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Grouping to Leutnant Willi Schmückle serving with Fahnenjunker-Regiment 1241. Part of the Panzergrenadier-Division "Kurmark". Knight's Cross on 15.03.1945 as Fahnenjunker-Oberfeldwebel during the "Oderfront" around the "Seelower Höhen". A rare "Endkampf Berlin" related grouping!
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Made by Steinhauer & Lück. A so-called "micro 800" type. Classic three-part construction. Iron core with original black paint. "800" silver hallmarked frame. Unfortunately, the swastika has been removed. Also, grinding marks on both sides, and the frame has opened in two places. Comes with the original "800" suspension loop and a 15.5 cm long neck ribbon. Size of the Knight's Cross: 48.50x48.31 mm. Weight of the Knight's Cross: 29.6 gr.
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Annotation 22.9,22; The S&L Knight's Cross did not belong to Schmückle as we were informed. It was added to the grouping by the consignor!
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Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. 1957 type. Three-part construction with an iron core. Including the original suspension loop and neck ribbon (full length).
20mm miniature to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on buttonhole attachment. 1957 type.
SA membership pin. Maker marked on the back.
Two period time photos of him in which he is wearing the Knight's Cross. Furthermore four excellent reprints of original wartime photos.
Heer military ID tag with the leather bag. Made from aluminum. "3SAN ERS ABTLG5" stamped.
A patriotic pin with the national colors of the German Reich as well as two postwar membership pins.
Heer medical ("Sanitäter") single shoulder board for a Fahnenjunker-Oberfeldwebel. Slip-on type.
A letter from the Armeeoberkommando 9 to him. It informs him that spirits and food will be sent to him on the occasion of the award of the Knight's Cross. Signed by an Oberstleutnant. Dated "22.3.1945". Two holes.
Two daily reports of the 712. Infanterie-Divison ("Divisions-Tagesbefehl"). The award of the Knight's Cross to Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel Schmückle is listed in the report. His combat mission for the award of the Knight's Cross is also noted. Dated "20.3.1945". Each report has two holes.
Certificate to 1939 Iron Cross 1st Class. Field made. Issued on 6.3.1945. Signed by Generalmajor Joachim von Siegroth? Knight's Cross winner. Two holes.
POW certificate of discharge. Dated "24.8.1945". Two holes.
Elven photocopies of original wartime documents and certificates. Furthermore a photocopy of the application for admission to the Ordensgemeinschaft der Ritterkreuzträger (23.8.1975) and a membership list of the Reserve- und Landwehr-Offizier-Verein Pforzheim (Christmas 1978).
Signs of use. Good condition 2/2-.
Condition
2/2-
Historical information
NAME
Knights Cross of the Order of the Iron Cross
DATE OF INSTITUTION
1. September 1939 as the third and new grade of the re-instituted Order of the Iron Cross
AWARD CRITERIA
The Knights Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded for exceptional bravery in the face of the enemy and for outstanding merit in troop leadership. The awarding required the previous awarding of the two lower grades. The Knights Cross was solely awarded by the Führer upon the proposal of the soldiers unit and issued by the Heerespersonalamt. The Knights Crosses were stored at the Ordenskanzlei in Berlin, to be sent to the awardee after approval. There were no Knights Crosses stored at any level of the Wehrmacht before the end of April 1945.
MANUFACTURERS
The Knights Cross of the Iron Cross was produced by seven manufacturers, not including variations amongst the individual companies. The Knights Crosses can be found either unmarked (early Juncker and 3/4 Ring), with a silver content mark, with an LDO number (L/12 and L/52), and later on with the company’s Präsidialkanzlei number (2, 20, 65, and 4). Private sales were forbidden after October 1941.
AWARD NUMBERS
Accurate numbers are not known but the closest estimation is around 7,200, and most likely another couple of hundred on stock at the Präsidialkanzlei.
AWARD DOCUMENTS
The awardee received a preliminary document in A5 format and issued in the name of the Führer by the responsible personnel offices of the three branches of the Wehrmacht. The formal document (Große Mappe) was issued later and only until date of late 1942 / early 1943 due to the huge backlog.
WEARING METHOD
The Knights Cross was worn around the neck on a wider red white and black ribbon which came within the black award case of the Knights Cross.
.jpg "Major Heinrich Höfer - restored (!) Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross \"65\"")
.jpg "Schmückle, Willi - Knight's Cross winner grouping")
