Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Awarded on:

1918

WIA 00.12.1914 + 00.01.1915

Awarded on:

February 1934

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Awarded on:

1934

Nr. 14.347

Awarded on:

December 16th, 1935

Awarded on:

December 1st, 1937

Awarded on:

December 1st, 1937

Awarded on:

April 1st, 1939

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Oberführer (Brigade General)

Unit:

Stab, Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler, 17. Infanterie-Division

Awarded on:

September 25th, 1939

Awarded for:

Operation Fall Weiss

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Oberführer (Brigade General)

Unit:

Kdr, SS-Regiment "Deutschland", SS-Verfügungsdivision

Awarded on:

June 7th, 1940

Awarded for:

Operation Fall Gelb

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Oberführer (Brigade General)

Unit:

Kdr, SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment “Deutschland”, SS-Division “Reich”, XXXX. Panzer-Korps, Panzergruppe 4, Heeresgruppe Mitte

Awarded on:

December 14th, 1941

Awarded for:

Operation Barbarossa

Bittrich’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows…

“SS-Brigadeführer Bittrich was awarded the Iron Cross First & Second Class during the Polish campaign. During the operations in Russia he led SS-Regiment ‘Deutschland’ until the divisional commander was wounded on the 14.10.1941.

He has led his Regiment with personal boldness, rigour and prudence, achieving great successes in this role. During the battle for Yelnya he and his Regiment captured Hill 125.6 on the 22.07.1941 and defended this place against non-stop attacks by a numerically and materially superior enemy until being relieved on the 08.08.1941. After this he particularly distinguished himself on the 13.10.1941:

The SS-Regiment ‘Deutschland’, initially reinforced by a Panzer-Abteilung of the 10. Panzer-Division, had the mission of reaching the Moscow defensive position by advancing along the old post road Gshatsk—Moshaisk as the left column of the SS-Division ‘Reich’. Meanwhile the reinforced SS-Regiment ‘Der Führer’ was to carry out the same mission along the highway as the right column of the Division. The Regiment dispatched reconnaissance against its assigned position, which was reported to be strongly fortified and occupied.

At 13:00 the commander of SS-Regiment ‘Deutschland’ was able to confirm via reconnaissance that there was a weakly held point at the railroad track between the highway and the post road. He realized that pausing the advance here would put the enemy on alert and enable them to reinforce their defenses at this position. The regimental commander thus decided to penetrate into the position under the protection of a few Panzers as well as a Batterie that had been swiftly brought into position. The Regiment had been on the attack constantly for 7 days, had sustained heavy casualties and had gone without field kitchens for 4 days (implying no warm meals) due to the bad road conditions.

Even with all this the penetration succeeded; the enemy was totally surprised. A continuous tank ditch with a wire obstacle was quickly overcome. By nightfall a penetration measuring 500 metres deep and 1 km wide had been achieved. During the night Bittrich succeeded in expanding the penetration to a width of 3 km by daybreak together with the by now alerted neighbouring Regiment. On the 14.10.1941 both Regiments succeeded in expanding this penetration following hard combat amongst the 3 km deep, strongly fortified position. The strength of the position and the decisive importance of Bittrich’s swift action is made all the more clear by both the large amount of captured materiel and the attached sketch. The following was captured during the breakthrough of the Moscow defensive position:

21 artillery pieces
14 anti-tank guns
92 heavy machine-guns
10 heavy mortars
14 tanks
65 flamethrowers
2 trucks
1 car
1 armoured car
1 engineer equipment depot
859 prisoners.

The independent resolve of the commander of SS-Regiment ‘Deutschland’, SS-Brigadeführer Bittrich, was the main force responsible for achieving this breakthrough within 24 hours and the consequent swift opening of the highway. The swift success made it impossible for the enemy to seal off the breakthrough position in the following days with their reinforcements. On the 18.10.1941 Moshaisk was occupied by the SS-Division ‘Reich’. On the following day, together with the 10. Panzer-Division, it managed to occupy a line between the crossroads 5 km south of Moshaisk and the eastern edge of Moshaisk itself. This was used as a jump-off point from which to continue the attack against Moscow.”

715th Award.
Submitted on December 3rd 1941 as Kommandeur - based on a recommendation dated 24.10.1941 and signed by Div. Kdr. Paul Hausser

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Brigadeführer / Generalmajor der Waffen-SS (Brigadier)

Unit:

Kdr, 8. SS-Kavallerie-Division "Florian Geyer", 9. Armee, 2. Panzer-Armee, Heeresgruppe Mitte

Awarded on:

March 6th, 1943

Award 325/1

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Obergruppenführer / General der Waffen-SS (General)

Unit:

Kommandierender General, II. SS-Panzer-Korps, 7. Armee, Heeresgruppe B

Awarded on:

August 28th, 1944

The following press notice excerpt (dated 12.09.1944) describes why Bittrich was awarded the Oakleaves…

“The Korps commanded by SS-Obergruppenführer Bittrich achieved outstanding defensive successes along the Invasion front. During July the Korps sealed off a major enemy penetration and held this position against powerful attacks. After the enemy had undertaken a regrouping they once again commenced a breakthrough attempt with overwhelming tank forces. But, through a bold attack, SS-Obergruppenführer Bittrich threw back and sealed off this attempt in a display of great devotion to duty. - Later on Bittrich’s Korps held its sector in the encirclement area against all enemy breakthrough attempts and then broke out of the encirclement ring under the prudent and brave leadership of SS-Obergruppenführer Bittrich.”

563rd Award.
Submitted on August 26th 1944 as Kommandierender General.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Obergruppenführer / General der Waffen-SS (General)

Unit:

Kommandierender General, II. SS-Panzer-Korps, 7. Armee, Heeresgruppe B

Awarded on:

September 27th, 1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Obergruppenführer / General der Waffen-SS (General)

Unit:

Kommandierender General, II. SS-Panzerkorps, 6. Panzer-Armee

Awarded on:

May 6th, 1945

Awarded for his achievements during the operations in the Ardennes and Hungary - one of
several awards made by “Sepp” Dietrich on that date, which, in light of new research by Veit Scherzer, were technically invalid as they were not authorized by the SS-Personalhauptamt or Heerespersonalamt

153rd Award.
According to several sources this awarding was not confirmed by the authorities. Number is according to the date of awarding. Confirmation is made on the basis of a statement under oath to the Ordensgemeinschaft der Ritterkreuzträger made by Generaloberst der Waffen-SS Sepp Dietrich.