1945 Spange document

[CMSgt]

I just received this spange document that was issued on 2 May 45 and signed by the last person awarded the Knights Cross Generalleutnant Joseph von Radowitz. Jim

[Hank C.]

Not a rank you see every day either! Great document.

Hank

[pauke]

l a t e

....and it looks like the general was in a great hurry to sign the document. Talk about l a t e war!

[Angel Farré]

You mean the last Oakleaves awarded not the Knight Cross that he received on September 17th, 1.944 as Oberst and commander of 23 Panzer Division.

Angel

[CMSgt]

thanks

You mean the last Oakleaves awarded not the Knight Cross that he received on September 17th, 1.944 as Oberst and commander of 23 Panzer Division.

Angel

Yes, thank you for the correction. Also found out that the rank was a carrier over from NSKK - Speer. Jim

[Simon O.]

Can't say that i've seen a later EK2 spange awarding either.

[Hank C.]

Can't say that i've seen a later EK2 spange awarding either.

Agree....I had a Soldbuch with an April '45 award date, but this one obviously beats that.

Hank

[CMSgt]

thanks

Thanks for the comments. Jim

[peterm]

Very nice doc, Jim!

Best, Peter

[Brian R]

What a fascinating award document!

1945 dated Spange documents are extraordinarily rare and this one is interesting given the unit - 23. PD was still engaged with the Red Army (and in some cases Partisans). At the time, it was doing its best to disengage and move to the West. A WWI combat vet in a transport or hospital unit stepping up at a time like this seem pretty likely. I love the hurried Radowitz signature.