Conveniently, these 'questions' seem to have proliferated after Ernst Barkmann's death. I knew Herr Barkmann personally, and, for what it's worth, I can tell you that he was, in his seventies, a modest, soft-spoken man, not given to boastfulness. Together with several fellow members of an elite US Army unit, I visited him at his home in Kisdorf in 1995. Later that year we were astonished when he accepted an invitation from one of us to go Elk hunting in eastern Oregon. Among my many photos of the latter event is one of Herr Barkmann paying his respects at the grave of Old Chief Joseph at Wallowa Lake, near the town of Joseph. Noting the oddity of the memorial listing two death dates (one on the brass plaque, a different year on the plinth), he wryly observed, "Poor guy, they killed him twice". Ernst Barkmann, like many Germans of his generation, was fascinated by the history of the American West and its indigenous peoples. Somewhere deep in the woods of Wallowa County, on a cold November night, Herr Barkmann declared thoughtfully, "This was my dream: to sit at a camp fire in the American West, in good company". Incidentally, no Elk were harmed during this hunting trip. When pressed on the idea that he should write a book about his wartime experiences, Herr Barkmann scoffed: "Who am I to write such a book? My friends in the veterans' association would laugh at me. And, besides, the real heroes lie buried in Russia". At some point in the 1990s an American painter of 'war art' asked Ernst Barkmann to sign prints of his depiction of 'Barkmann's Corner'. Barkmann declined, explaining, "Men died in those tanks". Ernst Barkmann's observations on soldiering resonated with we young men. When he opined, "Peacetime soldiering - it's okay. But war is better", we knew exactly in what spirit his remark was meant.
Interesting anecdote. Many Germans have a native american facination from Old Shatterhand novels film, TV shows (from German author Karl May - 200 million copies sold worldwide) which goes back to 19th century and carries on today.
Was he a hero.... a warrior....... A villain..... No he was a Lion like Many men war just revealed his character..... Respect must be sent his way and he must be honoured war didn't turn him in 2 a beast he didn't enjoy the fate of the brave young Americans burned up in those tanks But he was honest ... to him it was a game and he enjoyed it because he played well
@@TheAnglingOracle The German novelist Karl May made the American Indian the heroes in his novels and this had a big effect. Children in nazi Germany like to play Cowboy and Indian and preferred to be the Indian such was the influence of this. That was from my mother who was one of those children at about 8-9. She saw Patton's Sherman's cross the border from Czechoslovakia into her German village (about 4000 people) from her bed room window. She ran down to tell her grandfather who was with two SS officers who were there to compel the volksturm (ie 60-+ year old men dads army) to resist the Americans on penalty of death. Of course they would have been killed and achieved nothing. The Officers left immediately in a yellow sports car. The Americans left after a short occupation of East Germany and handed over to the Russians and the Germans had to suffer 45 years of Russian occupation and all the spying, betrays of friends and family and economic bungling that entailed. German society is still corrupted by it.
There is an impressive set of videos that cover a number of interesting topics. I've been subscribed for a number of years and have e moved most of not all of the videos Dr Felton has created.
Tychsen didn’t survive the Normandy campaign, having previously survived being wounded no less than nine times in combat, the tenth time he died after encountering an American tank while he was a passenger in a Kubelwagen. In addition to the knights cross, he also was awarded the oak leaves. Cats are alleged to have nine lives, and ironically, the tanks he commanded were also called “cats”. Seems he could have used one more life.
As if the Germans wouldn't have sent him back a 10th, 11th, 12th... time. They weren't big on retirement plans, you got used on the front until you became a casualty.
RIP to the brave men who died trying and failing to save humanity. And God help us to those who worked so hard to destroy all of our futures by being so gullible and easily deceived. RIP Brothers
Damn! He and his crew were absolute beasts in the face of such overwhelming odds coming at them from both the air and ground. Gotta respect his skill and tenacity.
I agree and on a side note...in the Ardennes he got separated at night and ended up driving his panther right in the middle of an American convoy. Just like he was another allied tank moving forward. He stated that GI's were cursing at him because he was mobile and they had to march..LOL! They finally noticed his green (instead of red) running lights and tried to open fire on him. He took out several more sherman's before his tank was disabled. Everyone again made it back to their lines. He definitely rivalled Whitman
As usual, 2/3 of Barkmann's claims is usual German BS, and 1/3 is partially true. In this case, his claims were verified against US losses in the sector and found wanting. In the East, no such thing was done, so some still believe in mythical German 20:1 loss ratio.
Wow...a total badass tanker with more existing a life than a young man could want.....and then to live on to his 90's....hopefully someone recorded his stories...
Wow, a member of a military unit motivated by unthinking allegiance to a genocidal political movement which had, only weeks before, massacred the entire population of Oradour-sur-Glane.
At least 2/3 of Barkmann's claims a pure BS, compared to US recorded losses. German claims in general should be taken with a grain of salt, they were notorious overclaimers.
80 some years tends to make the clear water murky, doesn't it? you can go through life with hate in your heart. war is what it is, no matterwhoses side you are on. living is the key.
I have orders. This bank isn't to fall into the hands of the American army. Kelly: Sergeant, this bank's not gonna fall into the hands of the American army. It's gonna fall in our hands. You see, we're just a private enterprise operation.
Stories like this from WWII , Allies or German, were why I started to follow Mark Felton years ago. Thank you Mark for returning to your 'Base' _ WWII history unknown , and history facts! Keep it up ! We want truth on WWII and you rewrite much of the past history with truth.
My father drove a M-4 Sherman tank with Troop "A" 43rd Tank Battalion, 12th Armored Division from October 1944 until the end of the war. Some tankers from his unit were captured by SS troops at a place called Herrlishiem, I spoke with them at a reunion in 1992. I met and befriended an old German soldier who had immigrated to the USA after the war and introduced him to my father. They acted like long-lost friends and comrades. As with most WW2 veterans, they are both gone now.
In my opinion the Panther was the best overall tank of WW2. Teething problems notwithstanding, once those were ironed out it was a very good tank that combined good armor protection with an excellent 75mm gun and great mobility, all the desired aspects for a solid medium tank that could take on just about every vehicle it came across.
Especially when you think of the manufacturing issues Germany had. Given a "peaceful" factory and good materials like in the USA at these times, they would have been much more reliable as well. Also the experienced crew made a big difference, which was getting more rare in 44 - 45. Stories like this show what these machines were capable of.
Dr. Felton. I just would like to thank you for all your work on the history of WW2. I have been watching your channel for quite some time, and I’ve never come across anyone else who is so thorough with their WW2 research. I highly recommend your channel whenever I talk to anyone who is interested in WW2. Thank you very much sir!❤
This was a level in an old PlayStation tank simulation game called Panzer Front. One of my all-time favorite video games. The level was called Barkmann’s Corner, and it was a hard level. I started out hidden in a cross road and as soon as the first 3 Shermans rolled by, I quickly dispatched them. I then moved my panther through the hedgerow and knocked out 3 more Shermans. By now fighter bombers have started to appear and I have to dodge their attacks as I continue to assault the American column down the road. All in all, i think I knocked out about 10-12 Shermans by myself using a Panther. I knew that level was based on a real event but this is the first time I’ve actually watched a documentary about that battle. Thank you Dr. Felton for bringing us this story.
Awesome!!! I have that game and the PlayStation 1. Still play it periodically. Yep - agree that mission was brutal, especially when the fighter-bombers attack and you are unable to shoot any of them down, just move around dodging bombs/rockets.
I've heard from a Sherman tanker about how he was engaging an Panther tank and was firing his 75 from the distance. His tears were streaming from his face as each round bounced off from the Panther and the Panther slowly turned its gun around.....
I remember interviews with a Sherman and Tiger commander. The Tiger commander said he could kill a Sherman from 2-3 km away. But the Sherman had to be closer than 800m to dispatch the Tiger. The Tiger commander said that there were so many Shermans, that even though he could kill them all, eventually at least one would be able to get close enough to take him out.
Dr. Felton, i have a lot of favorite channels. But yours is the only one that when i see a new vid, i just click on it.. always interesting and informative. Thank you
Was trying to find photos of Tychsen yesterday to show how freddie Flintoffs facial injuries compare. RIP HERR OBERSTURMBANNFUHRER and HERR BACHMANN. Another great story Herr professor. You are a credit to England's oldest recorded town😊
The SS dropped the "Herr" prefix probably because they realized how ridiculously long their self-made imposing rank titles were, not to mention a "SS-" prefix would be added in front of the rank of SS and Waffen SS. So if using "Herr" it would be "Herr SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer", and SS generals got even longer as it incorporated Wehrmacht equivalent title: For example "SS-Gruppenfuhrer und Generalleutnant der Waffen SS", imagining adding another "Herr" to that.
Thing is, there's likely no one alive now who can say with 100% certainty that Barkmann did or didn't knock out and destroy so many Allied vehicles. As far as I know there aren't records that definitively give such info that aren't biased to one side or another. Great video, Mark!!
Even more astounding than the kills in my opinion is the fact that that driver managed to steer a panther back to friendly lines on one track,how does that even work?! Incredible crew!
I'm in awe, you always hear how susceptible the German tanks were to failures but this tank shouldn't of even been operational several times and was thanks to the skilled mobile mechanics and tank crew. To hear how many times the germans abandoned tanks due to mechanical issue and then to hear this is just crazy
The mechanical unreliability of German tanks is over exaggerated. They had their problems but not to the extent that "every 2 out of three tanks were breakimg down" as often reported in posts. Its interesting, if you look at statistics from allied tanks, you will see many of them were also very unreliable. Its one of the resons the Sherman was loved so much. It was more reliable than the other Allied tanks around it (until the later stages of the war when the British built some food tanks also, and I am not including Russian tanks in this). The factor of many german tanks constantly being moved from one hot spot to another, often seeing high levels of engagement also needs to be factored into the equation.
Cause it's BS , early Panthers had problems . They fixed that later , that's the problem of modern day internet. Every moron can write or repeat this myth all day long , so that's why a Sherman is the best tank and a Panther the worst . 😅
@@nzmonsterman That's not even the whole story. While the Sherman was certainly one of the more "reliable" tanks of the war, it still broke down frequently, as did all other WW2 tanks. What saved most of these tanks from being abondoned was simply the never ending supply of spare parts with robust logistics setup, something that the germans simply lacked late in the war, due to their country being bombed into oblivion. A late war Panther was as reliable as you could make a tank, apart from the final drive. A Tiger never had particular reliability problems, it was just a pita to repair road wheel damage. The Tiger II similarly never was "unreliable" at all, and not especially under-motorized either for a WW2 heavy tank, it just frequently ran out of gas.
The problem is that the peoole think that the germans still build the same Panzer V that they were sending to kursk too early. Germans had not much time to engineer these tanks that they needed so badly.
Most American tank crews had no experience, and their leaders not much more, the Germans had enormous experience with tank tactics, a bunch of newly educated tank crews against veterans and the veteran having the best equipment to 😮
@@kimmogensen4888 And usually fighting from a defensive position , often in ambush. They didn't fare so well with their predictable "immediate counter-attack" tactics when the roles were reversed
Love the show, the intro music, the presentation, the content, the flicks, top to bottom the best on the planet 🌏! Thanks for all the ❤hard work the countless hours the devotion u put in this work is apparent to all and u r appreciated Mark. Hope all is good with u and your family stay safe and healthy!
Great vid! I actually "met" Barkman in the early 2000s. I looked him up in the phone book! His English was poor but luckily I had invited a German friend to translate. God knows what Barkman must have thought but he was polite and amused. Fascinating man who became a fireman after the war and later was elected as mayor of his town. Considering the vehicles involved this really competes with Wittman's victory at Villiers Bocage. Perhaps you could do and "compare and contrast" video? Lol Thank you again,
@@blackwaltz3135 Mainly his life after the war ... and living in post war Germany. I had the opportunity to speak to several German vets. The majority justifiably nearly all said the same thing "the past is the past" but all said they would do it again. I spoke to several tank aces and several Knights Cross winners. I ended up visiting one and we became friends. All found on the telefonbauch ...
@@gemellodipriapo you are one of the very few who had the courage to find the German tank officers. Perhaps one day you can share this story with all of us. Thanks for sharing. ☺️
HOW do you drive a tank with only one functioning track?? Having read Carius's biography the one thing that he brought up, and which never seems to get enough coverage, is just how good the Germans were at recovering and repairing tanks.
the road wheels will still roll even if the track is gone, although you would not be able to turn to whatever side the functional track is on it will still move forward, just not in a very straight path
I'm not a fan of the Germans of WWII but some of these warriors needed xtra large pants to carry around the giant testicles with which they were endowed! Great work Dr. Felton.
@@RP-ks6ly no, you can't. They took an oath to HITLER. That is who they were fighting for. They were literally fighting for HITLER. Take your Clean Wehrmacht Myth back to the garbage bin where you found it.
Ernst Barkman's driver certainly earned his crust, getting the Panther away from the action. I bought a softback 20 -30 page book/ pamphlet about the action on Barkman's Corner a good few years ago. Think it was written by Barkman himself. Will have to dig it out. The driver's skill displayed in this action has always stayed in my memory.
My uncle was a Sherman tank commander from Normandy to the end of the war. He said in NO form (including the Firefly and US upgunned) was the Sherman any kind of match against the Panther and much less against Tiger's. Statistically any Sherman going up against those two tanks would be destroyed. He said US dedicated TDs later in the war were a better choice for taking on German armor. That and artillery and ground attack aircraft like the Hawker Typhoon.
One Panther against 15 Shermans. One Sherman destroys 5 Panthers. Wittmann takes out a whole column. Wittman and two other Tigers are killed by one Firefly. The key element in most of these is ambush and surprise. Tanks without proper infantry support could be easy marks. The German tanks were going to have an advantage head to head, but caught unawares any tank would be in a bad spot.
Look to Ukraine. Tanks there are very dependent on infantry support as the warfare is so static. At least compared to the armoured columns during WWII. Having served as a tank commander in the norwegian army I can attest to the importance of intelligence and reconnaissance before going into action. As well as good routines for camouflage and cover when resting/preparing for action. The tank is one of the most powerful weapons on the ground on the battlefield still, so everybody wants to kill any enemy tanks first.
Well that, and ambushes are naturally defensive scenarios, which means the ones doing the ambushing have the advantage, since they can stay still and fire first, in addition with the element of surprise (to your point)
Doc, I dread to think of the dust and cobwebs involved in uncovering some of these stories. This is dark corners of dingy basements stuff. I love it, and I love your work. Thanks so much.
Steve Zaloga (US military historian) investigated this incident and has found no US tank losses on a single day of the number that Barkmann claimed to have taken out. Nobody to this day has ever found where Barkmanns Corner is. And Barkmann seemingly never said where it was, despite living into the 1990s.
@@marks_sparks1it was investigated by another historian (I cannot remember the name but you can search it) who believes this incident did happen, just several miles away from where it was claimed to have happened. In thos area of France, every bit of country side looks the same and with FOW it would be understandable to see the mix up afterwards. So it is believed to be correct. However, many people try to discredit this and other German claimed actions these days to justify allied losses.
That goes to show you..an experienced commander .knowing the panthers strengths. And front Armour.. avoiding being flanked and utilizing the 75mm weapon. Can defeat all enemy tanks
I had the great good fortune to go to the German Tank Museum in Munster (NOT Münster, which is 3+ hours away) a few weeks ago-while there I saw a Panther, Tiger 1 and Tiger 2. They also had a Panzer IV, as well as a Sherman. They were all impressive in their own right, but to me the Panther was by far the most impressive of the bunch. I was extremely impressed with the Tiger 2 and Tiger 1 as well. All looked very, very formidable.
I visited the Patton Armor Museum at Ft. Knox, Kentucky, in the early 2000s, and had the opportunity to see many tanks up close. Knowing their relative weights in tons, I was still stunned by how large was even the thirty-three ton M4; it was massive up close. The 44-ton Panther, usually classed as a medium tank, was even more impressive in its size, bulk, and menacing appearance (even sitting still). The Tiger I and II made the sort of impression you'd imagine; they were massive and looked extremely formidable - even that many years after the war. The German AFV which made the biggest impression on me, though, in that particular collection was the 45-ton Jagdpanther tank destroyer. These armored vehicles look large in photos, but the sheer size and scale of them defies belief once you are standing next to them. I remember thinking about the largest of these, "How on earth did the bridges and roads handle these giants?" and then of the Sherman crews, how brave they were to have gone up against such formidable foes in combat. Much is made of the superb training and esprit de corps of the Panzerwaffe, but what of the men of the American, British and CW armies who bested them? They were a very special breed indeed. They had to be; to beat the best you have to be the best.
@edt8535 - I have seen all of those tanks, too, in person and up-close, at the Patton Armor Museum. I was also very impressed with the Panther. Despite being considered a medium tank according to German classification, it was to me, anyway - huge! The Tiger and King Tiger I had expected to be very large and formidable - and they were - but the sheer size of the Panther caught me unawares. The Sherman down the way from them was - at thirty tons - not puny or small by any measure, but the German tanks seemed to dwarf it. Of course, the most-commonly encountered AFVs were not Panthers or either of the Tigers, but things like the Panzer Mk. IV - a design to which the M4 compared much more favorably. We know now that the Sherman tank "helped win the war," but I sure would not have wanted to be a Sherman crewman coming around some corner to find myself staring down the barrel of a Panther's main gun and frontal armor at close range! The men who crewed those tanks, whether German or Allied, were brave souls. That's no job for the faint of heart.
Im always surprised at how contentious the topic of who had the best tanks during world war 2 is. It seems painfully obvious to me that the German tanks were the most combat effective, even if they were expensive and too few in number
It’s envy and hatred that makes people say German tanks were poor. It’s demonstrably false but that doesn’t stop people who simply don’t like that fact from saying they’re terrible. Germans without a doubt had the best tanks, but they couldn’t keep them fueled near the end of war. The allies would simply go around German armor concentrations because the Germans lacked the fuel to continually maneuver.
The US should have copied the Pather, maybe upgrading the engine, and had the copy available for Normandy. The Sherman was outclassed in everything but numbers.
The M-26 Pershing was the American answer to the Panther tank, and when it finally arrived in early spring, 1945, it acquitted itself well against its opposite number, most-famously at the engagement in the Cologne Square which which a Panther knocked out a Sherman in front of the cathedral, and was then knocked out in turn by an American M-26 commanded by SSGT Bob Early. The Panther came about because of another influential design, the Soviet T34 medium tank, which the Germans first encountered during the invasion of Operation Barbarossa in June, 1941. Though hardly invincible, the T34 - with its well-sloped armor, 75mm main gun, and wide tracks and good mobility provided a nasty surprise to the German army, which had to work hard to knock them out, as well as KV-1 heavy tanks they encountered. The Panther was quite literally Germany's answer to the T34.
Bachman was a soldier defending his nation in an amazing way. The US tank crews were doing the same. The German Panther in the hands of a skilled operator was deadly. War is deadly, brings sorrow. Pray for peace.
Many years ago i was talking to an Englishman who'd been in France in 1944 as part of of an AFV crew. He told me about seeing a German tank facing off against 3 shermans. He asked the Americans with him what they were waiting for. "Reinforcements" Five more shermans arrived, which was handy cos the German tank took out 5 of the 8 before they succumbed. Vale Len. Lovely bloke, plenty of stories to share.
So my Uncle Buddy, an Army Ranger, was there. You came close to getting it right. He took out the front 2 tanks, then took out the last 2 at the rear of the column. He then advanced getting the fuel truck, and the 2 tanks trying to go around. Uncle Bud said then RPG's were fired into the track of the remaining tanks from every direction. 2 more Panthers showed up yo escort the Waffen SS ground troupes out safely. 16 tanks GONE, 4 troop carriers GONE, 2 20mm Anti aircraft trailers GONE. Bud said to his friend, "I don't think this is going to be as easy, as old Ike keeps saying it will be?"
What's a sad thing is most people won't know of the bravery and skill a lot of soldiers had because they were on the wrong side. Good thing we have sources like professor Felton and a band like sabaton to tell their stories.
Conveniently, these 'questions' seem to have proliferated after Ernst Barkmann's death. I knew Herr Barkmann personally, and, for what it's worth, I can tell you that he was, in his seventies, a modest, soft-spoken man, not given to boastfulness. Together with several fellow members of an elite US Army unit, I visited him at his home in Kisdorf in 1995. Later that year we were astonished when he accepted an invitation from one of us to go Elk hunting in eastern Oregon. Among my many photos of the latter event is one of Herr Barkmann paying his respects at the grave of Old Chief Joseph at Wallowa Lake, near the town of Joseph. Noting the oddity of the memorial listing two death dates (one on the brass plaque, a different year on the plinth), he wryly observed, "Poor guy, they killed him twice".
Ernst Barkmann, like many Germans of his generation, was fascinated by the history of the American West and its indigenous peoples. Somewhere deep in the woods of Wallowa County, on a cold November night, Herr Barkmann declared thoughtfully, "This was my dream: to sit at a camp fire in the American West, in good company". Incidentally, no Elk were harmed during this hunting trip.
When pressed on the idea that he should write a book about his wartime experiences, Herr Barkmann scoffed: "Who am I to write such a book? My friends in the veterans' association would laugh at me. And, besides, the real heroes lie buried in Russia".
At some point in the 1990s an American painter of 'war art' asked Ernst Barkmann to sign prints of his depiction of 'Barkmann's Corner'. Barkmann declined, explaining, "Men died in those tanks".
Ernst Barkmann's observations on soldiering resonated with we young men. When he opined, "Peacetime soldiering - it's okay. But war is better", we knew exactly in what spirit his remark was meant.
Interesting anecdote. Many Germans have a native american facination from Old Shatterhand novels film, TV shows (from German author Karl May - 200 million copies sold worldwide) which goes back to 19th century and carries on today.
Was he a hero.... a warrior....... A villain.....
No he was a Lion like Many men war just revealed his character.....
Respect must be sent his way and he must be honoured war didn't turn him in 2 a beast he didn't enjoy the fate of the brave young Americans burned up in those tanks
But he was honest ... to him it was a game and he enjoyed it because he played well
Thanks very much for this detail; very interesting.
Sounds like he remained an unrepentant SS murderer until his death.
@@TheAnglingOracle The German novelist Karl May made the American Indian the heroes in his novels and this had a big effect. Children in nazi Germany like to play Cowboy and Indian and preferred to be the Indian such was the influence of this. That was from my mother who was one of those children at about 8-9. She saw Patton's Sherman's cross the border from Czechoslovakia into her German village (about 4000 people) from her bed room window. She ran down to tell her grandfather who was with two SS officers who were there to compel the volksturm (ie 60-+ year old men dads army) to resist the Americans on penalty of death. Of course they would have been killed and achieved nothing. The Officers left immediately in a yellow sports car. The Americans left after a short occupation of East Germany and handed over to the Russians and the Germans had to suffer 45 years of Russian occupation and all the spying, betrays of friends and family and economic bungling that entailed. German society is still corrupted by it.
I stumbled a cross Mark Felton's productions by accident. Now I am completely hooked watching all these brilliant WW2 researched films and topics.
There is an impressive set of videos that cover a number of interesting topics. I've been subscribed for a number of years and have e moved most of not all of the videos Dr Felton has created.
Welcome. Enjoy your stay.
yes, he is addictive isn't he?
Same.
Tychsen didn’t survive the Normandy campaign, having previously survived being wounded no less than nine times in combat, the tenth time he died after encountering an American tank while he was a passenger in a Kubelwagen. In addition to the knights cross, he also was awarded the oak leaves. Cats are alleged to have nine lives, and ironically, the tanks he commanded were also called “cats”. Seems he could have used one more life.
As if the Germans wouldn't have sent him back a 10th, 11th, 12th... time. They weren't big on retirement plans, you got used on the front until you became a casualty.
@@msytdc1577really sad for the Germans. commies are ruthless and soulless
Unfortunately so 😢
If he had sat in a cat and not in a Kübelwagen it would have been a different story I guess ...
@@msytdc1577 Soviets too actually.
Thank you for everything you do Dr. Felton. You tell the stories that need to be told and back it up with deep research. Much appreciated!
Du bist eine sycophantische depp….
RIP to the brave men who died trying and failing to save humanity. And God help us to those who worked so hard to destroy all of our futures by being so gullible and easily deceived. RIP Brothers
Damn! He and his crew were absolute beasts in the face of such overwhelming odds coming at them from both the air and ground. Gotta respect his skill and tenacity.
I agree and on a side note...in the Ardennes he got separated at night and ended up driving his panther right in the middle of an American convoy. Just like he was another allied tank moving forward. He stated that GI's were cursing at him because he was mobile and they had to march..LOL! They finally noticed his green (instead of red) running lights and tried to open fire on him. He took out several more sherman's before his tank was disabled. Everyone again made it back to their lines. He definitely rivalled Whitman
@@delta212cpd He survived and Whitman did not, if that counts for anything he surpassed Whitman.
no i don't.
As usual, 2/3 of Barkmann's claims is usual German BS, and 1/3 is partially true. In this case, his claims were verified against US losses in the sector and found wanting. In the East, no such thing was done, so some still believe in mythical German 20:1 loss ratio.
@@ronaldramo3 Luck. Both were awesome.
Barkmann and his friend Turner had a habit of pushing their tanks much faster than designed.
It was known as the Barkmann Turner Overdrive.
😂 Now that's funny.
Oh God🙄
And all on a single track! Guess they were recording in mono.
What a feeling it must be to watch your tank round bounce of another tank
As a Canadian I salute you for this!
Wow...a total badass tanker with more existing a life than a young man could want.....and then to live on to his 90's....hopefully someone recorded his stories...
Yeah
Wow, a member of a military unit motivated by unthinking allegiance to a genocidal political movement which had, only weeks before, massacred the entire population of Oradour-sur-Glane.
At least 2/3 of Barkmann's claims a pure BS, compared to US recorded losses. German claims in general should be taken with a grain of salt, they were notorious overclaimers.
@@aleksazunjic9672Same goes for the US , they knocked out more Tiger's than the Germans ever build . 😂
@@5co756 Not arguing with that, but historically Operation Cobra devastated German forces (including armor) , not other way around.
Like the U-boat crew in the movie, "Das Boot," it is hard not to admire Ernst Barkmann's courage in battle - even it were for the enemy.
80 some years tends to make the clear water murky, doesn't it?
you can go through life with hate in your heart.
war is what it is, no matterwhoses side you are on.
living is the key.
Enemy?
You know it’s a good day when a Mark Felton video comes out!
Keep it up Dr. Felton. Your content is so very appreciated.
Tychsen just looks like THE SS officer you would see in every one of the early 70's WWII movies.😂
He is certainly not the SS officer that says, "you see, captain, we are not ALL barbarians." That is for sure.
A lot of them were hired in movies because of their knowledge and insight
@@jeanlannes4396 "We are more alike than you think."
"Ve hav' warious vays of making you talk Herr Vardaddy."
I have orders. This bank isn't to fall into the hands of the American army.
Kelly: Sergeant, this bank's not gonna fall into the hands of the American army. It's gonna fall in our hands. You see, we're just a private enterprise operation.
Stories like this from WWII , Allies or German, were why I started to follow Mark Felton years ago.
Thank you Mark for returning to your 'Base' _ WWII history unknown , and history facts! Keep it up ! We want truth on WWII and you rewrite much of the past history with truth.
My father drove a M-4 Sherman tank with Troop "A" 43rd Tank Battalion, 12th Armored Division from October 1944 until the end of the war. Some tankers from his unit were captured by SS troops at a place called Herrlishiem, I spoke with them at a reunion in 1992. I met and befriended an old German soldier who had immigrated to the USA after the war and introduced him to my father. They acted like long-lost friends and comrades. As with most WW2 veterans, they are both gone now.
I think Tychsen has an interesting story as well. Perhaps we’ll hear about him some day.
It looks as though whatever the fates threw at him, he took it on the chin.
@@lomax343"took it on the chin" bet you have experience with taking things on the chin bud
@@LX.Zandaaa62 Frequently. Physically and metaphorically.
@@lomax343🤣🤣🤣 too funny.
German infantry: “At least 15 Shermans are coming down the road!”
Barkmann: “Poor bastards, they are completely outnumbered.”
Your channel will be required listening for my kids! Thanks for putting out so much great quality content!
In my opinion the Panther was the best overall tank of WW2. Teething problems notwithstanding, once those were ironed out it was a very good tank that combined good armor protection with an excellent 75mm gun and great mobility, all the desired aspects for a solid medium tank that could take on just about every vehicle it came across.
Yes, except for the fact that it required an entire mobile workshop for repairs and a degree in mechanical engineering to service it, a great tank.
@@evanhughes7609 even with that it still far outclassed the Sherman (aka 'The Ronson' because it lit up on the first try every time, like the lighter)
Especially when you think of the manufacturing issues Germany had.
Given a "peaceful" factory and good materials like in the USA at these times, they would have been much more reliable as well.
Also the experienced crew made a big difference, which was getting more rare in 44 - 45.
Stories like this show what these machines were capable of.
Dr. Felton. I just would like to thank you for all your work on the history of WW2. I have been watching your channel for quite some time, and I’ve never come across anyone else who is so thorough with their WW2 research. I highly recommend your channel whenever I talk to anyone who is interested in WW2. Thank you very much sir!❤
This was a level in an old PlayStation tank simulation game called Panzer Front. One of my all-time favorite video games. The level was called Barkmann’s Corner, and it was a hard level. I started out hidden in a cross road and as soon as the first 3 Shermans rolled by, I quickly dispatched them. I then moved my panther through the hedgerow and knocked out 3 more Shermans. By now fighter bombers have started to appear and I have to dodge their attacks as I continue to assault the American column down the road. All in all, i think I knocked out about 10-12 Shermans by myself using a Panther. I knew that level was based on a real event but this is the first time I’ve actually watched a documentary about that battle. Thank you Dr. Felton for bringing us this story.
Awesome!!! I have that game and the PlayStation 1. Still play it periodically. Yep - agree that mission was brutal, especially when the fighter-bombers attack and you are unable to shoot any of them down, just move around dodging bombs/rockets.
Love that game.
I had a PC "tank simulation" by SSI called "Panzer Commander". It included a "Barkmann's Corner" scenario, which I played many times!
Christian Tychsen doesn’t look like a guy you want to mess with. 1:45
A time before Bic safety razors...
Yup. There's a reason the Waffen-SS is still hated today, and that reason is *fear*
@@17cmmittlererminenwerfer81no they were murdering butchers who had no qualms about killing civilians on purpose.
I'd rather not be messing with the guy who messed with Tychsen......
@@Manco65 and they tried to save us all from what is going on today...
edit; to see if comment got auto censored
I've heard from a Sherman tanker about how he was engaging an Panther tank and was firing his 75 from the distance. His tears were streaming from his face as each round bounced off from the Panther and the Panther slowly turned its gun around.....
I remember interviews with a Sherman and Tiger commander. The Tiger commander said he could kill a Sherman from 2-3 km away. But the Sherman had to be closer than 800m to dispatch the Tiger. The Tiger commander said that there were so many Shermans, that even though he could kill them all, eventually at least one would be able to get close enough to take him out.
Viele Jäger sind des Hasen Tot 💀. Means: „Many hunters will kill the rabbit“ 🐇
@@frankschmitt6399 da kennt einer den Unterschied zwischen Tod und tot nicht. Es heißt Viele Jäger sind des Hasen Tod
Many hunters are of the Rabbit Death? 😂
Truly the most story
I'm a simple man. I see Mark Felton, I click
Und jawohl , Zei sind eine Frau…
And butter on my azz and lollipops in my mouth
Yea. I'm one of those too😂😂
Tank you for another great video, Dr. Felton!
Dr. Felton, i have a lot of favorite channels. But yours is the only one that when i see a new vid, i just click on it.. always interesting and informative.
Thank you
Was trying to find photos of Tychsen yesterday to show how freddie Flintoffs facial injuries compare. RIP HERR OBERSTURMBANNFUHRER and HERR BACHMANN. Another great story Herr professor. You are a credit to England's oldest recorded town😊
You drop the "Herr" when addressing Waffen-SS personnel by their rank. Himmler ordered that in 1936. So it's just Obersturmbannführer.
The SS dropped the "Herr" prefix probably because they realized how ridiculously long their self-made imposing rank titles were, not to mention a "SS-" prefix would be added in front of the rank of SS and Waffen SS. So if using "Herr" it would be "Herr SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer", and SS generals got even longer as it incorporated Wehrmacht equivalent title: For example "SS-Gruppenfuhrer und Generalleutnant der Waffen SS", imagining adding another "Herr" to that.
Thing is, there's likely no one alive now who can say with 100% certainty that Barkmann did or didn't knock out and destroy so many Allied vehicles. As far as I know there aren't records that definitively give such info that aren't biased to one side or another. Great video, Mark!!
Even more astounding than the kills in my opinion is the fact that that driver managed to steer a panther back to friendly lines on one track,how does that even work?! Incredible crew!
Thanks!
I'm in awe, you always hear how susceptible the German tanks were to failures but this tank shouldn't of even been operational several times and was thanks to the skilled mobile mechanics and tank crew.
To hear how many times the germans abandoned tanks due to mechanical issue and then to hear this is just crazy
Well, there are Panzers and then there's whatever this guy's driving!
The mechanical unreliability of German tanks is over exaggerated.
They had their problems but not to the extent that "every 2 out of three tanks were breakimg down" as often reported in posts.
Its interesting, if you look at statistics from allied tanks, you will see many of them were also very unreliable.
Its one of the resons the Sherman was loved so much. It was more reliable than the other Allied tanks around it (until the later stages of the war when the British built some food tanks also, and I am not including Russian tanks in this).
The factor of many german tanks constantly being moved from one hot spot to another, often seeing high levels of engagement also needs to be factored into the equation.
Cause it's BS , early Panthers had problems . They fixed that later , that's the problem of modern day internet. Every moron can write or repeat this myth all day long , so that's why a Sherman is the best tank and a Panther the worst . 😅
@@nzmonsterman That's not even the whole story. While the Sherman was certainly one of the more "reliable" tanks of the war, it still broke down frequently, as did all other WW2 tanks.
What saved most of these tanks from being abondoned was simply the never ending supply of spare parts with robust logistics setup, something that the germans simply lacked late in the war, due to their country being bombed into oblivion.
A late war Panther was as reliable as you could make a tank, apart from the final drive. A Tiger never had particular reliability problems, it was just a pita to repair road wheel damage. The Tiger II similarly never was "unreliable" at all, and not especially under-motorized either for a WW2 heavy tank, it just frequently ran out of gas.
The problem is that the peoole think that the germans still build the same Panzer V that they were sending to kursk too early.
Germans had not much time to engineer these tanks that they needed so badly.
Danke!
NO MORE BROTHER WARS.
Now, it's religion wars.
✡️
NO MORE ROTHSCHILD WARS.
NO MORE BANKER WARS!
@@bobbylee2853 ww2 was bankers war, because Germany created its own banking system
The book Tigers in the Mud by Tiger ace Otto Carius describes similar attacks against Allied armour and is very scathing of their tactics.
Most American tank crews had no experience, and their leaders not much more, the Germans had enormous experience with tank tactics, a bunch of newly educated tank crews against veterans and the veteran having the best equipment to 😮
Jawohl
@@kimmogensen4888 "against Allied armour"
I have read that book quite a few times. A friend had his autographed by the man.
@@kimmogensen4888 And usually fighting from a defensive position , often in ambush. They didn't fare so well with their predictable "immediate counter-attack" tactics when the roles were reversed
Very interesting story, dynamically told.
Thank you for this post, much appreciated.
Shows that a Panther, for all it's technical issues, if crewed by experienced men, was a fearful weapon.
They should have built more panthers instead of tigers
Love the show, the intro music, the presentation, the content, the flicks, top to bottom the best on the planet 🌏! Thanks for all the ❤hard work the countless hours the devotion u put in this work is apparent to all and u r appreciated Mark. Hope all is good with u and your family stay safe and healthy!
Great vid! I actually "met" Barkman in the early 2000s. I looked him up in the phone book! His English was poor but luckily I had invited a German friend to translate. God knows what Barkman must have thought but he was polite and amused. Fascinating man who became a fireman after the war and later was elected as mayor of his town.
Considering the vehicles involved this really competes with Wittman's victory at Villiers Bocage. Perhaps you could do and "compare and contrast" video? Lol Thank you again,
what did you discuss with him? anything to share?
@@blackwaltz3135 Mainly his life after the war ... and living in post war Germany. I had the opportunity to speak to several German vets. The majority justifiably nearly all said the same thing "the past is the past" but all said they would do it again. I spoke to several tank aces and several Knights Cross winners. I ended up visiting one and we became friends. All found on the telefonbauch ...
@@gemellodipriapo you are one of the very few who had the courage to find the German tank officers. Perhaps one day you can share this story with all of us. Thanks for sharing.
☺️
HOW do you drive a tank with only one functioning track?? Having read Carius's biography the one thing that he brought up, and which never seems to get enough coverage, is just how good the Germans were at recovering and repairing tanks.
the road wheels will still roll even if the track is gone, although you would not be able to turn to whatever side the functional track is on it will still move forward, just not in a very straight path
@@Crispy_Crisp EXACTLY!.....Thanks for pointing that out, you beat me to it!. :)
I'm not a fan of the Germans of WWII but some of these warriors needed xtra large pants to carry around the giant testicles with which they were endowed! Great work Dr. Felton.
You can admire the skill and fortitude of the servicemen without agreeing with the politics of the German leadership.
@@RP-ks6ly no, you can't. They took an oath to HITLER. That is who they were fighting for. They were literally fighting for HITLER. Take your Clean Wehrmacht Myth back to the garbage bin where you found it.
@@RP-ks6ly OH, and this guy was SS. So he was the lowest of the scum.
They fought to save Europe from becoming what it has become today
Not a fan of the Germans
Why cause they are German ?
Rediciouless
One of the finest historical sites I have watched
I hate how only the tank commanders get any of the recognition.
they are the captain and responsible for all the glory and all the blame
@@Sshooter444 I'm aware of that but it would be nice if the other member would at least get a mention.
Ernst Barkman's driver certainly earned his crust, getting the Panther away from the action. I bought a softback 20 -30 page book/ pamphlet about the action on Barkman's Corner a good few years ago. Think it was written by Barkman himself. Will have to dig it out. The driver's skill displayed in this action has always stayed in my memory.
Wow that picture at 0:44 is incredible, what an awesome video!
Since he was German, his story may be in doubt. If I were American or English, I would already have several films with Brad Pitt.
You got that one right!
I never fail to be amazed at your content. Thank you from Iowa USA.
My uncle was a Sherman tank commander from Normandy to the end of the war. He said in NO form (including the Firefly and US upgunned) was the Sherman any kind of match against the Panther and much less against Tiger's. Statistically any Sherman going up against those two tanks would be destroyed. He said US dedicated TDs later in the war were a better choice for taking on German armor. That and artillery and ground attack aircraft like the Hawker Typhoon.
Fine gunnery!
A formidable tank with a fearsome crew. Gives me goose bumps to think about their experiences of war.
Beautiful War Thunder thumbnail
I thought it was from hell let loose for a sec.
Great Video Dr.Felton! Keep up the good work!
Excelente soldado Alemán. Y Excelente video amigo Dr. Felton
Great story and really interesting! Thanks Dr. Felton, your efforts are much appreciated!
Oh, Mark, was that a War Thunder thumbnail? If so, love it.
This guy was like someone on a video game ty mark again for the video I love learning from you
I’m in love with these panther tank videos.
What an incredible story! Thank you for sharing, history always seems to supply us with the best stories... God bless
One Panther against 15 Shermans. One Sherman destroys 5 Panthers. Wittmann takes out a whole column. Wittman and two other Tigers are killed by one Firefly. The key element in most of these is ambush and surprise. Tanks without proper infantry support could be easy marks. The German tanks were going to have an advantage head to head, but caught unawares any tank would be in a bad spot.
Look to Ukraine. Tanks there are very dependent on infantry support as the warfare is so static. At least compared to the armoured columns during WWII.
Having served as a tank commander in the norwegian army I can attest to the importance of intelligence and reconnaissance before going into action. As well as good routines for camouflage and cover when resting/preparing for action. The tank is one of the most powerful weapons on the ground on the battlefield still, so everybody wants to kill any enemy tanks first.
In a way but in the long range open fields.. german engineering was superb .
Well that, and ambushes are naturally defensive scenarios, which means the ones doing the ambushing have the advantage, since they can stay still and fire first, in addition with the element of surprise (to your point)
Canadians took out Wittman.
@@teinorbak The Panther had a superb main gun, but it was overly complex and had a fragile powertrain.
Thank you Dr Felton for yet another splendid video!
That aerial shot! Wow!
Burning scrap!😮😉 The vocabulary used by Dr. Felton is priceless to this place and historical timelines used in this series of videos.
The videography and history,superbly combined in another great presentation,thanks again………
Can't keep a Barkmann down
His Bark was as big as his Bite! 😂
Doc, I dread to think of the dust and cobwebs involved in uncovering some of these stories. This is dark corners of dingy basements stuff. I love it, and I love your work.
Thanks so much.
I'd love to hear the American account of this. I'm sure they have documented tank losses
Bruins fan here, but love the Rangers shield crest.
Steve Zaloga (US military historian) investigated this incident and has found no US tank losses on a single day of the number that Barkmann claimed to have taken out. Nobody to this day has ever found where Barkmanns Corner is. And Barkmann seemingly never said where it was, despite living into the 1990s.
@@marks_sparks1 Agree. I take this account with a large pinch of salt.
@@marks_sparks1it was investigated by another historian (I cannot remember the name but you can search it) who believes this incident did happen, just several miles away from where it was claimed to have happened.
In thos area of France, every bit of country side looks the same and with FOW it would be understandable to see the mix up afterwards. So it is believed to be correct.
However, many people try to discredit this and other German claimed actions these days to justify allied losses.
They would have recounted being attacked by like 12 tiger tanks.
Amazing work sir. Great video
No Fury movies will be made about this.
Another successful Saturday afternoon history lesson! Cheers, Mark!
Question; would after-action reports from both sides shed more light?
Before this video, Id never heard of him.
Amazing video as always. May he rest in peace.
That goes to show you..an experienced commander .knowing the panthers strengths. And front Armour.. avoiding being flanked and utilizing the 75mm weapon. Can defeat all enemy tanks
Many thanks for the amazing details!
I know this Bakmann mission from the PS1 game "Panzerfront"
Another fascinating tutorial. So well narrated. Thank you.
He was heard to cry "Du hast noch nichts gesehen, B-B-B-Baby!" when executing this tactic. The rest is history.
Excellent presentation, you do a great job. Keep it rolling....
I had the great good fortune to go to the German Tank Museum in Munster (NOT Münster, which is 3+ hours away) a few weeks ago-while there I saw a Panther, Tiger 1 and Tiger 2. They also had a Panzer IV, as well as a Sherman. They were all impressive in their own right, but to me the Panther was by far the most impressive of the bunch. I was extremely impressed with the Tiger 2 and Tiger 1 as well. All looked very, very formidable.
I visited the Patton Armor Museum at Ft. Knox, Kentucky, in the early 2000s, and had the opportunity to see many tanks up close. Knowing their relative weights in tons, I was still stunned by how large was even the thirty-three ton M4; it was massive up close. The 44-ton Panther, usually classed as a medium tank, was even more impressive in its size, bulk, and menacing appearance (even sitting still). The Tiger I and II made the sort of impression you'd imagine; they were massive and looked extremely formidable - even that many years after the war. The German AFV which made the biggest impression on me, though, in that particular collection was the 45-ton Jagdpanther tank destroyer. These armored vehicles look large in photos, but the sheer size and scale of them defies belief once you are standing next to them.
I remember thinking about the largest of these, "How on earth did the bridges and roads handle these giants?" and then of the Sherman crews, how brave they were to have gone up against such formidable foes in combat. Much is made of the superb training and esprit de corps of the Panzerwaffe, but what of the men of the American, British and CW armies who bested them? They were a very special breed indeed. They had to be; to beat the best you have to be the best.
@edt8535 - I have seen all of those tanks, too, in person and up-close, at the Patton Armor Museum. I was also very impressed with the Panther. Despite being considered a medium tank according to German classification, it was to me, anyway - huge! The Tiger and King Tiger I had expected to be very large and formidable - and they were - but the sheer size of the Panther caught me unawares. The Sherman down the way from them was - at thirty tons - not puny or small by any measure, but the German tanks seemed to dwarf it. Of course, the most-commonly encountered AFVs were not Panthers or either of the Tigers, but things like the Panzer Mk. IV - a design to which the M4 compared much more favorably.
We know now that the Sherman tank "helped win the war," but I sure would not have wanted to be a Sherman crewman coming around some corner to find myself staring down the barrel of a Panther's main gun and frontal armor at close range!
The men who crewed those tanks, whether German or Allied, were brave souls. That's no job for the faint of heart.
Another great program, Dr. Felton. Have you ever considered updating some of your past programs with new discovered information?
Tommy Cookers, Ronson Lighters no match for the Panther !
Love this video. I actually have a Print of Bachmann's Panther sitting at the corner engaging the Shermans hanging on my wall.
Im always surprised at how contentious the topic of who had the best tanks during world war 2 is. It seems painfully obvious to me that the German tanks were the most combat effective, even if they were expensive and too few in number
It’s envy and hatred that makes people say German tanks were poor. It’s demonstrably false but that doesn’t stop people who simply don’t like that fact from saying they’re terrible.
Germans without a doubt had the best tanks, but they couldn’t keep them fueled near the end of war. The allies would simply go around German armor concentrations because the Germans lacked the fuel to continually maneuver.
It didn't need to travel far, so much is clear from the stories, the targets came right up for the taking
Brilliant I was just thinking today it’s been a while since we have had one on one/ small action tank or aircraft battles from prof. Felton
82 KILLS!
I think that's higher than Wittman.
@@thebargainshack6901
Wittman had over 130 kills.
Claimed kills.
Thank you Dr Felton
The US should have copied the Pather, maybe upgrading the engine, and had the copy available for Normandy. The Sherman was outclassed in everything but numbers.
The M-26 Pershing was the American answer to the Panther tank, and when it finally arrived in early spring, 1945, it acquitted itself well against its opposite number, most-famously at the engagement in the Cologne Square which which a Panther knocked out a Sherman in front of the cathedral, and was then knocked out in turn by an American M-26 commanded by SSGT Bob Early.
The Panther came about because of another influential design, the Soviet T34 medium tank, which the Germans first encountered during the invasion of Operation Barbarossa in June, 1941. Though hardly invincible, the T34 - with its well-sloped armor, 75mm main gun, and wide tracks and good mobility provided a nasty surprise to the German army, which had to work hard to knock them out, as well as KV-1 heavy tanks they encountered. The Panther was quite literally Germany's answer to the T34.
Great content Mr Felton
When you hear that intro music you know you’re about to get a good history documentary.
0:01 Welcome to another Dr. Felton video ❤
@2:50, Browning HI-Power, a beauty !!
Bachman was a soldier defending his nation in an amazing way. The US tank crews were doing the same. The German Panther in the hands of a skilled operator was deadly. War is deadly, brings sorrow. Pray for peace.
The US tank crews were not defending their nation at all. They had no business being in europe at any point.
'Defending his nation'? Neither Normandy nor the Ardennes are in Germany. Same applies to Poland, USSR, Greece etc etc.
Thanks Dr. Felton!
The view of St. Lo in 1944 is amazing compared to when I visited it in 2015.
Documentary is great!
The real “Fury” story
Sadly, Hollywood always makes Americans the heroes rather than tell the truth. Same story with that Enigma machine salvaged from the sinking submarine
As soon as I see a new MPF vid its instantly liked even before the view because we all know its gonna be good!
You won’t see this story in a Hollywood film
Another fascinating video, thanks Doc.
A brave man no matter who he fought for deserves respect like must tankers no matter which army they where in.👍
I will give the devil his due in this case.
Not all the warriors where Nazi's either.
@@mileshigh1321Barkman was.
That depend individual @@mileshigh1321
My weekend has just be made thank you mark
Many years ago i was talking to an Englishman who'd been in France in 1944 as part of of an AFV crew.
He told me about seeing a German tank facing off against 3 shermans. He asked the Americans with him what they were waiting for. "Reinforcements"
Five more shermans arrived, which was handy cos the German tank took out 5 of the 8 before they succumbed.
Vale Len. Lovely bloke, plenty of stories to share.
I know the panther was an excellent tank, But that good! (With an experienced crew), Thank you for the video Dr. Mark Felton!
So my Uncle Buddy, an Army Ranger, was there.
You came close to getting it right.
He took out the front 2 tanks, then took out the last 2 at the rear of the column.
He then advanced getting the fuel truck, and the 2 tanks trying to go around.
Uncle Bud said then RPG's were fired into the track of the remaining tanks
from every direction. 2 more Panthers showed up yo escort the Waffen SS
ground troupes out safely.
16 tanks GONE, 4 troop carriers GONE, 2 20mm Anti aircraft trailers GONE.
Bud said to his friend,
"I don't think this is going to be as easy, as old Ike keeps saying it will be?"
What's a sad thing is most people won't know of the bravery and skill a lot of soldiers had because they were on the wrong side.
Good thing we have sources like professor Felton and a band like sabaton to tell their stories.