Today was my lucky day. Along with my father, I have been collecting military items since February 1974. One piece that has always eluded me is a Ritterkreuz (Knight's Cross). On December 16, 2013, the 69th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, a newspaper in my area featured two veterans of the Bulge with their wartime souvenirs. Among the items one of the veterans brought back as a souvenir was a Ritterkreuz. I immediately wrote to the veteran (he's now 88 years old), a member of the U.S. 8th Armored Division, telling him of my interest, and today he called to offer it to me. I interviewed him for an hour and a half and took many photos and some video.
I asked him how he acquired the Ritterkreuz. He said he was marching into Germany at the end of the war and a column of captured German soldiers was passing by on the same road under guard. The veteran told me he walked up to the POWs and saw the award around one soldier's necks and took it from the German because it looked unique to him. I asked him if the German soldier had any reaction, and he said, "No, he didn't - like all the other German soldiers in the group, he was simply glad the war was over."
As mentioned, I have always wanted a Ritterkreuz, but never imagined I would acquire one directly from a veteran. I am also thrilled that it is an issued and worn example - if only I knew who it belonged to!
I would like to know if you Ritterkreuz experts, especially my friend Dietrich Maerz, can tell me more about this example. As you can see, it's a pristine example with only slight wear. The Ritterkreuz is marked "800" and the ring is marked "935". My main question is, "Who is the maker?"
I am looking forward to everyone's input.
Barry
I asked him how he acquired the Ritterkreuz. He said he was marching into Germany at the end of the war and a column of captured German soldiers was passing by on the same road under guard. The veteran told me he walked up to the POWs and saw the award around one soldier's necks and took it from the German because it looked unique to him. I asked him if the German soldier had any reaction, and he said, "No, he didn't - like all the other German soldiers in the group, he was simply glad the war was over."
As mentioned, I have always wanted a Ritterkreuz, but never imagined I would acquire one directly from a veteran. I am also thrilled that it is an issued and worn example - if only I knew who it belonged to!
I would like to know if you Ritterkreuz experts, especially my friend Dietrich Maerz, can tell me more about this example. As you can see, it's a pristine example with only slight wear. The Ritterkreuz is marked "800" and the ring is marked "935". My main question is, "Who is the maker?"
I am looking forward to everyone's input.
Barry
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