The Diamonds and Otto Klein & Co.

[Dwight]

I recently had the opportunity to visit the Verein für Heraldik, Genealogie und verwandte Wissenschaften zu Berlin (HEROLD). Founded in 1869 and located in Berlin, this society is doing research into heraldry and genealogy. They also work with related themes such as sphragistics (studies of seals used to authenticate archival documents), phaleristics and numismatics. The society is very active and further information can be found on their homepage (in German only): https://herold-verein.de/

For those of you that are interested in heraldry and genealogy, I strongly recommend a visit to their website!

HEROLD also has a large archive and they are the keeper of material from the former Institut für Wissenschaftliche Ordenskunde, the Ordenskundliche Sammlung Klietmann (Translates to something like “Phaleristic(s) collection Klietmann”).

During my visit I was given all the assistance I needed by very friendly and competent honorary members of the society. I am very grateful for their time and effort!

Kurt G. Klietmann (1910-1990) founded the Institut für Wissenschaftliche Ordenskunde after World War II. As many of you might know, he wrote several articles and books about German orders and decorations.

The Ordenskundliche Sammlung Klietmann consists of a very large number of documents, pictures and other material regarding orders and decorations from all over the world. The largest part of the collection deals with German orders and decorations. The material is very well organized and there exists an index.

This collection was the reason for my visit as I was looking for information of both non-German and German WW2 orders and decorations. I also was curious of what type of material the collection consisted of, especially to what extent primary sources were present. With primary sources, I mean direct or first-hand material. When it came to German WW2 orders and decorations, I had chosen to focus on the Diamonds. I am happy to say that I found, in my opinion, some very interesting documents regarding the Diamonds (and other topics as well) and I thought it would be interesting to show one of these documents here.

I do however not know if this document has been published or used earlier, but I myself have not seen this material before my visit to HEROLD. During my visit, I only had the chance to go through a small part of the Ordenskundliche Sammlung Klietmann. In my opinion, there are great possibilities to obtain valuable knowledge from this collection of material about both German and other countries orders and decorations.

I am also aware that Klietmann has been criticized for some of the things he did. My intention is however not to go into a discussion regarding these issues, but just to show a document that in my opinion is interesting when it comes to the Diamonds.

Document 1-3: Letter from Otto Klein & Co. to the Internationale Gesellschaft für Ordenskunde, dated sixth of December 1955. Source: HEROLD, “Ordenskundliche Sammlung Klietmann”, box (“Kapsel”) 235 (“Orden mit Brillanten, Deutsches Reich”), document 068, page 1-2 and attached drawing (document 252).

[Dwight]

Close up of the drawing attached to the letter from Otto Klein & Co.

[Dwight]

The document (document 1-3) is a letter from Otto Klein & Co. to the Internationale Gesellschaft für Ordenskunde. The letter is dated December 6, 1955 and is an answer to a letter dated December 3, 1955. The letter deals with two topics: The possible production of a field marshal baton (“Marschallstab”) and the production of the Diamonds.

When it comes to the production of the Diamonds, it is stated that at the beginning of the war, the Diamonds were made of “vorhandene Pressungen aus Silber mit Brillanten besetz”. In my opinion Otto Klein & Co. is referring to the Diamonds of type 1 made by Godet.

The letter then states that Otto Klein & Co. in October 1942 was given the task (“der Auftrag erteilt”) by “Unterstaatssekretär Dr. Döhle” to come up with a new model of the Diamonds (“neues Modell für diese Orden zu arbeiten”). In a short time (“kurzerhand”) the new model was produced in platina and was then immediately selected by the “Führerhauptquartier” (“vom Führerhauptquartier gewählt”). In my opinion, this indicates that Hitler (or maybe also Göring) was directly involved in the approval of a new model of the Diamonds.

After the approval, Otto Klein & Co. was by the “Präsidialkanzlei” given the order to produce 25 sets (“…den Auftrag auf Herstellung von 25 Stück.”).

The letter also states that it was Otto Klein & Co. that suggested and convinced both Dr. Doehle and Staatsminister Otto Meissner to produce the new model of the Diamonds in platina. They argued that the highest bravery award of Germany should not be “ordinary” (“nicht kurant ausgeführt”) and suggested that platina was the right material. Doehle and Meissner immediately accepted this suggestion. It is also stated that Otto Klein & Co. produced six sets of the Diamonds in 18-carat gold.

Furthermore it is stated that they sometime later were given the order to produce sets of Diamonds made of silver and with glass stones (“Etwas später wurde uns dann der Auftrag erteilt denselben Orden in Silber mit Simili zu arbeiten…“) and that these sets were handed out simultaneously with the Diamonds in platina with real diamonds (“wurde bei jeder Lieferung ein silberner Orden mit Simili mitgegeben”). I understand that “sometime later” (“Etwas später”) would have been sometime after October 1942.

The numbers stated in the letter is interesting: 25 sets of diamonds made in platina and six sets made in gold. If Otto Klein & Co. also produced an extra set for “daily wear” in silver and with glass stones, we are talking about 56 sets altogether (50 plus 6). If the six golden sets also came with extra sets for daily wear, which I have understood was the case (see Dietrich’s book “The Knights Cross of the Iron Cross”, page 310), we are talking about 62 sets altogether.

Finally the letter states that all documentation regarding the Diamonds are gone (“Wir möchten noch darauf hinweisen, dass die Unterlagen für die Eichenlaube mit Schwertern leider nicht mehr vorhanden sind, und wir Ihnen deshalb keine näheren Details geben können.”). The reason for this can be that much was destroyed during the heavy bombing of the town Hanau. In the letter, in connection with the possible production of a field marshal baton, it is mentioned that the production machinery was destroyed (“…der grösste Teil der Einrichtungen bei der Vernichtung Hanaus untergangen ist.”).

At the end of the letter there is a note regarding an attached drawing of the Diamonds. Here it is said that the centre vein and the vein on the right side of the Diamonds should make up the letter “L” as a symbol of Queen Louise of Prussia (1776-1810). Queen Louise of Prussia was the wife of King Friedrich Wilhelm III (1770-1840) and the Iron Cross was instituted on her birthday March 10, 1813.

[Leroy]

Wonderful contribution.

[Leroy]

Deleted-double post

[Wim Vangossum]

Thanks for sharing this!


Regards, Wim

[gregM]

Very interesting. Thank you.

[Tom B]

VERY, VERY interesting and historical info on a subject I've been interested in for many years ! Thank you so much for posting this !!!! Tom

[Douglas 5]

Excellent ....

Douglas

[Dwight]

Many thanks for all the comments!

[August von Mackensen]

Luise was a real beautie and well known during this period of time and beyond

Great thread Dwight!

Matt

[Eric the Wiking]

very good post, thanks for sharing!

[Stan]

Fantastic information Dwight.

This letter confirms a lot of facts which are taken for granted by collectors without knowing if they are really correct.

Stan

[markus]

Excellent research!

Rgds from Santorini !

Markus.

[DougE]

Additionally, 62 sets were made by Klein for collectors in 1980. My understanding is no more we’re made by Klein after that.