Hi Guys. I think I didn't show it before... I want to share this SB which is important among my German Cross in Gold documents collection, because it is actually the only "Private" (not sure about the proper translation for "Mannschaften" in english..... it means : Schütze, Gefreiter, Obergefreiter or Stabsgefreiter) holder of the German Cross in Gold from HEER I own in my collection. Horst Scheibert stated in his Book that, on 18.April.1944, only 114 Mannschaften were decorated with this pure combat award, for a total of 8847 crosses attibuted. That means.....approximately 1,30% of the german Cross Holders !! Sure this percentage was slightly higher at the very end of the war, but probably not much more than 2%.... It was probabaly completely different by the Air Force, the attribution was related to the number of missions over the enemy lines (Feindflüge), and many Gefr. or Ogefr. were members of Bombers Crews.... ) So, just my two Cents, the rarity can not be compared.
The SB was opened 41 and worn until may 45, a salty shape, a little shrapnel damage throughout. Note Otto Daab served a good part of the war in the same company (3./Sturm-Rgt.218 - 78 Sturm-Division). I heard from different sources that only Soldiers who served for a long time in the same small Unit (company) had a real chance to get the german Cross. THe "five points" proposal to send to the OKW was "easier" to complete if you was an old well-know veteran from many battles.... Anyway, even if the 78.Sturm-Division had quite a bunch of german cross Holders, Daab was the only one who won it as a trooper (Obergefreiter, 20.09.43, 3./Sturm-Rgt.215). Funny is that I once met him at his Home back in 1998 and saw his SB.... that he proudly kept ! It appeared again on the market many years later, after Daab passed away, and was able to purchase it... I also own an original Pic, taken later as an NCO, and a repro photo taken after the award ceremony together with the oakleave Winner and divisional Commander Gen.Leutnant Hans TRAUT.
Note the blue Ink Entry on the top of the Page 1 "Dépôt 201, 573031". It is his P.O.W. Number, the "dépôt" (officially called : Dépôt de prisonniers de guerre de l'Axe) Nr.201 was located in Pouxeux (Vosges, France). It was a terrible camp called "Todeslager" by the german, the condition of life there were terrible, more than 1500 german prisoners died there.... another subject !
I hope you like it, feel free to comment.... and well, if you also own lower scale Soldiers wearing the german cross, I would be very pleased to see them !!
The SB was opened 41 and worn until may 45, a salty shape, a little shrapnel damage throughout. Note Otto Daab served a good part of the war in the same company (3./Sturm-Rgt.218 - 78 Sturm-Division). I heard from different sources that only Soldiers who served for a long time in the same small Unit (company) had a real chance to get the german Cross. THe "five points" proposal to send to the OKW was "easier" to complete if you was an old well-know veteran from many battles.... Anyway, even if the 78.Sturm-Division had quite a bunch of german cross Holders, Daab was the only one who won it as a trooper (Obergefreiter, 20.09.43, 3./Sturm-Rgt.215). Funny is that I once met him at his Home back in 1998 and saw his SB.... that he proudly kept ! It appeared again on the market many years later, after Daab passed away, and was able to purchase it... I also own an original Pic, taken later as an NCO, and a repro photo taken after the award ceremony together with the oakleave Winner and divisional Commander Gen.Leutnant Hans TRAUT.
Note the blue Ink Entry on the top of the Page 1 "Dépôt 201, 573031". It is his P.O.W. Number, the "dépôt" (officially called : Dépôt de prisonniers de guerre de l'Axe) Nr.201 was located in Pouxeux (Vosges, France). It was a terrible camp called "Todeslager" by the german, the condition of life there were terrible, more than 1500 german prisoners died there.... another subject !
I hope you like it, feel free to comment.... and well, if you also own lower scale Soldiers wearing the german cross, I would be very pleased to see them !!
Comment