It all started when I was very young, about six years old or so. I began to have very vivid dreams. I was always fighting in these dreams, in a strange vehicle with tracks. I didn't know what these dreams meant, if anything. I put them in the back of my mind and carried on.
As I went through school I always had an interest in everything that was about war, specifically World War Two. It was always the German side that I felt close to. Sometimes certain events seemed very familiar to me and I seemed to have an understanding about the war before I even studied it. After I graduated I decided to keep track of the dreams and to write down what I could remember.
When I managed to get a lot written down I decided to begin to research WWII and try to place the images with pictures and events that actually happened. Well! That was ten years ago and it has been quite a ride since then!
I have not used any regression or hypnosis to bring back my memories. I have used my dreams and any visions or feelings that I get when I do my research. Pictures, places and events from books that I have read often trigger memories in me when I see or read about them.
It has been a very difficult process trying to determine who I was and what unit I belonged to. There were so many units that served in World War Two. From using all my visions and memories of battles I have been able to place the unit I belonged to. This is because there is only one Panzer unit in the entire German Army that fought in all the battles that I have memories and scenes of.
It has almost been a process of elimination trying to determine the exact unit. I have used symbols on vehicles that I remember to assist me. I ruled out many other units that did not use these symbols and were not present at certain battles. Sometimes I ran into the situation where several units were at the same battle. When this happened, I researched the battle and the unit's participation in the battle. I looked for scenes and events that matched my memories and was then able to find the unit that I was with.
After much hard work I have come to the conclusion that I was a Panzer Commander of the 1st SS Panzer Division "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler". I believe that I volunteered for the Waffen SS sometime soon after or maybe perhaps before World War Two began. I do not have very many memories of the early part of the war but it is possible that I actually began my career as a member of the 2nd SS Panzer Division "Das Reich" and later transferred to the "Leibstandarte". I believe I transferred to the "Leibstandarte" sometime in 1942.
My most vivid memories of my career as a Panzer Commander begin in 1943. I remember the battles around the city of Kharkov on the Eastern Front in February and March of 1943. I remember the battles in the Kursk area in July of 1943. I have many scenes and images of the battle of Prokhorovka, which took place during this battle.
I also remember several other battles on the Eastern Front. The battles around Zhitomir in November and December of 1943, battles around Berditchev in January of 1944, the battles to relieve the Cherkassy Pocket in February of 1944 and the battles in the Kamenets-Podolsk Pocket in March and April of 1944.
My past life also fought in the Campaigns on the Western Front. In June of 1944, after D-Day, the Panzer Commander who I was went to Normandy with the "Leibstandarte". I have recollections of the battles in Normandy as well. The counter-attack from Bourgebus Ridge during Operation Goodwood in July of 1944, the counter-attack from the Mortain area in August of 1944, encirclement in the Falaise Pocket and the escape from the Falaise Pocket in August of 1944. I also have a few memories of the battles around the Aachen area in October and many images of the Ardennes Offensive in December of 1944.
My research is not finished yet and there are still many gaps and holes to fill in. I may never find out everything that I wish to know. I still do not know who I was but there are some clues. Sometimes, I think I have heard the name "Heinz", "Helmuth" or "Ritter" or something along those lines, but I am still unsure. I do not know if the person speaking is addressing me or not. I have seen many pictures of my former comrades. I recognize them from my images. The men that I can remember fighting alongside are:
Heinz Kling, Helmet Wendorff, Michael Wittmann, Max Wünsche, Jochen Peiper, Kurt Meyer, Herbert Kuhlmann, Werner Poetschke and some others who I have not been able to name yet. For a small period of time I believed that I may have been one of these men but I have ruled out that possibility for several factors. It is clear to me that I served with all of these men at various times during the war. All of these men served in the Panzer Regiment of the "Leibstandarte" or with Kampfgruppe that included a Panzer element.
I believe that I was a fairly successful Panzer Commander, well, that is until my death, which I believe was a short time before the war ended. I have reason to believe that I won many awards such as the Iron Cross First and Second Class, Panzer Battle Badge, Wound Badge and possibly the Knight’s Cross but I am unsure of that one. I remember many award ceremonies but it is difficult to tell if I am a recipient or if I am merely just present at the ceremony.
I do not believe that I achieved a very high rank. I do remember that I was promoted to become an officer but only a junior one. I only had responsibility at the company grade level. The highest rank I achieved I think would have been either an Untersturmführer or Obersturmführer. I think I was in my element leading a small group of Panzers, a Zug (platoon or troop) of 4 or 5 Panzers. Maybe sometimes a company of 14-17 Panzers. But only small groups like that. Never an entire Abteilung or Regiment. Most of the time I probably just led my own tank and crew.
So, I know what some people may be thinking. A past life as a member of the Waffen SS Panzer Division "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler"? Almost unbelievable, I know! I do want to make it clear that I did not choose this past life. Some people have made comments before like "why?" as if I can choose. We cannot choose our past lives. If we could, I would choose to have been a King or Prince or something like that. The fact is that I was not one of these.
I was a Panzer Commander of the 1st SS Panzer Division "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler". I am not proud of the fact that I fought as a member of a unit that supported an evil regime. I am proud of the fact that my former comrades and I were very brave, courageous and excellent fighting soldiers. I am proud of being a part of a highly successful Panzer crew. I am also proud of the comradeship, the successful battles and the selfless sacrifice that we displayed.
I believe that we have a chance to learn from our past lives. Maybe that is why I can remember. Many characteristics can be passed on. I think that I am lucky because I hold some of the good qualities of my past life, such as Courage and Honour. Reincarnation is a long learning experience and we must learn in life after life. I have learned much and will continue to learn in this one and the next.
Wolftruppen