Guys, I picked up this Nahkampfspange in Gold Soldbuch and am very curious to hear your opinions.
The Soldbuch is a Zweitschrift issue from November 1943. Originally born in Hungaria, Johann Kutrowatz already served in the Wehrmacht before the war; he earned the Erinnerungsmedaille a.d. 1.10.1938 mit Spange. Serving with Panzer-Regiment 4 (see his Erkennungsmarke: St./Pz.R.4 #163) of the 2. Panzer-Division, he earned the PAB in February 1941 (probably a late issue for the May 1940 campaign), and the EKII on the Eastern Front in September 1941. He also earned the Ostmedaille, and the Verwundetenabzeichen, as he was wounded twice, in September 1941 and in July 1942. After his last wound, he probably shifted to another unit. In September 1943, he catched malaria. After his recovery in November, he received his new Soldbuch and was sent to the (Schnelle) Panzerjäger-Abteilung 190 of the 90. Panzergrenadier-Division in Italy. There, he was wounded again in the area of Rimini during September 1944 by shrapnel in the head. While he was in hospital, he was awarded the EKI, the Verwundetenabzeichen im Silber for his third wound, and the Nahkampfspange in Gold. These three awards all seem to be dated 12th of December 1944.
Kutrowatz is not mentioned in the lists of known CCCiG recipients, and the award entry is a tough one to judge as it is not stamped or signed, still I think it is an original. First, the award date matches the date of the large award ceremony organized in the Rathaussaal in Ulm, during which Heinrich Himmler awarded the CCCiG to 83 men – the highest number of CCCiG ever awarded on a single day. It seems logical that Kutrowatz could not make it to this award ceremony, as he was still in an Italian hospital. Would this be the reason why he is not included in today’s lists? Second, the handwriting of the Nahkampfspange matches that of his promotion entries to Unteroffizier and Feldwebel. Both promotions look OK to me and are signed on page 3 by the Leutnant and Kompanie-Führer of his active unit, just before and just after he was wounded. Unfortunately the unit entry on page 3 is hard to read. Can anyone make it out? Any comments on this Soldbuch are highly appreciated!
The Soldbuch is a Zweitschrift issue from November 1943. Originally born in Hungaria, Johann Kutrowatz already served in the Wehrmacht before the war; he earned the Erinnerungsmedaille a.d. 1.10.1938 mit Spange. Serving with Panzer-Regiment 4 (see his Erkennungsmarke: St./Pz.R.4 #163) of the 2. Panzer-Division, he earned the PAB in February 1941 (probably a late issue for the May 1940 campaign), and the EKII on the Eastern Front in September 1941. He also earned the Ostmedaille, and the Verwundetenabzeichen, as he was wounded twice, in September 1941 and in July 1942. After his last wound, he probably shifted to another unit. In September 1943, he catched malaria. After his recovery in November, he received his new Soldbuch and was sent to the (Schnelle) Panzerjäger-Abteilung 190 of the 90. Panzergrenadier-Division in Italy. There, he was wounded again in the area of Rimini during September 1944 by shrapnel in the head. While he was in hospital, he was awarded the EKI, the Verwundetenabzeichen im Silber for his third wound, and the Nahkampfspange in Gold. These three awards all seem to be dated 12th of December 1944.
Kutrowatz is not mentioned in the lists of known CCCiG recipients, and the award entry is a tough one to judge as it is not stamped or signed, still I think it is an original. First, the award date matches the date of the large award ceremony organized in the Rathaussaal in Ulm, during which Heinrich Himmler awarded the CCCiG to 83 men – the highest number of CCCiG ever awarded on a single day. It seems logical that Kutrowatz could not make it to this award ceremony, as he was still in an Italian hospital. Would this be the reason why he is not included in today’s lists? Second, the handwriting of the Nahkampfspange matches that of his promotion entries to Unteroffizier and Feldwebel. Both promotions look OK to me and are signed on page 3 by the Leutnant and Kompanie-Führer of his active unit, just before and just after he was wounded. Unfortunately the unit entry on page 3 is hard to read. Can anyone make it out? Any comments on this Soldbuch are highly appreciated!
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