Born on 18th January 1919 in Ettal in Upper Bavaria, Michael was the son of a farmer at the age of 18 Michael volunteered for military service and was accepted into no 6 Kompanie ot the 2nd Bataillon,Gebrigsjäger Regiment 98 in Leggries .Michael serving as a MG gunner took part in the anex of Austria his regiment was then moved into Innsbruck they also took part in the occupation of the Sudetenland .April 1939 Michael was promoted to the rank of Unteroffizier and was the section leader in a anti tank platoon of number 16 kompanie as part of 1st Gebirgs Michaels division served on the southern sector of the polish front seeing action in the Carpathians. Earning distinction in the capture Dukla Pass near Sanok during this action Michael was awarded the EK II
The Western Campaign of 1940 saw the 1st Gebrigs division marching through Luxemburg,Belgium and in to France seeing action around Fumay,Hurson and the battle for the Aisne -Oise Canal around Caney-le-Chateau .
It was at Caney-le-Chateau that Michael eart himselt the EKI by leading his unit with great Elan when under enemy fire.
This was not the end of it for Michael as on the 6th June 1940 druing the attack on the Weygand Line at Juvigny the division was in combat against tanks ,during a counter attack by the allies the divisions flanks had come under attack by French tanks ,Michael and his unit went in to action to stop this Danger armed with little more than
gernades and satchel charges.With no reguard for his safety Michael stalked tank after tank after about 40 minuets he had knocked out 7 French tanks and disabled 4 others with lossies like this the counter attack slowed down then broke off this saved his endangered regiment.
For this action he was recomended for the Knights Cross this was awarded to him on the 19th July 1940 by Generalmajor Kubler the divisional commander Michael was promoted to Leutnant at the same time
Whith the end of the western Campaign the Division was earmarked for the Invasion of Great Britain (operation sealion) and also the proposed invasion of Gibraltar when these were cancelled the division took part in the fighting in Yugoslavia Michael was now an Oberleutnant
On the opening of Barbarossa Michael was the Company comander of 6 Kompanie which was the company he was in in 1937 as a private
The Kompanie served on the south-west sector of the front as ppart of Heergruppe sud they saw action at Jazow-Story(June) Winniza(July) Uman-Podwyssokoje (August) Antonowka in mid September,in late september saw them fighting at the great anti tank defences at Timoschewka with the attack on Mius-Diakowo in
October -November .This rounded of a very exhausting year for Michael and his unit as other units settled in to there winter positions Michael was tasked to raise a ski Kompanie
The first 2 months of 1942 Michael spent operating behind enemy lines attacking Supply lines they stayed behind the lines till a large German attack broke through Russian lines and they returned to the unit
During May the division was part of III Panzer Korps push toward Kharkov Michael was in charge of a spearhead company of the 2nd bataillon with this unit Micheal pushed through the heavily defended Russian positions to a depth of 16 km ,during this attack he was badly wounded and would spend up to 2 months in hospital before returning to the front
Taking part in Von Kleists Causcasus campaign and as the head of a reinforced company in part of Kampfgruppe Von Hirschfield they took part in the attack and capture of the Kluchar Pass cutting off the retreating Russians the took large amounts of weapons ,Materiel and prisoners
It was at the Kluchar Pass Micheal was given the task of joining a battle group of 3 small companys and to strike south to open the road to Suchum on the black sea ,Russian forcies were to strong and prevented them from making much progress during the fighting the Kampfgruppe was cut off and lost radio contact and eventually written off by the German command.After 5 days of beaing cut off the unit succeeded in a desperate breakout under the cover of darkness it took 3 more days before they were back in there own lines .The Russian commander of the troops fighting Michael would eventually become the Defence Minister Gretschkov
The division would take part in numerous actions during the retreat out of Caucasus in to the Criamea were it was moved to Yugoslavia for rest and refitduring its refit it saw action against partisans in Bosnia,Serbia,Montenegro and into Greece
With the Italian surrender to the Allies in September 1943 the division took part in the disarming of there former comrades,Michael on the 23/24 of September took part in the capture of Corfu,Before returning to the Greek main land were they took part in anti-partisan battles .For these actions Michael was awarded the German cross in Gold in the October of 43 he was promoted to Hauptmann and given command of the 1st bataillon of the regiment which served in Greece and Yugoslavia
October 1944 Michael was promoted and posted to command the II bataillon of 1128th Volks Grenadier Regiment that was part of the 578th Volks Grenadier Division serving in East Prussia near Allenstein.It was here during a independent relief attack Michael and his men Knocked out 42 russian heavy tanks,for this action he was recomended for the Oakleaves .On the 28th February 1945 he became the 759th soldier of the Wehrmacht to receive this honour ,also in the February he took comand of the 1128th Volks Grenadier Regiment it was in the March that he was wounded for the 7th time In May 1945 he received theClose Combat Clasp in Gold . Michael was still in hospital when the Americans took it
