British historian Mark Axworthy suggests that the design for the "Hetzer" was likely rooted in the Romanian Mareşal tank destroyer. In November–December 1943, a Romanian commission ordered from Germany and German-occupied France several components which could not be made in Romania and this drew German attention to the Mareşal. Hitler approved the development of the Hetzer on 7 December 1943. That same month, Marshal Antonescu ("Conducător" of Romania at the time) commended the Mareşal project to Hitler. Soon afterwards, on 6 January 1944, Hitler was presented with the plans of the Mareşal M-04 prototype. Axworthy notes that the "Hetzer"'"s armament, armor and broader hull were very similar to those of the M-04. He also reports that in May 1944, German Lieutenant-Colonel Ventz (a delegate of the Waffenamt) admitted that the "Hetzer" had followed the Romanian design solution. American historian Steven Zaloga writes that "The Germans were impressed with the overall layout of the Mareşal, and it is credited with being the inspiration for the German Jagdpanzer 38(t) tank destroyer."