ratisbon's | Stolz, Josef - Knight's Cross formal award document with slipcase - first KC winner of the WH | DISCOVER GENUINE MILITARIA, ANTIQUES & COINS

59th Contemporary History Auction

Place absentee bids now | Live auction on 4th and 5th May

STARTING PRICE

€ 12.000,00

GBP 10.277,16
USD 12.856,80

12000

approx: GBP 10.277,16 / USD 12.856,80

BUYER’S PREMIUM: 24,5 %

DESCRIPTion, DETaILS & Photos

PAYMENT
- HOW CAN I PAY FOR MY ORDER?
  
  AUCTIONS
  
  You will receive an e-mail confirming your successful bids the day after the auction has ended. In your personal my ratisbon's you will be able to inform us about your most convenient payment method for this order or tell us about an alternative shipping address.
  
  If we don’t hear from you within 24 hours, we will send an invoice choosing the payment and shipping options which we think are the most comfortable ones to you. If you decide to change your shipping or payment method after receiving your invoice, just drop us a line or visit my ratisbon's/ORDERS for any more details.
  
  SHOP ORDERS
  
  Choose your payment method when ordering and submit your order. Once your order has been received we will send an invoice including your shipping costs and your payment instructions.
  After receiving the invoice, the order must be paid within 7 days.
  Please contact us to discuss layaway options.
  
  To learn more about paying at ratisbon's, please see your FAQ pages.
  
  WE ACCEPT FOLLOWING PAYMENT METHODS

Versand
- HOW DO YOU SHIP MY NEW TREASURES?
  
  PACKING & TRACKING
  
  We usually send out orders within 1-3 working days after your payment has been received. In most cases, we are faster than this! We will inform you when your goods are being dispatched and provide a tracking number, In addition, you can always check your order status at my ratisbon's/ORDERS. Delivery times will vary depending upon the delivery destination and type of shipping service you have chosen.
  
  SHIPPING TO ALTERNATIVE ADDRESS
  
  If you prefer to have your order shipped to your work address or a friend during your absence, we will happy to arrange this for you. Send us an email letting us know about your new shipping address and we will be happy to send an updated invoice to you.
  
  OUR LOGISTIC PARTNERS ARE AS FOLLOWS

OUR GUARANTEE
- OUR GUARANTEE!
  
  We only offer collectables which to the best of our specialists knowledge are authentic. About 15% of all consignments are returned to the consignor after extensive research due to authenticity issues.
  
  Unlike traditional auction houses we do offer a full right of return. If you are not satisfied with what you won or bought, you may return it within 14 days. Please inform us and we will instruct you on how to return the goods. For more information, please visit FAQ pages.
  Important note: Cancelling bids after an auction may disappoint the consignor, who like you is a collector. This situation is easy to avoid. We encourage you not to bid on any collectable if you are unsure if it fits into your collection. Ask us to cancel your bid 24 hours prior to the end of an auction to avoid this situation.

QUESTIONS
- First name
  
  Last name
  
  email
  
  Message
  
  Please complete all fields marked with a *

Please note that shipping costs for this order might be higher than expected.

PERIOD 1918 — 1945
COUNTRY Germany 1918 - 1945

MATERIAL
DIMENSIONS

MAKER
WEIGHT

LOT 74-1287
EAN 2000000827711

LOT 74-1287
PERIOD 1918 — 1945
COUNTRY Germany 1918 - 1945

EAN 2000000827711
MATERIAL
DIMENSIONS
MAKER
WEIGHT

PERIOD 1918 — 1945
COUNTRY Germany 1918 - 1945
LOT 74-1287

MATERIAL
DIMENSIONS
EAN 2000000827711
MAKER
WEIGHT

Germany 1918 - 1945

Description

VIEW DESCRIPTION

Extemely rare Knight's Cross formal award document to Leutnant Josef Stolz serving as a platoon leader with Infanterie-Regiment 51. Awarded on 27. September 1939. He was killed in action on 24. June 1941 in Bjeloy (Russia). Posthumously promoted to Hauptmann. Together with Oberleutnant Dietrich Steinhardt, they were the first Knight's Cross winners of the Wehrmacht. ObLt. Steinhardt also served with Infanterie-Regiment 51.

The certifcate was hand-made by Franziska Kobell and her team. Made of a double-page calf parchment. The name of "Josef Stolz" is written in raised gilded letters with double strokes. Issued on 30. September 1939. Hand-signed by Adolf Hilter. Unfortunately, there are stains in the lower edge area.

The document folder is made of Morocco leather ("Saffian"). "Frieda Thiersch" maker marked inside. On the front cover is the national eagle, imprinted onto the cover and gilded. Light signs of use.

Comes with the original slip case. Slighty stained.

Condition
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.