Earliest Award document for a Close Combat Clasp

[Thomas Durante]

Hi guys,

Just picked up a document grouping. Among the documents for the EK2, IAB & Ostmedalle, it has what I believe to be the earliest award document for a Close Combat Clasp. The award date it February 15th, 1943, a mere 2.5 months after the award's inception. To find a document for the CCC with a 1943 date is pretty rare, but let alone in February is quite extrodinary. I have a few questions though as I go through my due diligence:

1. Document is signed by Erich Schopper, Division Kommandeur of the 81st Infantry Division. The signature is very light, so I doubt it was made with a pen. Looks more like a purple pencil marking, but again, its very very light. Is it possible that it was done with some type of auto-signature? His EK2 document is also signed by Schopper, and much darker but in a similar purple pencil mark. When I overlay the 2 documents on top of one another, all the curves in the signatures line up perfectly! It has scared me at first (thinking maybe someone tried to copy the signature onto a fake CCC document), but the more I think about it, I wonder if it was some type of ink stamp or auto-pen. The ink on the stempel marks on both documents is also done in purple, so it makes sense to me that the signature might be some type of stamp. Also, I think it is unlikely that they were using purple pen's, so I am really starting to think that it is some type of stamp. I am just getting into documents, so please correct me if I am wrong on this.

2. The other odd thing is that Schopper was a Generaleutnant as early back as December of 1941 and then as far into the war as July 1943 as far as I can tell from Lexicon. The CCC document though lists him as a Generalmajor! That is a big red flag for me, and would like to hear your opinions on this.

Thanks guys.

Tom

[Tom Yanacek]

Hello Tom,

Schopper was actually promoted to Generalleutnant effective as of 1 January 1943, but it probably did not become official until February or March when he actually received his promotion document. Don't get confused by the ranks shown in Lexikon der Wehrmacht. They usually show the highest rank attained by the officer, not the rank at the date of assignment. Also, I think your CCC document looks just fine.

Best regards,
Tom

[Simon O.]

That's a great catch Tom. Earliest\latest examples of awards is i think a great collecting theme in its own right.

The sig is handsigned and is done in the classic purple pencil.

One thing intrigues me though. The doc shows him as being part of the divisional Stab. Not a part of the division usually involved in any fighting, so i wonder what his role was. Perhaps he had been transferred out of one of the infantry units or perhaps he belonged to a divisional guard or escort platoon.

[Thomas Durante]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the replies, I appreciate it. I am very happy with the grouping, it is a typical frontline soldier. Basic and yet extraordinary at the same time.

Here is the EK 2 document, as someone had requested.

Thanks

Tom

[Marc Garlasco]

VERY nice my friend from the Black Hills...I just picked up the EARLIEST Flak Urkunde I know of and squeeked it into the book...
Marc

[jmark]

One thing intrigues me though. The doc shows him as being part of the divisional Stab. Not a part of the division usually involved in any fighting, so i wonder what his role was. Perhaps he had been transferred out of one of the infantry units or perhaps he belonged to a divisional guard or escort platoon.

81.Inf.Div. was involved in the Demyansk fighting during the second half of 1942... plenty of time and opportunity to amass close-combat days. There was particularly tough fighting in October when they were holding open the narrow isthmus which connected the pocket to the main German line.

Jason