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 30^TH 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 1^ST 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 consists of three documents issued to the same individual.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Chronologically the documents begin with a roughly, 7 3/4" x 5 1/2", mid-weight cardstock award document for an Iron Cross 2^ND class with black printed script and the likeness of an Iron Cross and typed particulars. The printed and typed script indicate that a, "SS-Sturmmann", serving with, "Schlächterei-Kp./SS-Totenkopf-Division", (Butchery Company /SS-Totenkopf Division), was awarded an Iron Cross 2^ND class on, "15. 3. 1942". The document was issued at the, "Div. Gef. Std.", (Divisional Command Post), and has the authorizing signature of , "Der Divisionkommandeur: "SS-Gruppenfuhrer u. Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS", Theodor Eicke, along with the divisional inkstamp. The document is in overall very good condition with minor age yellowing and has a moderate, central, horizontal fold crease. Of Note: Although considered extremely radical and impetuous by some, Theodor Eicke was to play an influential role in the SS right up until his death in February 1943. Eicke had originally joined the NSDAP and the SA on December 1^ST 1928, transferring to the SS on July 29^TH 1930 and quickly gained promotions and increasingly important positions within the organization. On June 26^TH 1933, with the rank of SS-Oberführer, Eicke was assigned as commandant of the Dachau concentration camp and with strict disciplinary measures was able to transformed the guard units into an elite force. On July 4^TH 1934 Eicke was appointed as Inspector of all concentration camps and guard units and seven days later was promoted to the rank of SS-Gruppenführer. In March 1936 as Inspector of concentration camps, the SS-Wachverbände, (SS-Guard units), fell under Eicke’s command, were given independent status from the Allgemeine-SS and were renamed, SS-TV, SS-Totenkopfverbände, (SS-Death’s Head Units). These SS-Totenkopfverbände personnel would eventually become the cadre of the 3.SS-Panzer-Division "Totenkopf" on its formation in October 1939 with Eicke as its first commander. On April 20^TH 1942, while leading the Totenkopf division Eicke was promoted to the rank of SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS and was awarded the Oak-leaves to his Knight’s Cross. On February 26^TH 1943 Eicke was killed near Michailowka Russia when his observation plane was shot down. As a result of his death the personnel of the SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 6, of the 3.SS-Panzer-Division "Totenkopf", were allotted a cufftitle in his honor on March 15^TH 1943, (Retroactive to March 2^ND). The next document is a roughly, 7 7/8" x 5 1/2", mid-weight cardstock award document for a Russian Front Medal with black printed script and typed particulars. The printed and typed script indicate that a, "SS-Rottenführer", was awarded a Russian Front Medal on, "15. 7. 1942". The document was issued at the, "Div. Gef. Std.", (Divisional Command Post), and has the authorizing signature of a, "SS-Sturmbannführer u. Kommandeur", along with the units field post inkstamp. The document is in overall very good condition with minor age yellowing and has a moderate, central, horizontal fold crease. The final document is a roughly, 7 3/4" x 5 1/2", mid-weight cardstock award document with black printed script and the likeness of a War Merit Cross 2^ND class with swords and typed particulars. The printed and typed script indicate that a, "SS-Rottenführer", serving with, "Schlächt. Komp./SS-Wirtsch.-Btl.3", (Butchery Company/3^RD SS-Economic Battalion), was awarded a War Merit Cross 2^ND class with swords on, "15. Nov. 1943". The document was issued at the, "Div. Gef. Std.", (Divisional Command Post), and has the authorizing signature of, "Der Divisionkommandeur: SS-Brigadeführer u. Generalmajor der Waffen-SS", Hermann Prieß. The document is in overall very good condition with minor age yellowing and has a moderate, central, horizontal fold crease. Of Note: Hermann Prieß assumed command of the 3.SS-Panzer-Division "Totenkopf", after Eicke’s death. Prieß was awarded a German Cross in Gold on January 26^TH 1942, a Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross on April 28^TH 1943, the Oak-Leaves to the Knight’s Cross on September 9^TH 1943 and the Swords to the Knight’s Cross on April 24^TH 1944. Prieß was convicted of war crimes at the end of the war and was imprisoned until 1954. He died in Ahrensburg in February 1985.

GRADE ****                             PRICE $2,856.00