SS-Sturmmann DERKA SPITZER
awards: |
Tank Destruction Badge in Silver: 22. Sep. 1941
Infanterie Assault Badge in Silver: 22. Sep. 1941 |
promotions: |
SS-Schutze: 18. Sep. 1939
SS-Oberschutze: 18. Jul. 1940 SS-Sturmmann: 22. Sep. 1941 |
Derka Spitzer was born in Holzkirchen in 1917, and like many of his classmates of Gymnasium Holzkirchen, he ended up in the SS, serving in the SS-Division "Totenkopf". Prior to his enlistment, Derka was a very popular local musician. He played music in bars and hotels to pay his rent as he left his home at age 17. His mother had re-married and he never saw eye to eye with his step-father. He was a troubled youth and seemed to find himself on the wrong side of the law several times. Joining the SS was his attempt to leave his life of trouble behind.
Spitzer came into the Division as a new recruit while the unit was forming in the Fall of 1939. Not a fan of Theodor Eicke in the beginning, he found that he had a bit of a problem with authority. However, as the unit began to get into more intensive training, he began to enjoy himself and turned into quite an excellent soldier.
He served in 2. Kompanie during France, and his opinions on Theodor Eicke changed, when he followed the General across a bridge on the Le Blassee Canal. The Divisional commander ordered 2. Kompanie to lead the assault across the bridge, and he led the charge himself firing his pistol. He earned the respect of a lot of men that day.
Following the French campaign, Spitzer was promoted to SS-Oberschutze and attached to the Division Staff, playing music at parties for the officers. Once again training picked up, and he knew he would soon be in combat again, and this time it would be in Russia. His nerves, stretched from his combat in France began to waver as he looked to the desolate future in the East.
Derka rolled into Russia with the rest of the Totenkopfdivision as part of 'Operation Barbarossa'. Still an SS-Schutze and a rifleman, he served through some of the toughest fighting the Division had seen yet. In July, he participated in the assault on the Stalin Line, and managed to survive without being wounded like many of his comrades.
In September, 1941 the men of 2./SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiment 1. were in the area around Lushno, as part of their advance on Leningrad. On September 20, the men of 2. Kompanie had stopped and dug in, coming into heavy enemy resistance. The men dug in, and the next day, were assaulted by Soviet Infantry and Armored units. Having no Anti-Tank weapons, the men of 2. Kompanie improvised with what they had on hand, which consisted of satchel charges, bundle grenades, and a few Tellermines.
Around Noon on the 21st, a lone T-34 came lumbering over a wall of brush, heading straight for the Totenkopf positions. SS-St.Ojk. Zoepf ordered Spitzer to arm his Tellermine and rush the T-34 and toss the mine on the tracks. Spitzer, and two other man rushed towards the tank, as the rest of the Kompanie fired supporting fire at the Soviet infantry. The two men with Spitzer tossed stick grenades ahead of their run, killing the men surrounding the tank, before each of them were killed. Spitzer managed to get through, and throw the mine on the treads, and get away before it blew.
This disabled the T-34, and it's crew attempted to escape but were cut down. Spitzer barely made it back to his Kompanie, but returned with much praise from his Zugfuhrer and comrades.
In a few days days, he was awarded the Tank Destruction Badge, the first one to go to 2. Kompanie, and he was promoted to the rank of SS-Sturmmann. He was also awarded the Infanterie Assault Badge in Silver.
The day after that he was back in combat with the men of 2. Kompanie, pushing towards the Russian city of Demjansk.
Spitzer came into the Division as a new recruit while the unit was forming in the Fall of 1939. Not a fan of Theodor Eicke in the beginning, he found that he had a bit of a problem with authority. However, as the unit began to get into more intensive training, he began to enjoy himself and turned into quite an excellent soldier.
He served in 2. Kompanie during France, and his opinions on Theodor Eicke changed, when he followed the General across a bridge on the Le Blassee Canal. The Divisional commander ordered 2. Kompanie to lead the assault across the bridge, and he led the charge himself firing his pistol. He earned the respect of a lot of men that day.
Following the French campaign, Spitzer was promoted to SS-Oberschutze and attached to the Division Staff, playing music at parties for the officers. Once again training picked up, and he knew he would soon be in combat again, and this time it would be in Russia. His nerves, stretched from his combat in France began to waver as he looked to the desolate future in the East.
Derka rolled into Russia with the rest of the Totenkopfdivision as part of 'Operation Barbarossa'. Still an SS-Schutze and a rifleman, he served through some of the toughest fighting the Division had seen yet. In July, he participated in the assault on the Stalin Line, and managed to survive without being wounded like many of his comrades.
In September, 1941 the men of 2./SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiment 1. were in the area around Lushno, as part of their advance on Leningrad. On September 20, the men of 2. Kompanie had stopped and dug in, coming into heavy enemy resistance. The men dug in, and the next day, were assaulted by Soviet Infantry and Armored units. Having no Anti-Tank weapons, the men of 2. Kompanie improvised with what they had on hand, which consisted of satchel charges, bundle grenades, and a few Tellermines.
Around Noon on the 21st, a lone T-34 came lumbering over a wall of brush, heading straight for the Totenkopf positions. SS-St.Ojk. Zoepf ordered Spitzer to arm his Tellermine and rush the T-34 and toss the mine on the tracks. Spitzer, and two other man rushed towards the tank, as the rest of the Kompanie fired supporting fire at the Soviet infantry. The two men with Spitzer tossed stick grenades ahead of their run, killing the men surrounding the tank, before each of them were killed. Spitzer managed to get through, and throw the mine on the treads, and get away before it blew.
This disabled the T-34, and it's crew attempted to escape but were cut down. Spitzer barely made it back to his Kompanie, but returned with much praise from his Zugfuhrer and comrades.
In a few days days, he was awarded the Tank Destruction Badge, the first one to go to 2. Kompanie, and he was promoted to the rank of SS-Sturmmann. He was also awarded the Infanterie Assault Badge in Silver.
The day after that he was back in combat with the men of 2. Kompanie, pushing towards the Russian city of Demjansk.
DISCLAIMER: 2. Kompanie is a non-political organization We do not support naziism, or fascism. We are not associated with nor do we condone the actions of the Third Reich or the actual 3.SS Division.
