BACKGROUND: Artwork, as a propaganda tool, was widely used during the Third Reich and Hitler’s own humble artistic background also helped foster a general interest in German art. Many art exhibitions were held through-out German during the time period with the largest being held annually, ever summer from 1937 to 1944, at the German House of Art in Munich. As early as 1938 the OKW, Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, (High Command of the Armed Forces), actively began recruiting artists who were assigned to a units Propaganda Company along with photographers and journalists. By the end of the war almost two hundred war artists had served in the Wehrmacht. This example is a reprint of a painting by Prof. Graf and is number eleven in a series of Knight’s Cross winners of the Kriegsmarine postcards. Of Note: Tönniges served with the 1^ST S-Flotille and was one of the highest decorated S-Boat commanders of the war.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly, 5 7/8" x 4 1/8", mid weight card stock, postcard features close up, portrait style, full color artwork of Kapitänleutnant Werner Tönniges wearing a navy blue reefer jacket. The visible details in the artwork include a Knight’s Cross with Oak-Leaves. The reverse of the postcard has black printed Latin script which includes, "Ritterkreuzträger der Kriegsmarine Nach einem Original von Prof. Graf, München-Nr. 11. Tönniges, Werner, Kapitänleutnant, geb. am 7. Januar 1910 in Oberhausen/Rheinland, erhielt als Kommandant eines Schnellbootes am 25. Februar 1941 das Ritterkreuz und am 13. November 1942 das Eichenlaub", (Knight’s Cross Holders of the Kriegsmarine After an Original by Prof. Graf Munich-Nr.11. Tönniges, Werner, Kapitänleutnant, born on the 7^TH of January 1910 in Oberhausen/Rheinland, Awarded as Commander of an S-Boat on 25^TH of February 1941 the Knight’s Cross, and on 13^TH of December 1942 the Oak-Leaves) The postcard is in overall very good condition with minor age yellowing.

GRADE ****                             PRICE $45.00