4th Contemporary History Auction

Bidding on 454 lots has ended on 24th May 2015. 84% of all lots sold

002 |

SS-Standartenführer Karl - 1939 Knights Cross

SS-Standartenführer Karl - 1939 Knights Cross

LOT 5-002
SOLD
Auction ended        24th May 2015  |  06:01 pm CEST
RESULT
8.220,00
EXCL. BUYER’S PREMIUM: 17,5 %

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DESCRIPTion, DETaILS & Photos
SAVE FOR LATER
PERIOD
COUNTRY Deutschland
MATERIAL
DIMENSIONS
MAKER
WEIGHT
LOT 5-002
EAN 2000000019800
LOT 5-002
PERIOD
COUNTRY Deutschland
EAN 2000000019800
MATERIAL
DIMENSIONS
MAKER
WEIGHT
PERIOD
COUNTRY Deutschland
LOT 5-002
MATERIAL
DIMENSIONS
EAN 2000000019800
MAKER
WEIGHT


Description
The personal belongings of Friedrich-Wilhelm Karl (SS Honor Ring, Knight´s Cross and documents) were consigned for auction by Karl´s granddaughter on behalf of his wife who is still alive and celebrated her 104th birthday in October last year. The family wants to raise money for the care of Mrs. Karl who now resides in a nursing home.
 
Friedrich-Wilhelm Karl (1911-1970) was an early SS member (number 101 983) and graduated from SS-Junkerschule Bad Tölz in 1934. He joined SS-Standarte Germania and participated in the French Campaign where he was awarded the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Class and was promoted up to a SS-Standartenführer and commander of SS-Freiwilligen-Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 11 „Nordland“ at the end of WW2. Karl was awarded the German Cross in Gold (August 1944) and the Knight´s Cross on 26.12.1944.
 
Karl survived the war and ten years as a captive of the Russians from 1945 to 1955. He died on 21.8.1970.
 
1939 Knight´s Cross to the Iron Cross made by C.F.Zimmermann as well as an original photograph showing this cross. 20 maker marked as well as 800 silver stamped to the frame. Missing it’s ring. Well worn. Damaged to the reverse. A maker which is quite hard to come by.
 
The fact that this Knight´s Cross belonged to Karl can be proven. There are two original photos from the family showing Karl´s Honor Ring and his Knight´s Cross. These photos were most probably taken in the 1950s but proof that both items belonged to Friedrich-Wilhelm Karl for following reason: One photo in addition to showing his SS Honor Ring and Knight’s Cross also shows a postwar Russian document to Friedrich-Wilhelm Karl in the background. The original Russian document in this photo is part of Karl’s document grouping.
 
Extremely rare chance to acquire an original Knight´s Cross to an SS regimental commander which has never been in collector’s hands. Probably the only chance in your life. A Certificate of Authenticity from Klaus Butschek explaining the full provenance will accompany this item.

Condition
See description
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.

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