Max Wünsche
| Max Wünsche | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 20 April 1914 Kittlitz (Löbau), German Empire |
| Died |
17 April 1995 (aged 80) Munich, Germany |
| Buried at | Munich Northern Cemetery |
| Allegiance |
 Nazi Germany
|
| Service/branch |
 Waffen-SS
|
| Years of service | 1933–45 |
| Rank | Obersturmbannführer |
| Service number |
NSDAP #5,508,247 SS #153,508 |
| Unit |
SS Division Leibstandarte Führerbegleitkommando SS Division Hitlerjugend |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves |
Max Wünsche (20 April 1914 – 17 April 1995) was an member of the SS of Nazi Germany and regimental commander in the Waffen-SS during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.
Max Wünsche was born on 20 April 1914 in Kittlitz. In July 1933 Wünsche joined the SS. In 1935, he graduated from SS-Junkerschule at Bad Tölz and was promoted to Untersturmführer. Wünsche was then posted to the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (LSSAH) as a platoon leader. In October 1938, Wünsche was assigned as an orderly officer for Hitler. In that role, Wünsche joined the Führerbegleitkommando (the SS bodyguard unit) which provided personal security for Hitler.
In January 1940 he was again posted to the LSSAH, as a platoon commander in a motorcycle company under the command of Kurt Meyer, for the invasion of the Netherlands and the Battle of France. In December 1940 he became an adjutant to Sepp Dietrich where he stayed during the invasion of the Balkans (Operation Marita) and the invasion of the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa). In February 1942 Wünsche was given the command of the LSSAH Sturmgeschütz (assault gun) battalion.
In 1942 Wünsche completed the General Staff training course at the Staff College in Germany and was promoted to Sturmbannführer. In September 1942 he was posted to the LSSAH and resumed command of the Sturmgeschütz battalion; in October he assumed command of a battalion in a panzer regiment of LSSAH. His battalion's first action was at Kharkov in 1943. On 25 February 1943 Wünsche led his tankers into action against a defensive position manned by the Soviet 350th Rifle Division. Supported by artillery and a company of SS grenadiers, Wünsche's battalion launched its attack and overran the Soviet front lines, destroying a number of anti-tank guns. Wünsche's assault would lead to the destruction of 47 artillery pieces and anti-tank guns. During the assault 800 Soviet troops were killed. For his actions during the battles for Kharkov, Wünsche was awarded the German Cross in Gold and later the Knight's Cross, both in February 1943.
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