Tiger Battalion 507: Eyewitness Accounts from Hitler's Regiment

Helmut Schneider

Apr 2020 · Casemate Publishers

About this ebook

A personal history of a Nazi battalion’s experiences on the Eastern and Western fronts of WWII, told through the vivid accounts of the soldiers themselves.

This is the little-known story of Heavy Panzer (Tiger) Battalion 507. Helmut Schneider, himself a veteran of the battalion, sought out as many survivors of the unit as possible and gather their reminiscences. The resulting account is a treasure trove of first-hand material, including personal memories, diaries, letters, leave passes, wartime newspaper cuttings, Wehrmacht bulletins, and more than 160 photographs.

The account follows the unit from its formation in 1943 to the catastrophic events on the Eastern Front and battles on the Western Front. It describes engagements against the American 3rd Armored Division, the confusion and panic of retreat, and Soviet captivity in the closing stages of the war. Honest and unflinching, this collection of autobiographies offers a glimpse into life in Hitler’s panzer division.

About the author

Aged 19, Schneider volunteered for the Panzer Arm in March 1941. He was one of the first five men sent to the Eastern Front. He took part in the Caucasus campaigns in and joined the Heavy Panzer Battalion 507 in 1943. He next moved on to the panzer grenadiers where he was given a Wanderer bicycle, a Panzerfaust and an assault rifle and was sent to fight the US Army on the Western Front. His decorations included the Panzer Assault Badge and the Iron Cross Second Class. Robert Forczyk has a PhD in International Relations and National Security from the University of Maryland and a strong background in Asian and European military history. He retired as a lieutenant colonel from the US Army Reserves after serving as an armour officer, then as an intelligence officer. Dr. Forczyk has worked for three decades in the defense field and currently serves as a cybersecurity consultant in the Washington DC area. As a military historian, his primary interest is in combat operations in Eastern Europe from 1914 to 1945.