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WWII GERMAN DOCUMENT AND MEDAL GROUP INCLUDING A

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:15,000.00 USD Estimated At:30,000.00 - 35,000.00 USD
WWII GERMAN DOCUMENT AND MEDAL GROUP INCLUDING A

KNIGHT’S CROSS PRESENTATION DOCUMENT ON VELLUM & 2 OTHER PROMOTION DOCUMENTS ALL PERSONALLY SIGNED BY ADOLF HITLER. This large and extremely historic group includes many documents relating to Kapitan zur See Karl Weniger along with many of his awards and his Wehrpass. The Knight’s Cross document is housed in its original red leather folder measuring 17 5/8" x 14 1/8" with a gold embossed Party eagle on the front cover. The formal presentation folder was handmade by Frieda Thiersch & is signed on the inside of the folder in the lower right hand corner. Her signature also appears on the lower left hand corner of the back of the document itself. The document reads, “IM NAMEN DES DEUTSCHEN VOLKES VERLEIHE ICH DEM KAPITAN ZUR SEE KARL WENIGER DAS RITTERKREUZ DES EISERNEN KREUZES FUHRERHAUPTQUARTIER DEN 15.NOVEMBER 1941 DER FUHRER UND OBERSTE BEFEHLSHABER DER WEHRMACHT (signature)”. Included with this fine group is Kapitan Weniger’s 5 award medal bar that includes the 1914-18 War Service Cross with swords, the 1936 Olympic medal, a Kriegsmarine 18 Year Long Service Cross with eagle on ribbon, a Kriegsmarine 4 Year Long Service medal with eagle on ribbon & a Knight’s Grade Bulgarian Military Merit Cross with crown. Also included is the Kapitan’s 1st Class 1939 Iron Cross in case, his 2nd Class 1939 Iron Cross without ribbon (replacement ribbon included), his Minesweeper badge, a ribbon bar that includes ribbons for the 1939 Iron Cross 2nd Class, 1914-18 War Service Cross with swords, 2 Long Service medals, 1936 Olympic medal, the Sudatenland medal, the Memel medal, the Bulgarian Military Merit Cross Knight’s Grade with swords and crown, the Danish Order of Dannebrog Knight’s Grade. This fine group also includes Kapitan Weniger’s Kriegsmarine Wehrpass. The lot further includes an award document for the Bulgarian Military Merit Cross Knight’s Grade with crown. A document dated 1936 giving Kapitan Weniger permission to wear this foreign award. 2 Award documents for the Danish Order of Dannebrog Knight’s Grade, 1 document in Danish and the other in French. An award document dated 1940 for the Minesweeper badge. An award document for the 1939 Iron Cross 2nd Class. An award document for the 1939 Iron Cross 1st Class. An award document dated 1939 for the Memel medal. An award document dated 1938 for the Sudetenland medal. An award document dated 1937 for the Olympic medal. An award document for the 18 Year Long Service medal. (02-16006/BF).
This second group of documents belonging to Kapitan Karl Weniger includes 4 promotion documents as well as other material relating to his service. The promotion documents include a 1930 document promoting him from Naval 1st Lieutenant to Lieutenant Commander. The next promotion document dated March 1, 1936 appoints him as Instructor and Company Commander with the rank of Corvette Captain. This promotion document has the original signature of Adolf Hitler as Reich Chancellor. The third promotion document dated November 1, 1939 is in a fine cardstock folder with embossed gold Party eagle on the front and promotes Weniger to Frigate Captain. This document has a facsimile signature of Adolf Hitler as Fuhrer. The final promotion document dated September 1, 1941 promotes Weniger to Kapitan zur See and also bears a facsimile signature of Adolf Hitler. This group of promotion documents also includes an award document dated October 1, 1939 to Thea Weniger for the 3rd Class Mother’s Cross. There is also a German newspaper clipping announcing the death of Kapitan Weniger. Additionally, the group includes 2 documents from the Free City of Danzig, relating to joint naval exercises. There are also 5 period photographs that appear to relate to Kapitan Weniger and his funeral. Kapitan zur See Karl Weniger was born in 1889 in Dassel, Germany. He entered naval service in 1917 and served honorably until his death in 1941 at the hands of allied dive bombers. He received numerous medals and awards and was quickly promoted through the ranks because of his zeal and the ruthless execution of his duties. He developed strategies in mine clearing operations and conducted harassing missions in the English Channel with his mine sweeping units. He was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross posthumously after falling victim to allied dive bombers while escorting German convoys through the English Channel on the lead ship. CONDITION: the Knight’s Cross document is in wonderful condition with no tears & showing only minor puckering to the vellum. The presentation folder has very light edge wear. All documents are in an excellent state of preservation showing only minor discoloration. All documents remain quite legible. Photographs are clear & undamaged. Medals & badges show light overall wear. The Wehrpass is complete & undamaged. PROVENANCE: Lifetime Collection of Dennis Ottaway. (02-16025/BF). $30,000-35,000.