Italy and return to the Eastern Front
The LSSAH was sent to the region of Italy known as the Po River Plain and tasked with suppressing partisan activities and protecting vital infrastructure from sabotage. Neither of these functions were suitable for a division of heavy armored vehicles, but the presence of the SS symbol and the division’s reputation were considered to be ominous by potential saboteurs.
The division was involved with numerous fire-fights with Italian partisans until the surrender of Italy, when it was assigned to disarm Italian military units in the area. Many of the Italian units resisted and several engagements occurred between the Germans and their former Allies. The battles between Italian troops, partisans, and Germans led to multiple killings of civilians and to the capture and execution of Italian Jews by several units of the LSSAH.
Wittmann was present with the LSSAH during the period of the German “occupation” in Italy, serving both as a unit commander and as an instructor, training newly arrived personnel in their duties and in what to expect when the division returned to the Eastern Front.
As the LSSAH rebuilt its strength in Italy it was reformed as the 1St Panzer Division SS Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler. The division remained in Italy through the summer and early fall, continuing to operate in anti-partisan activities, through which it enhanced its reputation for ruthlessness.
By late October 1943 the division was determined to be again combat ready, although not yet at full strength on paper, and was ordered back to the Eastern Front where German strength was deteriorating. Wittmann and the rest of the division were assigned to the 4th Panzer army on the Eastern Front.