Werner Wolff

Who was Werner Wolff?

Werner Wolff was an Obersturmführer, in the 1. SS Panzer Division 'Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler' of the Waffen SS, who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.

Wolff was awarded the Knight's Cross on 7 August 1943 while serving as Joachim Peiper's Adjutant in the III. Battalion of 2nd SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment. Peiper recommended Wolff for the his actions after he took command of the leaderless 13th Company, following the wounding of its commander, during the Battle of Kursk in early July, and stopped a Russian tank attack. Wolff destroyed one tank single handed and refused to give ground to the Russian attack.

In November 1943 Wolff was shot through the thigh and was due to have the leg amputated. However when the medical orderly arrived to take Wolff to be operated on, he drew his pistol and warned the orderly he was not losing his leg, even firing a warning shot into the ground. Wolff made a complete recovery.

In the Normandy Campaign he particularly distinguished himself during the defense of Tilly, and was awarded the Wehrmacht's Honour Roll Clasp of the Army as a result.

Wolff was killed during Operation Spring Awakening, in Hungary on 19 March 1945.