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L011559 WAR MERIT CROSS 2ND CLASS 1939, WITH SWORDS AWARD DOCUMENT. (Urkunde)
BACKGROUND: The bestowal of all awards during the Third Reich was regulated by the Statutes of Titles, Orders and Decorations which was originally revised on January 30TH 1934, with numerous additional revisions as new awards and decorations were introduced. The regulations prescribed the criteria for bestowal and the specific form of wearing the award. Regulations of July 1ST 1937 dictated that the sole legal authority for bestowal of all decorations and awards lay with Adolf Hitler and the Reichs Chancellery. Although the Statutes of Titles, Orders and Decorations held the ultimate decision in all matters of awards the Wehrmacht, (Armed Forces), was given control over the bestowal regulations of all military awards as long as they conformed to the appropriate statute. When bestowed the awards were usually accompanied by a "Vorläufiges Besitzzeugnis", (Preliminary Possession Certificate), followed by the official award presentation document. Depending on the specific award, bestowal authorization could be initiated by the commander of a divisional or smaller unit and the appropriate award information was entered into the recipients Soldbuch, (Pay Book), and his permanent Wehrstammbuch, (Military Service Book), which remained in the possession of the issuing recruitment authority. This example is for award of a War Merit Cross 2ND class with swords. The War Merit Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on October 18TH 1939, in two classes with both classes issued, with and without swords, for award to military personnel and civilians, including females and foreigners, for exemplary service and/or bravery in Germany’s war effort, in a non-combatant role. The addition of swords to the award signified bravery while awards without swords were bestowed for service. Of Note: The War Merit cross series of awards was expanded on August 19TH 1940, to include a Knight’s Cross of the War Merit Cross for award to personnel who had provided a substantial contribution to the war effort and the War Merit Medal for award to German nationals and foreign civilians who provided exceptional service to the war effort.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly, 8 1/8" x 5 3/4", light-weight, paper document with black printed Latin script and handwritten particulars. The script indicates that an, "Ogefr." was awarded a War Merit Cross 2ND class with swords on, "20. April 1945". The award was rendered at "Divisions-Gefechts-Stand", (Divisional Command Post), and has the authorizing signature of, "Generalleutnant und Divisionskommandeur", Wolfgang Erdmann with units field post inkstamp. The document is in overall good condition with minor age yellowing, some small rust colored stains, central, horizontal and vertical fold creases and two punched holes near the left outer edge for inclusion in a binder. Of Note: Erdmann was commander of the 7TH Paratroop Division from it’s inception in September 1944 until the end of the war and was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross on February 13TH 1945 for distinguished action against the British in the battle of Kappeln. Captured by the British near Oldenburg in May 1945 Erdmann committed suicide on September 5TH 1946 while in captivity at Munsterlager.
GRADE ***1/4 PRICE $298.00
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