Knight Crosses today

[Sepp45]

Who's signature is this? Generalmajor?

Let me investigate...

[Sepp45]

RK with Golden OL, Swords and Diamonds awarded to Oberst Hans-Ulrich Rudel

The set is in the hands of Rudel's family.

A rather nice and rare photo of many items of Oberst Rudel, including his awards (shown previously on the thread), his dagger and formal award document.

[Sepp45]

Swords formal award document to Major Walter Nowotny
Kommandeur I. / Jagdgeschwader 54
Presented on: September 22nd, 1943

[Sepp45]

RK with OL and Swords awarded to Generalmajor Dietrich Peltz
Staffelkapitän 1. / Sturzkampfgeschwader 3
Awarded the Ritterkreuz: October 14th, 1940

Kommandeur II. / Kampfgeschwader 77
Awarded the Oak Leaves: December 31st, 1941

Angriffsführer England
Awarded the Swords: July 23rd, 1943

The picture on the left correspond to his formal award documents, as shown in the book "World War II German War Booty - Vol. III", by Thomas M. Johnson.

[Sepp45]

RK preliminary award document to Hauptmann Friedrich Platzer
Staffelführer 3. / Sturzkampfgeschwader 2
Presented on: April 5th, 1942

[Sepp45]

RK preliminary award document to Hauptmann Friedrich Platzer
Staffelführer 3. / Sturzkampfgeschwader 2
Presented on: April 5th, 1942

The same great person send me these two excellent photos: Platzer's portrait and his RK preliminary doc.

[kaiserwilhelm2]

I know that group and it is of course fantastic!

[Sepp45]

RK formal award document to SS-Oberscharführer Ludwig Köchle
Zugführer 5. / SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiment 1
Presented on: February 28th, 1942

[Sepp45]

RK awarded to Hauptmann Dr. Horst Patuschka
Gruppenkommandeur of II./Nachtjagdgeschwader 2
Awarded the Ritterkreuz: May 10th, 1943.

A better zoom on his RK preliminary award document and cross.

[Sepp45]

Zoom on the entire grouping

[nick-j]

Hi Sepp, Great thread,where else can we see so many mappes "side by side".Its amazing to see how many of the formal Kc documents are autopenned as opposed to hand signed by AH -- it seems to be on a ratio of very roughly 1 in 10. What do you guys think?
Thanks Sepp for all your work.

[markus]

Also:

Any educated guesses how many original formal award documents have been produced?

Markus

[chen]

My guess:
KC document: app. 7361 awards; from 40' to 42", total app.2138 awards; only 800 binders made; 500 executed. Any KC document actually signed by Hitler is rare.
Oakleave document: app.870 awards; app. 230 binders ; 153 signed ( 30 pen signed by Hitler)
Sword document: app. 157 awards; 70 made;38 signed

[markus]

'Autopen' would be a machine or an individual actually signing for A.H.

I'm asking because I recently read a name of someone supposedly signing for the Führer.

[kaiserwilhelm2]

My guess:
KC document: app. 7361 awards; from 40' to 42", total app.2138 awards; only 800 binders made; 500 executed. Any KC document actually signed by Hitler is rare.
Oakleave document: app.870 awards; app. 230 binders ; 153 signed ( 30 pen signed by Hitler)
Sword document: app. 157 awards; 70 made;38 signed

??? Based on???