Less than a month later, on August 8, during Operation Totalize, Wittmann died along with four other members of his crew, not before achieving the most victories in history for a tank crew, with the destruction of nearly 300 enemy vehicles. for a long time the remains of the mythical commander were not found, giving rise to a legend that lasted until 1983 when the mystery was revealed with the discovery of his remains.
Wittmann is still considered a legend in Germany today and is sometimes known as the “Black Baron”, a clear reference to the Red Baron Manfred Von Richtofen.
Massimiliano Afiero was born in Afragola (Naples) in 1964. Computer teacher, programmer, but above all a passionate scholar of the Second World War, he has published numerous articles in the main national history magazines, such as Storia del XX Secolo, Storia e Battaglie, Storia del Novecento , Raids, Volunteers, Milites, Thule Italy, Storia in Rete and Storia Verità and actively collaborates with numerous military-historical websites. One of the few Italian historical researchers to have personally interviewed numerous veterans and veterans of the Axis formations, in particular the Waffen-SS, publishing their unpublished stories. He has to his credit numerous conferences held throughout the national territory on the phenomenon of the presence of foreign volunteers in the German armed forces during the Second World War. From November 2004 to December 2008 he was historical consultant and technical director of the magazine "Volontari". Since May 2008 Chief Editor of the bimonthly magazine SGM (SECOND WORLD WAR) published by the Lupo Editorial. Since January 2009, the publication of the new Ritterkreuz magazine has begun, dedicated to the military history of Axis formations during the Second World War and since 2013 the publication of the FRONTI di GUERRA series.