Otto Kalis was Germany's number one tank ace in World War II, setting a record for destroying 170 allied tanks, and was called the last "Tiger King". 1960, Kalis also published a war memoir called "Tiger in the Mud", telling the experience of fighting with his comrades and the misery and helplessness of the war. This war memoir was also adapted into a comic book of the same name by Japanese animator Miyazaki Hayao.
Life story:
1, 1922 On May 27th, Kalis was born in a small town in southwest Germany. After graduating from high school, Kalis wants to take the college entrance examination and go to college. But with the outbreak of World War II, Kalis decided to join the army. Because of his low weight, his request to be a soldier was rejected several times, but he still didn't give up.
1940 In May, after unremitting efforts, 18-year-old Kalius was finally drafted into the army, but he was incorporated into the infantry battalion that he was not interested in, instead of the chariot battalion that he wanted to enter. However, after military training in the infantry battalion, he was finally successfully transferred to the chariot battalion and incorporated into the 2 1 armored regiment, becoming a loading gunner of the Czech 38 tank.
1943, after selection and training, Kalius, who was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant, officially became the commander of the "Tiger I" tank of the 502nd heavy tank battalion. At the same time, because of the fierce situation, he took over the command of Company 2 as soon as he took office.
2. The most famous battle of Kalis' life took place in1July 22nd, 944, in the village of Shuirenwa.
At that time, forced by the powerful offensive of the Soviet Union, Kalius led the 2nd Company of the 502nd Heavy Tank Battalion to fight in Marinerwa Village, but there were only five Tiger I tanks in the whole company. At that time, the vanguard of Soviet tanks had arrived in the village, fearing to startle them. Kalis only used two Tiger I's to disrupt the Soviet formation in a quick and unexpected way. The tank 2 17 he was riding took the lead, followed by another tank 2 13. After hearing the sound of the tank, the Soviet army quickly turned the turret to aim at No.217. Unexpectedly, the yellowbird was behind-the No.213 tank behind it "paralyzed" them on the side of the road with two consecutive shots. Finally, they destroyed 17 Soviet tanks, and Kalius destroyed 10 by himself.
Under the complete disadvantage, the "Tiger I" tank commanded by Kalis not only won a great victory, but also became famous in World War I without losing a tank. Two days after the Battle of Mariner Wa Village, Kalis took an ordinary vehicle for reconnaissance. As a result, he was ambushed by the Soviet Union and was shot six times, but he survived.
3. Due to serious injuries, Kalis rested until June 1945, and returned to the battlefield to take part in the task of defending the Rhine, but faced with the Anglo-American Coalition forces. Kalis is witty and flexible, and his tactics are flexible. By the end of World War II, he had destroyed about 170 allied tanks and 130 anti-aircraft guns, becoming the trump card of German tiger tanks during World War II.
4.1in April, 945, Germany surrendered to the allied forces on the eve of its defeat. After receiving the surrender order from the superior, Kalius immediately led his men to destroy the remaining chariots and surrender to the US military. After World War II, the surrendered Kalis was released in 1946. The veteran fought for his country's aggressive regime in World War II, and there were countless casualties behind his record. Regretting the brutal battlefield killing experience, the veteran decided to become an ordinary drugstore owner to save lives. In order to commemorate the tiger chariot he commanded, this drugstore is called "Tiger" and opened in the German town of Bedsheim.
After World War II, he became an ordinary drugstore owner in a small town in Germany because of his long-term inner suffering and saving his life. He is not only the owner of the pharmacy, but also the chief pharmacist of the pharmacy.
65438+1October 24, Kalis "left". War is the sorrow of mankind. With the death of the last "Tiger King" in World War II, I hope that war will be forgotten by history forever.