Thread: Theodor Wisch

Theodor ‘Teddi’ Wisch was born at Wesselburener Koog in Holstein on 13 December 1907. He joined the SS in 1930, and after serving for some time as an NCO with SS-Standarte 53 he was commissioned an SSSturmfuhrer in July 1933, by which time he was attached to SS-Sonderkommando Berlin. In October of that year he was further promoted to SS-Hauptsturmfuhrer, and by the outbreak of World War II he was in command of 1 Sturm (company) of the ‘Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler’. During the Polish campaign Wisch won both classes of the Iron Cross. Promoted to SS-Sturmbannfuhrer on 30 January 1940, he distinguished himself during the spring campaign in the West. Wisch was appointed to command II Bataillon of his regiment for Operation ‘Barbarossa’; on 15 September 1941 he was decorated with the Knight’s Cross, and 12 days later was promoted to SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer.

On 15 July 1942, on the expansion of the ‘LSSAH’ from a single reinforced regiment into a two-regiment brigade, Wisch was given command of SS-Infanterie Regiment (mot.) 2. After the Stalingrad disaster of January 1943 the new brigade was rushed from France back to the Russian Front, and the 34-year-old lieutenant-colonel led his regiment in the heavy fighting around Kharkov as a unit of Hausser’s (qv) Panzerkorps. He was promoted to SS-Standartenfuhrer on 30 January 1943, and decorated with the German Cross in Gold on 25 February. In July of that year, at the time of the Kursk offensive, Wisch was further promoted to SS-Oberfuhrer and succeeded Dietrich (qv) as commander of the ‘Leibstandarte’ - now a Panzergrenadier division and, in October 1943, redesignated as 1.SS-Panzer Division ‘LSSAH’. Promoted to SS-Brigadefuhrer in January 1944, Wisch was decorated with the Oakleaves on 12 February. He led the ‘Leibstandarte’ in extremely fierce fighting around Caen during the battle for Normandy in June 1944. On 28 August he received the Swords, a few days after being severely wounded during the breakout from the Falaise Pocket. After his discharge from hospital Wisch spent the rest of the war in a desk job with the SS-Fuhrungshauptamt in Berlin. Theodor Wisch died in retirement in Hamburg on 11 January 1995.

SS-Brigadefuhrer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS Theodor Wisch; Berlin, late 1944.

The Swords to his Knight’s Cross date this portrait after their award on 28 August 1944, while he was in hospital after being seriously wounded during the breakout of his 1.SS-Pz Div ‘Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler’ from the Falaise Pocket in Normandy. After his recovery Teddi’ Wisch spent the rest of the war in an office job at the SS-Fuhrungshauptamt. His service dress uniform, rank insignia and decorations are entirely regulation. Note the Infantry Assault Badge on his left breast, with the Wound Badge and Iron Cross First Class; the Eastern Front Winter 1941/42 ribbon in his buttonhole; and on his right breast, the German Cross in Gold, awarded for his conduct in the battles around Kharkov and Bjelgorod in early 1943.

Teddi was one of the youngest brave heroes in world war II.He was just 32 at the time of the war & by his excellent service, he achieved prestigious awards of Wound Badge,German Cross,Iron Cross,Knight's Cross & many more.