two witnesses who came forward by name.

Wilhelm Kiesselbach in his Epitaph that pays tribute to his uncle von Westerhagen explains the reason of his suicide was that

He also provided the explanations for the cover-up were that first of all to prevent the negative effect on the morale of his men who have already deeply shocked at losing their beloved leader who had been with them since the early days; Secondly, to protect his pregnant wife.

Rolf von Westernhagen was sent to take an officer's course, he was not with the unit on that fateful day. Many years later when asked he said he would have never gone back, had he known. Rolf survived the war and 11 years in Soviet Gulag in Siberia. He was finally release in 1956 when the German Chancellor Dr. Konrad Adenauer personally went to Moscow with a special petition for the release of the remaining German POWs.

Personal life

Heinz married his fiancee, the twenty-four-year-old Elisabeth Zwick on 13 October 1937. The couple had three children: Heiner, Dorte and Maren.

Notable decorations