Grouping to Knight's Cross recipient Leutnant zur See der Reserve and SS-Obersturmführer Heinrich Gabers. Gabers was part of the "Abwehr", the German military intelligence service. Gabers has had 3 special missions for the "Ghost Sailors" (German: Geistersegler) special forces. He was promoted an SS-Obersturmführer by Ernst Kaltenbrunner and awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross as the 271st recipient of the Kriegsmarine on 1.11.1944. SS-Obergruppenführer Ernst Kaltenbrunner presented him the award in Fürstenwalde together with the Brigadeführer Walter Schellenberg.
Impressive trophy awarded to "Captain Heinrich Gabers" on 23.8.1938 for crossing the Atlantic with his single handed sailing boat "Windspiel III". He started in Hamburg and arrived in New York after 52 days. His sailing talent was the reason for the German military intelligence to call him for service.
Large marble base with hand-engraved brass tag. Gilt brass middle column flanked by two real silver hollow constructed columns showing an eagle to the top of each column. The center column holds a separately attached real silver sailing boat with a separate sail from brass.
The engraved tag reads:
AWARD OF THE
Steinway Motor Boat Club Inc. of New Yorck
TROPHY
Captain Heinrich Gabers
FOR PERFORMANCE OF UNUSUAL COURAGE & SPORTSMANSHIP BY SAILING SINGLE HANDED ABOARD OF THE WINDSPIEL III FROM HAMBURG GERMANY
Arriving August 23 1938 at New York after 52 days at Sea.
Height: 53cm. Weight: 4.00kg
1939 Iron Cross 1st Class. Minor light rust. Made by Zimmermann. "20" marked as well as unreadably marked. It might be L/52. 1939 Iron Cross 2nd Class including a worn piece of extra ribbon. The cross maker is hard to read. It could be 55.
A replica photograph in a modern frame is part of this grouping. There is the book "Die Geisterschiffe Hitlers. Segler im Dienste der Abwehr" (1975, 2nd edition) part of this offer which surely mentions details on Gabers as well.
