Origins & Early Life

Otto Carius (27 May 1922 – 24 January 2015) was a German tank commander in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He fought on the Eastern Front in 1943 and 1944 and on the Western Front in 1945. Carius is considered a "panzer ace", some sources credited him with destroying more than 150 enemy tanks, although Carius, in an interview claims he had around 100 kills or less. This was also due to the fact that he did not count kills as a commander, and rather only as a gunner.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. Carius graduated from school in 1940, a year after the Second World War started. He enlisted in the army and was accepted after twice being rejected for being underweight. He first served in the infantry before volunteering for the Panzer branch. His father called tanks "metal deathtraps." Carius was transferred to the 502nd Heavy Panzer Battalion in 1943 and fought in the northern Eastern Front.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

In early 1945 he was made commander of a Jagdtiger company of the 512th Heavy Anti-tank Battalion fighting on the Western Front. On 8 March 1945, the 2nd Company was directed to the front line near Siegburg, where it took part in the...

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