August Wittmann – Gebirgs-Artillerie-Regiment 95 & 3. Gebirgs-Division

Awards and Decorations:

• Wehrmachtbericht Mention – 11 June 1941: Recognized along with fellow Gebirgsdivision commanders for decisive contributions during the operations on Crete.

• Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) – 21 June 1941, as Oberstleutnant and Kommandeur of Gebirgs-Artillerie-Regiment 95.

  Awarded for his leadership during the Battle of Crete. After repeated attacks on 28–29 May 1941, Wittmann personally led his battalion in a bold advance that cut off the planned British withdrawal from Stylos. On 29 May he forced the surrender of two Australian battalions and several hundred Greek troops near Rethymnon. After a grueling 175 km march from Iraklion, he reached Jerapetra and played a decisive role in the capture of eastern Crete.

• German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) – 25 August 1944, as Generalleutnant and Kommandeur of 3. Gebirgs-Division.

Career Highlights:

• Entered the Bavarian Army in 1914, serving throughout the First World War in Feldartillerie-Regiment 1.

• Joined the Bavarian Landespolizei in 1920, transferring to the Heer in 1935 with the build-up of the Wehrmacht.

• Gained command experience in multiple Gebirgs-Artillerie regiments prior to the Second World War.

• Commanded Gebirgs-Artillerie-Regiment 95, where his performance in the Battle of Crete earned him the Knight’s Cross.

• Promoted steadily through senior divisional commands, including the 3. Gebirgs-Division, 117. Jäger-Division, and finally the 1. Volks-Gebirgs-Division in 1945.

• Spent the postwar years in Bavaria, passing away in Glonn in 1977.

Item Details:

• Authentic postwar signature of Generalleutnant August Wittmann.

• Signed on a postwar photograph.

• Condition: Clear and well-preserved autograph.

Collector’s Note:
Wittmann’s reputation as a decorated Gebirgsartillerie commander, his key role in the Battle of Crete, and his leadership of multiple divisions on the Eastern and Balkan fronts make his signature highly desirable. His awards — the Knight’s Cross and German Cross in Gold, combined with his Wehrmachtbericht mention — place him among the prominent leaders of Germany’s elite mountain troops.