An excellent Knight's Cross winner grouping to Major Franz-Wilhelm Mach serving as commander of I./Kuban-Kosaken-Regiment 4. Knight's Cross winner on 30. April 1945. To this day, little is known about this Knight's Cross winner.
Major Mach was sentenced to death by the Russian forces in October 1945 after an escape attempt. It is unclear whether he survived 31. October 1945. Another document from the Austrian government states that he died on 26. February 1946 in a Siberian prisoner-of-war camp.
An unworn Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939, manufactured by Steinhauer & Lück. Classic three-part construction with iron core. Both sides have retained their original black color perfectly. An excellent "frosty" silvered frame made of genuine silver. "4" maker marked and "800" silver hallmarked on the top of the cross. Comes with the original "800" silver hallmarked suspension loop and an early "orange" neck ribbon (26.5 cm).
Weight (with loop): 29.39 gr.
The late award date corresponds to the type of this Knight's Cross. It's another proof, that these crosses were manufactured and awarded before May 1945. Please also refer to the reference book "The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross" (Volume I) by Dietrich Maerz 1945 on page 218.
1939 Iron Cross 1st Class. Three-part construction with iron core. "4" maker marked on the pin.
General Assault Badge. "R.S." maker marked. Zinc.
Wound Badge in Silver. "28" maker marked. Zinc.
Heer Kavallerie insignia set consists of shoulder boards for a Major (sewn-on type), collar tabs, an officer's breast eagle (hand-embroidered), and a rare Kuban Cossacks sleeve badge.
Heer 19 period time photos (postcard size). Most of the photos were taken during his wedding. There are excellent photos of him in the army "Cossack" uniform and three photos with Oak Leaves winner Helmuth von Pannwitz - he was invited to his wedding celebration. One of the guests was awarded the Tank Destruction Badge "Panzerknacker". Also two photos of "Nachrichtenhelferinnen" (female helpers of the army). The wedding ceremony took place on 13. May 1944 in Vienna-Wieden.
Kuban-Kosaken-Regiment 4 five photos of an award ceremony. There are hand-written notes on the back.These five photos are reprints of original wartime photos.
Two postwar documents about his whereabouts (death).
His wedding certificate and the birth certificate of his mother.
Five photocopies of his Wehrmacht personnel file and four pages on the history of the XV. Kosaken-Kavallerie-Korps (dated 1970).
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This excellent grouping was picked up by our consignor directly from the family many years ago. Knight's Cross winners of the cavalry are very rare to find. Among the Cossacks, there were only 4 or 5, who received the Knight's Cross.
Condition
See description
Historical information
NAME
Knights Cross of the Order of the Iron Cross
DATE OF INSTITUTION
1. September 1939 as the third and new grade of the re-instituted Order of the Iron Cross
AWARD CRITERIA
The Knights Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded for exceptional bravery in the face of the enemy and for outstanding merit in troop leadership. The awarding required the previous awarding of the two lower grades. The Knights Cross was solely awarded by the Führer upon the proposal of the soldiers unit and issued by the Heerespersonalamt. The Knights Crosses were stored at the Ordenskanzlei in Berlin, to be sent to the awardee after approval. There were no Knights Crosses stored at any level of the Wehrmacht before the end of April 1945.
MANUFACTURERS
The Knights Cross of the Iron Cross was produced by seven manufacturers, not including variations amongst the individual companies. The Knights Crosses can be found either unmarked (early Juncker and 3/4 Ring), with a silver content mark, with an LDO number (L/12 and L/52), and later on with the company’s Präsidialkanzlei number (2, 20, 65, and 4). Private sales were forbidden after October 1941.
AWARD NUMBERS
Accurate numbers are not known but the closest estimation is around 7,200, and most likely another couple of hundred on stock at the Präsidialkanzlei.
AWARD DOCUMENTS
The awardee received a preliminary document in A5 format and issued in the name of the Führer by the responsible personnel offices of the three branches of the Wehrmacht. The formal document (Große Mappe) was issued later and only until date of late 1942 / early 1943 due to the huge backlog.
WEARING METHOD
The Knights Cross was worn around the neck on a wider red white and black ribbon which came within the black award case of the Knights Cross.
.jpg "Major Heinrich Höfer - restored (!) Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross \"65\"")
.jpg "Schmückle, Willi - Knight's Cross winner grouping")
