When I was little, around 8 years old, my father introduced me to Hans who worked with him as an engineer. Hans was a Germany infantryman and in the Winter of 43 he spied two Russian Tanks. He went back to the platoon and got authorization for two rounds and the antitank weapon. Hans said he was so excited because if you knocked out a Russian tank you got a one week pass to Berlin, from where he was born... and he knew he was looking at two weeks home! Hans fired one round into the first tank and it exploded. He said he knew he had to hurry because they had soldiers around the tanks now returning fire. He loaded the antitank (Panzerfaust) with the second round and fired it,,, and just as it should have hit the tank a Russian soldier stood up and took the round in the chest. Hans only got one tank and lost the Panzerfaust in his retreat as he was alone and under small arms fire. Once his Battalion confirmed the tank kill Hans got his week in Berlin (that was the last time he saw his family ever again). Old Hans was a funny guy but he only told me that story to get the small kid (me) from liking war due to TV! I remember Hans retired long before my dad and at some point they drew down the department where all the engineers worked - Dad and “PHD” remained as the only staff for about 15 years after that. I never forget Hans telling the story to me, and that he would not tell me a single thing else except war is a terrible thing, and worst when you are doing the shooting and have no family when it ends.
Amazing story. I can remember as a kid how war was glamorized on tv. Hans must have been quite a guy!
Panzershrek was the multi-use AT launcher.