Panzer ace

"Panzer ace" ("tank ace") is a contemporary term used in English-speaking popular culture to describe highly-decorated German tank ("Panzer") commanders and crews during World War II. While not prevalent in World War II within the Wehrmacht, it was most common in the Waffen-SS to reward its successful personnel, as the SS organisation was far more attuned to the propaganda imperatives of Nazi Germany. These commanders were credited with the destruction of large numbers of tanks and other armoured vehicles. The British and United States did not recognise any of their tank commanders for "tank kills", though some were responsible for destroying a large number of enemy tanks.

The term "Panzer ace" has become prominent in contemporary popular culture, especially in the United States or as part of the uncritical portrayal of the Waffen-SS in English-language militaria and popular history works. The term is featured prominently in English translations of the works by German author Franz Kurowski. His fictionalised Panzer Aces series focuses on highly-decorated tank commanders, such as Michael Wittmann and Franz Bäke.

In recent years, several historians, including Sönke Neitzel and Steven Zaloga, began a critical examination of the combat performance of highly decorated German tank crews during the war. Zaloga concluded that "Panzer ace" is a romanticisation of reality, as it is neither possible to correctly determine "tank kills" in the heat of the battle nor is it possible to separate individual performance from technological or battlefield advantage, mixed with propaganda.

During World War II the concept of "Panzer aces" received little attention. To the extent that the concept existed, it was mainly advanced by the Waffen-SS as part of its contributions to Nazi Germany's propaganda campaigns. In most units of the Wehrmacht's ground force (Heer), tank crews and commanders generally received awards for mission performance rather than tank kills.

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