The uniform grouping belonging to Generalleutnant Kurt Menzel came straight out of the Menzel estate in March 2015. It has never been in a collector´s hands and never available on the market before.
Kurt Menzel was born in Marktheidenfeld Bavaria on 12.6.1888. He volunteered for the 7th Bavarian Field-Artillery-Regiment on 1.10.1907 and was promoted to an Unteroffizier and officer´s candidate just one year later. He served in the 4th Bavarian Field-Artillery-Regiment during WW1 and joined Freikorps Hierl after the war.
Menzel became commander of I./28.Flak-Regiment in 1936, commander of 9.Flak-Regiment "Legion Condor" in 1938 and commander of 5.Flak Division in 1941, just to list a few examples of his remarkable career. was promoted to Generalleutnant on 1.11.1942 and retired on 30.11.1942 after seven months service as Officer with Special Duties of the RLM and Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe. Menzel was recalled on 7.8.1944 and placed at the disposal of the Luftwaffe until the end of the war. He acted as Luftschutz (Air Defense) liaison to the Reichsgruppe of industry in the West (August 1944 - May 1945).
He was captured by US troops on 5.5.1945 and released 4 months later. He died on 30.12.1969 in Munich.
Heavy blue overcoat to Generalleutnant Kurt Menzel.
Textbook collar tabs and shoulder boards for a Generalleutnant. Guaranteed period time attached. Excellent high quality work. Matching patina. The collar tabs where attached by machine. The tailor attached them by hand just with a few stitches before using his machine. There are moth holes to both tabs. No moth damage to the shoulder boards. Both prongs of the rank pips are intact.
M. Zöltsch Nachf., Würzburg tailors label. Fine dark blue silk liner. Inner pockets with flaps. A ring to attach the sword hanger. Excellent quality interior.
One part of the seam of the liner (towards the white lapel) has opened (please see very last picture). There is no damage. You could close it with a few stitches. The length of the open seam is about 38cm.
Excellent gilt buttons. All period time attached and Assmann maker marked. The tailor used a special technic for the left row of buttons. There were attached through the fabric.
Small moth holes and bits to this coat. The moth holes are rather to the bottom of the coat. Minor moth bits to the white lapel. A März 1939 dated name tag for OBERST MENZEL. We can hardly imagine this coat was promoted. Menzel must have ordered it when he was still an "Oberst" knowing of his promotion to a Generalmajor.
Condition 2- for the moth holes otherwise a beautiful coat from very high quality. An extremely rare chance to purchase an untouched General´s coat with provenance which has never been in collector´s hands.
