Tiger II tank no. 213 La Gleize

This Tiger II number 213 of Obersturmführer Dollinger is one of the vehicles left behind by Peiper's 1st SS Panzer Regiment in 1944 when it had to withdraw from la Gleize.

Watch the attached National Geographic videos about Peiper's stop at La Gleize due to a fuel shortage and the discussion of the Tiger Tank.

Instead of playing a defensive role, the type was misused there as a breakthrough tank . Kampfgruppe Peipers had to leave about six tanks behind . The Americans, with their M4 Shermans and M10 Tank Destroyers, engaged the Tiger II (turret number 213) in a duel during the siege of La Gleize and managed to shoot the gun barrel in half with a lucky shot.

Tiger 213, Tiger 221, and a Panzer IV defended Werimont Farm near La Gleize. On December 21, 1944, American tanks from Task Force McGeorge and Task Force Lovelady of the 3rd Armored Division attacked La Gleize.

Around noon, Dollinger in tank 213 and Georg Hantusch in tank 221 opened fire on fifteen American tanks approaching from the direction of Roanne, but they failed to destroy any. The Americans returned fire, damaging the barrel of Dollinger's tank. Hantusch's tank was also heavily damaged, and both crews were forced to abandon their tanks. Dollinger had suffered a head wound and sought shelter in the cellar of the Werimont farmhouse as Kampfgruppe Peiper withdrew from La Gleize.

When the battle was lost, Peiper left behind 135 armoured vehicles in the area around la Gleize , including Obersturmführer Dollinger's Tiger 213 which now stands in front of the museum.

Tiger II '213' was abandoned at the end of the Battle of the Bulge in a meadow behind the Wérimont farm. In 1945, the German wrecks were destroyed by American engineers and collected. In July 1945, the Königstiger '213' was recovered by three Sherman recovery tanks. During the towing, the tank shifted , making so much noise that Madame Jenny Geenen came outside. She traded it for a bottle of cognac . The tank now has a place in the December 1944 Museum, located in the old rectory in the village of La Gleize.

At the end of 1951, the Tiger II was towed 50 meters to its current location, again using a Sherman recovery tank. In 1971, the tank was painted in the grayish-blue color of the German tanks of 1940. During that entire period, the Tiger II had only a three-quarter gun . This was restored in 1972 , and the tank was sandblasted and repainted. This process was repeated twice more until 1993 .

Over the years, the tank underwent more and more restorations , including hatches, fenders, and running gear. The interior was also refurbished as much as possible. In 1996, it was decided to place the tank on a new base. That same year, the tank was sandblasted and painted again. Thanks to many volunteers, the Tiger II has been preserved and remains a unique military relic from the Battle of the Bulge.

Willem Vandenameele