Otto Carius facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Otto Carius
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Propaganda postcard of Otto Carius, 1944
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| Born | 27 May 1922 Zweibrücken, Weimar Republic |
| Died | 24 January 2015 (aged 92) Herschweiler-Pettersheim, Germany |
| Allegiance |  Nazi Germany |
| Service/ |
Army |
| Years of service | 1940–45 |
| Rank |  Oberleutnant |
| Unit | 502nd Heavy Panzer Battalion 512th Heavy Panzerjäger Battalion |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves |
| Other work | Pharmacist |
Otto Carius (born May 27, 1922 – died January 24, 2015) was a German tank commander during World War II. He served in the German Army. Carius fought on the Eastern Front in 1943 and 1944. He also fought on the Western Front in 1945.
He is known as a "panzer ace". This means he was a very skilled tank commander. Some sources say he destroyed over 150 enemy tanks. Carius himself said he had about 100 or fewer "kills". He received a very high award called the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.
Otto Carius in World War II
Otto Carius finished school in 1940. This was one year after World War II began. He tried to join the army but was turned down twice. They thought he was too light. Finally, he was accepted into the infantry. Later, he chose to join the tank division. His father had called tanks "metal deathtraps."
In 1943, Carius joined the 502nd Heavy Panzer Battalion. This was a special unit with powerful tanks. He fought in the northern parts of the Eastern Front. This was a major battle area in Eastern Europe.
In early 1945, Carius became the commander of a Jagdtiger company. A Jagdtiger was a very large tank destroyer. His unit was the 512th Heavy Panzerjäger Battalion. They were fighting on the Western Front. On March 8, 1945, his company defended Siegburg. They tried to stop American forces from crossing the Rhine River.
Eventually, his unit was surrounded. To prevent the enemy from getting their tanks, he ordered them destroyed. He then surrendered to the US Army on May 7, 1945. He was released from being a prisoner on May 21, 1945.
Carius is famous for destroying many enemy tanks. Most of his tank victories happened on the Eastern Front. He wrote in his book that his gunner once shot down a Soviet plane. It was an IL-2 attacking their Tiger I tank. They used the tank's main 88mm gun. This happened in late 1943.
Later Life and Book
After the war, Otto Carius went to Heidelberg University. He studied to become a pharmacist. He opened his own pharmacy. He named it "Tiger Apotheke," which means "Tiger Pharmacy." This was a tribute to the powerful Tiger tanks he commanded.
In 1960, Carius wrote a book about his wartime experiences. It was called "Tigers in the Mud." This book was even made into a manga by Hayao Miyazaki. Carius continued to run his pharmacy until he retired in 2011. He passed away on January 24, 2015, at 92 years old.
Awards and Recognition
Otto Carius received several military awards for his service:
- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (September 15, 1942) & 1st Class (November 23, 1943)
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Knight's Cross on May 4, 1944
- 535th Oak Leaves on July 27, 1944
- Panzer Badge in Silver 2nd Grade (July 15, 1944) & 3rd Grade (September 1, 1944)
- Wound Badge in Black (July 8, 1941), in Silver (December 15, 1943) & in Gold (September 11, 1944)
See also
In Spanish: Otto Carius para niños
- Michael Wittmann
- Kurt Knispel
