Otto Carius Passed Away

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Hello everyone,

on 24.1.2015, one of the last surviving well-known Tiger commanders, Otto Carius, passed away after a short, but serious illness.

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Otto Carius was a German tanker ace of WW2, fighting on the Panzer 38t, Tiger and finally the Jagdtiger. It is estimated that during the war, Carius’ crew managed to knock out 150 enemy vehicles and many more soft targets and AT guns. He survived the fighting and after the war, he opened a pharmacy called Tiger-Apotheke, that exists to this day. He is best known for writing a book of his memories about fighting on the Tiger, called “Tigers in the mud”.

Rest in peace.

189 thoughts on “Otto Carius Passed Away”

  2. Oh no!
    I put off getting one of his autographed books for far too long. Its sad to see a vet pass away, unless they were SS. Letting them die free is sad for different reasons.

  3. I can recommend you all to read ”Tigers in the Mud” a fantastic insight in the mind and experience of a ”normal soldier”.

    • …ok, just downloading it, didnt read a book for some time :) (yes WZ111, thats your fault:))

    • One guy said ‘one less nazi, who cares’ and instantly a sh1t storm of users demands a ban. Another guy calls this man a ‘hero’ and everything is silent …
      This really is a cesspool of latent nazism.

        • Ask any combat survivor if they were a hero and they will say no. They will tell you the heroes are the honored dead who gave their lives…irregardless of which side they fought on.

        • Do me a favor and read up on Field Marshall Erwin Rommel.. he’s certainly a hero and he fought for the Third Reich. Not every German was a Nazi, and they didn’t have a choice to not join the army.

          I have a much greater respect for men like Rommel who fought for their country despite the political situation than for men like the draft evaders of the early 1960s. Understand history before you make ignorant comments disrespecting men who have just died.

          Rest in Peace Otto Carius, you will forever be remembered as a great soldier and kind man.

            • He had to be in order to occupy the minor, completely non-important role of FUCKING FIELD MARSHAL!

              Oh, and guess what – Nazis are the cause of Rommel’s death.

              Professional soldiers like Carius or Rommel did NOT fight for a political party that briefly ruled (by pure totalitarianism) a country, but for said country itself.

        • So Russians are heroes then? Not all Germans were Nazis you idiot. Just fought like normal soldiers of any other country. Lack of respect is clear.

      • You 2 must be brain dead… this man died and now you two debate about what he did over 60 years ago… back then, he was just “another soldier”… he wasn’t a nazi, he was a soldier of the Wehrmaht.(german army)..

        be quiet if you don’t know what you’re talking about,

            • Just as much as every Romanian drafted in WW2 was a Legionnaire or a fascist…

              God, the level of idiocy on FTR is off the fucking charts.

          • “One of the most criminal armies in history”

            You’re confusing the Wehrmacht with the “glorious & liberating” Red Army.

          • Ever heard of the Red Army? World of Tanks as a game glorifies the Red Army, you can even paint ‘For Stalin’ on your tank.

          • I suggest you look up war crimes of uncle Joseph and the Red Army (From the Murder of Polish army officers to the rapes and plundering of the German people)

            Then there is Eisenhower; classifying all German soldiers as Disarmed Enemy Forces (DEF) instead of POWs so that the POW rights and treatments did not apply to surrendered Germans.

            And then the biggest shit law of the post was era was “War-crimes were committed only by the Germans”

        • It’s you who is brain dead.
          And if you do not understand what I or blacklupos wrote or why you should be quiet.

          • You are a moron… because me and others wrote “rest in peace” to a war veteran, this is nazism to you?

            Looking at your nickname.. ye, you do think like a redneck.. Better change it to Ted Nugent…

            • You really did not understand a word i wrote ..
              Also love the ad hominem attacks makes you look exactly as stupid as you really are.

              • You are stupid, aren’t you? :)
                You wrote that because Ferd. wrote “one less nazi” we demand a ban…
                Of course we do, the man WASN’T a Nazi..

                Do you understand that or should I write in dumbass language for you?

                • He fought for germany which was lead by nazi government. Weither he was a nazi or not is open for interpretation since he joined the army out of free will. Just like those rebells fighting in syria can either be called freedom fighters or terrorists. Neverless they fight for something bigger.

                  Also you cant demand anything as long as we are living in the westen world with freedom of expression, expression that so many of you hold dear as long as its “cartoons”…

      • You can wrongfully call someone a hero, I won’t bat an eye.
        You disrespect the death of someone by wrongfully calling him a Nazi, under the pretense that he was German, so a Nazi, I’m calling you a dumbass for it.

        It’s not Nazism to call a fucktard a fucktard, and ignore someone who says something naive.

        • Do you guys even read?? Where did I call Otto Caruis a nazi? Please show me.
          When somebody does not understand the simplest of sentences that is when i cry idiot.

            • My problem was with the word ‘hero’ that is why i chose to reply to that man and not to the posts under F.Porsche. If you can not understand anything it is maybe time to go to bed.

            • Troll because of what? What is exactly troll with what I have said other than some bad joker here and there? Let me guess you probably were on the “other” side of war…

            • let me quote you: ”You disrespect the death of someone by wrongfully calling him a Nazi, under the pretense that he was German, so a Nazi, I’m calling you a dumbass for it.”
              I did not disrespect anyone. I did not write under any of the posts that say RIP. Any! If you are commenting on FPorsche post leave me out of it.

              • “You” not bein directed at you in person, but as a figure of speech.
                Which you could have understood from context, had you tried to understand the words, rather than react to them instantly.

              • But you need to understand that you used F.Porsche’s post as an example in your post and used that to claim that the majority of us here to have “latent nazism” just because they went all ham on F.Porsche’s post and demanding that he gets ban, which he deserves, while leaving DamageHigh’s alone. In which case, all that DamageHigh did was just show his respect to a soldier that he saw was a hero and you got on to the guy just because he used the word “hero” for a German tank commander and didn’t get shit on for it.

      • Otto was drafted in. He fought for the regular army. Many of us can appreciate his professionalism. The “person” who stated one less nazi, shows his ignorance in that Otto was never a party member or a member of the Waffen SS. To exclaim that there is a cesspool of latent nazism is very short sighted. Otto was a tanker, a panzerman, and surprise fucking surprise this is a sight that discusses tanks, and games about tanks. Whatever next? Cheese in a cheese shop?

  10. RIP.

    I bet alienated germans spit on his grave for all that we have no bussiness with WW2 sht.

  11. This is so sad. I wrote him couple months ago about a signature. He was very very nice. He accidenetely destroyed two of my photos of him so he picked up his own and signed these. I wanted to meet him but he was ill so I posponed the meeting til the summer of this year …

  15. SS, what the fuck is up with the double standard of the readers here? A rapist Russian dies? “LOL it doesn’t matter, anyone fighting for their county is a hero! He can rape my sister and I won’t mind”

    An amazing German tank commander who was never affiliated with the SS dies? “One less nazi kek”

    Ruhe in Frieden our unsung hero.

    • I think Silent is busy with historical articles like he said. Otherwise he would be checking the comments..

      But ye, I agree how some bastards can’t even be respectfull to somebody who just died :/

      • These two comments put together really do prove your intelligence. Do you even read what people write? guess not .. too busy being a nazi.

        • Please leave troll, your cave is waiting for you :)

          If you are too retarded to respect the death of a war veteran and are too busy with falsely accusing people of being a Nazi, I can’t help you :)

          • Is it possible that you really do not see the irony in your post above? Is it? And if someone is calling a russian soldier a ‘rapist’ and a german soldier an ‘unsung hero’ i think i have grounds to belive that he is in fact a nazi.

            • So I guess you judge everyone based on stereotypes that have no basis in reality Primus? Every German a Nazi, really? That’s akin to saying every Frenchman a coward, every Russian a drunk, and every American fat.

              Please read about history and understand that your generalizations are false before making ignorant comments.

              • What is wrong with you dude? Where did i write that every german is a nazi? where???!! I did specifically write that O. Carius was NOT a nazi! go look through the posts. You do not understand the most simple of logic. Please re-read my comment. Maybe you will find what i was talking about.

            • You really really do not understand english. Re-read pls. If it still seems to make sense you are an idiot.

          • Hey Emp, could you tell Primus that I believe any soldier who fought valiantly for their country is worthy is praise? Hell, I’m Korean, and I don’t hate all Japanese people just cause of Unit 710.

            I would tell him myself, but my parents taught me not to talk to animals. thanks mate!

            • When did he said anything bad bout him? All he said that he souldn’t be called a Hero. You guys really need to learn to read… it’s not that hard.

            • any soldier except for that ‘russian rapist’ right? gotcha. And demoting someone to an animal because you do not agree with him seems exactly what a nazi would do. Blacks, jews, gypsys all are animals right? How about asians?

  17. I’ve just recently started reading Tigers in the mud. R.I.P., Mr Carius, you were a warrior, legend, and above all else, a gentleman. See you in Valhalla.

  18. RIP Otto.

    And to all the morons saying “1 nazi less”, he was a simple soldier that was fighting to get himself and his comrades home alive. And if you actually read one of his books, you will know that he didn’t like the Nazi regime at all. Idiots.

    • If he didn’t like the nazi regime, he should avoid enlisted and act against the regime, not fight for it. I’m sorry, but the argument of “He was a simple soldier that follow orders” is not a good one.

        • All u have is insults? men…

          Now read what i write very carefully, (if u can read): We didn’t call him a nazi, but we are against the idea of glorifying the german soldiers for “fighting for their country”. They knew what the nazi regime is, and what it does. No one can be that naive.

      • Because the Nazi regime handed out pamphlets about their death camps, and informed its citizens weekly on what warcrimes they intended to break, right?

        Because with your argument, we should also condemn all Vichy Frenchmen, all Czechs, Romanians, Hungarians, etc…as Nazi sympathizers.

  19. Rest in hell. When I read about that the nazi not germans fight for hitler it gets me trail. Yes that germans burn people in camp! there is not a country called nazi for the god sake

    • Oh yeah so where the hell are you from? i bet i find some nasty shit about your country too, but lets generalize, makes it easier for some retards like you.

      man i did again dont feed the god damn trolls…

      Ruhe in Frieden Otto

      • yeah another german troll kid that thinks he learn real history from german books. very sad…

        • maybe some should tell you comics aren’t books, sounds like thats where your education comes from…

          i feel pity for you brat,

          • ur stupidity is bigger that I expected, physically i can’t go down to your level to lead a discussion with you

            • You can call me what ever you want, i dont care. You showed already your lack of respect, knowledge and maturity.
              Just a spoilt brat.

              Was juckst die dt Eiche, wenn das Wildschwein sich an ihr reibt =D

              • That is terrible how germans kids are filled up of shit. Yes ur grampa was killing innocent peole with plesure and he is a liar if He spoke otherwise

        • In other news, every US and Commonwealth soldier is now a war criminal for having bombed Dresden. After all, they should have stopped fighting and deserted when their leaders decided to firebomb a city, right? RIGHT?

        • I know you are just a bad Troll and i would really like to know from which countries history books you learned.

          But as a german myself i can tell you, that i didnt learned history in school just from written textes, but from origin sources from different sides, which we read and, after that, debated and discussed together about different possibilitys on how they can be seen and interpreted in different times and different mindsets or knowledge base.

          Please dont write stupid words, about things you dont know.

          Also, RiP Otto Carius – (neither a Nazi nor a Hero, but a well known and “legendary Tanker”, that should recieve the respect he deserved)

    • There was a political party called Nazional-Socialism (or however the fuck you write it in German) that ruled Germany, by force.

      You’re basically saying that everyone unfortunate enough to living under that regime deserves to “rest in hell”, regardless of what he or she did.

      God, some people really do carry a illegal life permit!

      • One could have always performed below the call of duty or even desert (if the situation allowed it) if he was opposed to fighting for the Nazis. Those who “were proud to serve and just fought for Germany” were legit targets to be shot on the battlefield and remain targets to be dissed.

        • Yes, and if anybody think only German WW2 army actually did that … well you are greatly mistaken.

          Killing the deserters were standard practice for every army in the world in the past! Even the all-mighty army US of A and UK & Commonwealth Forces are not innocent on that part!

    • I can’t tell if this comment is intentionally disrespectful or if dONMis is just ignorant…

      Rest in Peace Otto Carius, great soldier caught in the wrong regime.

  21. The problem with ppl like this guy dying is that Germany globally was a “bad” side in WW2. They started the war, they murdered jews’n’other ppl, they were the “cancer”. For some countries the same applies to Russia

    However for Germans the USA/UK/Russia were the “bad” countries

    Anyway – the base thing to remember is that the only thing a soldier can do in war is to follow orders. Not every german soldier was a hard-minded nazi that would only think about murdering ppl espec jews. Not every russian soldier was hard-minded communist that blindly loved Stalin. I know from my grandma stories that some german soldiers helped their family a lil bit when the occupation of Poland started, eg they were giving the children all leftovers from meals

    TL:DR – I know nothing about Carius and his political views and I dont want to know but overall you know..hmm…how to say it…
    If a guy that was a mere soldier fighting in the war dies, its a different then death for eg a nazi war criminal like Göring

    People should watch more war movies, lots of them show the opposite side soldiers as a regular mere people that were forced to go into war because their “leaders” said so. Blah, even some american movies do that and we all know how ‘muricans are

  23. The man’s body didn’t even go cold yet and there are already people dragging his name through the mud. A real shame. Not every person that fought in the Third Reich was a Nazi. Most of them were scared for their families and forcefully conscripted. Show some respect.

    Ruhe in Frieden Otto. o7

  26. I don’t know why a lot of people discriminate people’s who fight in wars, like Otto Carius. As to be clearly if you did not want to fight against the enemy, you become your own enemy because in WW1-WW2 time were executed if not do what you’re superior told. So shut the fuck up with racism.

    • Are you really surprised? Most people who read FTR are middle school ignorants who think the world operates in binary values. Don’t know where’s the racism though. The term is so overused and used wrongly it deepens my disgust for leftist scum.

      • Yeah that’s not racism since no one is attacking him for being white. But I know what you mean

    • He didn’t fight “for the Nazis”, he fought for Germany.

      And if you’re too retarded to see the difference, I really am sorry for you.

      • And who was in charge in Germany at that time? Well, the Nazis, people who not only wanted to process “subhumans” into soap and other commodities, but also killed countless Germans who were opposed to the Fascist regime. Ergo that argument “he was just fighting for Germany” has little value, if any. Even if he wasn’t able to desert, he could always have performed bellow the call of duty (or surrender at the first opportunity, not when the war ended). Did he do any of that? If not, he doesn’t deserve any respect apart from the recognition that he was a talented tank commander.

    • an untalented loser who posts on ftr who is a waste of human refuge – Good riddance!

  30. To all you generalizing retards who are spamming the comment section with baseless accusations and self-righteous opinions, here are some FACTS:
    1. You were not there, therefore you have no right to judge. Reading about something in a book or watching a dumb movie doesn’t make you experience what it was like. Everyone can point fingers and be morally superior in hindsight, it’s the easiest thing in the world. It also shows how fucking dumb you are, relying on others to shape your opinions and tell you what you should think.
    2. Whether the guy was nazi or not, whether he was right or wrong, good or bad – it doesn’t matter now. The only facts that remain are that he’s dead now, he fought like a boss and he was cooler than you ever will be. And that’s why people will remember him. Not you.

  33. Now cracks a noble heart. Good-night, sweet prince;
    And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.
    ;_;7

  35. Maybe he was fighting for the wrong side from today’s perspective, but he fought for his country and he fought bravely. He was patriot and hero, so please, stop the spineless, cowardly hate towards him just because he served in WH.

    World just lost another great man.

    May he rest in peace.

  37. I love FTR, read most of the posts, and dont comment.
    But when i see so many rage here, from people that love tanks and tank games, I wonder why.
    Please let all brave men that gave their life for their home rest in peace.

    We that remain after all those brave men around the world should respect every battle they fought and every sacrifice they took.
    So please, we that love tanks and hope that they will remain forever just in games and in museums, please, respect every soldier in WW II and WW I, blame presidents, dictators… but respect soldiers.

    And we can argue about interpretations of events, of vehicles, battles, but soldiers leave them out, let them rest in peace, just like Otto Carius, RIP.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Nz0qPRxKvU
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjHkm-h_IJo

    • I have his book and i think he was lucky to have such a long life.
      Btw. SS-waffen units were almost always brave elite squads, but their reputation has suffered lot by (victorious) allied countries… If only americans, they will be treated better than marines…
      In war there is always a lot of “misbehavior” by all sides, so play WoT, not war.

  42. apology for poor english
    when were you when Otto Carius dies?
    i was sat at home eating butter when pjotr ring

    ‘Ottois kill’
    ‘no’

  44. Ahaha so many angry people reacting on my comment. Listen he maybe was a good man but he still fought for the 3rd kingdom, it is what it is. Also I find it funny that the very same people who defent freedom of speech and “charlie hebdo” demand that I should be banned just because of an opinion?

    If people believe in freedom of expression nobody should be banned, specially since SS hold this human right dear to his heart.

    • Well I’d rather keep you around so I can continue to have someone to disagree with on here, since you are not as revolting as say Daemonik =3

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