particular major awards and where did they go..............

[gew98]

My sort of question is thus :
I have always wondered of soldiers like Hans Ulrich Rudel , and Even Erwin Rommel what became of their most prized awards. Does anyone have examples of say other than Leon Degrelle ( took his medals to spain with him ) whom survived the war or if only their medals did and in whose hands they landed in ?. I never really recall any stories of GI's and such pilfering Knights corsses and the like from KIA or POW Germans. Please indulge me if you would.

[Brian Dentino]

From many veterans accounts that I have read, the GI's would take anything removable. Especially if it had a swasi on it. Anything. Period.

I acquired my first German items from a gentleman that was an MP who landed in Normandy around the middle of July. Being an MP, he removed ANYTHING removable that was left on a prisoner. I ended up with was a Luft. GAB, a Heer belt and buckle, a small leather medical pouch, and a couple of beat up NSDAP pins. Mr. Cowan, the vet, told me that they removed ANYTHING from a POW in order to protect both themselves and the POW.

Remember, suvenier hunting was big and anything was fair game. As for Herr Rommel's items, they are probably still with the family (son) or in a museum somewhere. I am sure there are a lot of RK, DKiG's, and others in dumps all over America that were vet bring backs that were just tossed.
---Brian

[EKman]

...I am sure there are a lot of RK, DKiG's, and others in dumps all over America that were vet bring backs that were just tossed.
---Brian[/QUOTE]

Though it is true, let's not talk about things like that Makes me sick to my stomach

[Michael Everett]

Decorations

Many of the 'high powered' German decorations awarded to senior German Officer's can be traced to private collections, museums, or dealers. One trip to the MAX show and you will see most of the OL/S/DIAMONDS awarded on the tables of WOLFE/HARDIN (Gollob's,Graf's, Galland's, and a few others).

Most of the Field Marshall batons can be traced to museums or private collections. The only one left unaccounted is to FM Von Bock. I have personnally seen the OL/S/DIAMAONDS awarded to Von Manteuffel that are currently in a private collection (They are no longer in the Museum in Rastatt).

MIKE

[Ludwig]

-

As far as I remember Rudel didn´t even got out of the cockpit, after having just landed on an airfield now in US hands, as a US soldier tried to steal his KC. This fine airman just pushed the soldier´s arm away – like you push a curious little monkey away!

Lent´s diamonds are in a German museum (Rastatt).

[Thomas H]

Lent´s diamonds are in a German museum (Rastatt).

In Gordon Williamsons book 'the iron cross of 1939' on page 425 are the diamonds of Helmut Lent. Next to the pictures is the name Detlev Niemann, so I thought Lent's diamonds were in hands of Herr Niemann.

Thomas

[Ludwig]

-

No, but I guess that good ol´ Detlev provided him with the photo.

[von ropen]

About Rudels awards he says in his book, that when he surrender and land in an american airfield a soldier with a gun, tryed to steal his golden KC. He explain that he colsed his cockpit till a official arrived in a jeep. He explain that later, when all german man was sleeping all his belongs was stealed even Rudel leg¡¡¡¡
Finally all stealed items was give back and Rudel send to the 9th American Air Force in Erlangen.

[hcliffe]

I have personally seen Rommel's ribbon bars in a private collection owned by one of the top dealers in the US. I don't think he had the actual medals though.

[Michael Everett]

New ownership

Gents,


The Rastatt museum has 'traded' many of it's Third Reich items to private collectors. So, unless you have seen Lent's Diamond's recently, they may have found themselves into a private collection.

Rommel's Baton, Medal bar, and OL/S/DIAMONDS w/RK are on display at the BADEN-WURTENBURG state museum in Stuttgart. They were donated to Stuttgart by it's former mayor and son of Rommel, Manfred.

FM Kluge's FM Baton is on display at the Panzer Museum in Munster Germany.

FM Von Weich's baton and Goring Baton's is on display at Ft Benning Georgia's Infantry Museum.

If this of interest to collectors, I will continue to post a 'Roll Call' of the rarest.

MIKE

[dphillipsd]

Hi Mike,

This is of great interest to myself, so please, feel free to continue

[Dave-B]

The baton that belonged to Dönitz is in the Shropshire Regimental museum,England!


Dave

[Dave-B]

Here is me and the Dönitz baton!.......gorgeous eh??......the baton is not bad either!


Dave

[Michael Everett]

Correction

One quick correction regarding Goring's baton. I failed to point out that the Goring Baton at Ft Benning is Goring's first. His second and more ornate 2nd 'ISSUE' is, of course, at West Point.

Wolfe/Hardin have Keitel's and Milch's decorations.

Sepp Dietrich's honor sword?

MIKE

[Brian Dentino]

Dave, how did you get the honor of being able to hold a piece like this? Awesome, and thanks for the picture too!


Brian