Germany. A Collection Of Decorations And Award Documents To Anti-Tank Obergefreiter E. Hitzl

This is a grouping of award documents with their matching awards, consisting of 1) A Special Grade Tank Badge for 25 Panzer Engagements with its award certificate, 2) A General Assault Badge with its award certificate, 3) An Iron Cross 1939 First Class with its award certificate. 4) An Iron Cross 1939 Second Class with its award certificate, 5) A Bronze Grade Driver’s Proficiency Badge, 6) A Wehrmacht Driver’s Licence, 7) A post war print of a wartime studio portrait of Hitzl.

1) A Special Grade Tank Badge for 25 Panzer Engagements; oval shaped silvered zink; the obverse with a border of oak leaves with a tie at the base and a Panzerkampfwagen IV superimposed in the centre on grassy ground, with its left tank track extending over the edge of the badge and a bronzed “25” on the bottom of the badge; the reverse plain with a vertical needle style pin, barrel hinge, and a round wire catch; with two rivets to hold the tank in place - visible on the obverse and reverse; an unmarked example, but displaying the typical manufacturing characteristics of JFS manufacture; measuring 47.50 mm (w) x 62.23 mm (h); weighing 37.0 grams. The matching award certificate is named to Obergefreiter Hitzl of the 1st Company of Anti Tank Battalion 152. It is dated to April 3, 1945 and signed in black ink by the Battalion Commander, a Hauptmann (Captain), his name is illegible. It measures 150 mm x 210 mm.

2) A General Assault Badge; oval silvered zink; with an oak leaf border and a pair of acorns at the base, with a large Wehrmacht-style eagle with folded wings clutching a mobile swastika, and a crossed bayonet and stick grenade in the centre; the reverse plain with a vertical needle style pin, sheet metal hinge, and a round wire catch; an unmarked example; measuring 42.77 mm (w) x 52.74 mm (h); weighing 31.8 grams. The General Assault Badge certificate is named to Obergefreiter Hitzl of the 1st Battery of Sturmgeschütz Battalion 270. It is also dated to September 18, 1943 and signed in pencil by Battalion Commander, Major Karl Bergholz, a recipient of the German Cross in Gold. It measures 146 mm x 210 mm.

3) An Iron Cross 1939 First Class “Eisernes Kreuz 1939 1. Klasse”; a cross pattée of multi-piece construction with a blackened iron core (magnetic) within a ribbed border, the obverse with a raised central mobile swastika with the re-institution date “1939” in raised numbering on the lower arm, the reverse plain, with a vertical pinback, a barrel hinge, and a round wire catch, unmarked but displaying the typical manufacturing characteristics of “Rudolf Wächtler & Lange, Mittweida”, measuring 43.92 mm (w) x 43.83 mm (h), weighing 20.1 grams. The Iron Cross 1939 First Class certificate is named to Obergefreiter (Corporal) Hitzl of the 1st Company of Anti Tank Battalion 152. The date is illegible. The document was signed in faded black ink by Commander of the 1st Ski Division, Lieutenant General Gustav Hundt (1894–1945), a recipient of the Knight’s Cross. Based on this the document can be dated to late 1944. It measures 148 mm x 210 mm.

4) An Iron Cross 1939 Second Class “Eisernes Kreuz 1939 2. Klasse”; a cross pattée of multi-piece construction with a blackened iron core (magnetic) within a ribbed border; on loop for suspension - marked “13” for “Gustav Brehmer, Markneukirchen”; with its period original ribbon; the obverse with a raised central mobile swastika with the re-institution date “1939” in raised numbering on the lower arm; the reverse with the original institution date “1813” in raised numbering on the lower arm; measuring 44.22 mm (w) x 44.50 mm (h); weighing 17.3 grams. The Iron Cross 1939 Second Class Class certificate is named to Obergefreiter Hitzl of the 1st Battery of Sturmgeschütz (assault gun) Battalion 270. It is dated to September 18, 1943 and signed in faded blue ink by Commander of Infantry Division 131, Lieutenant General Heinrich Meyer-Bürdorf (1888–1971), a recipient of the Knight’s Cross. It measures 140 mm x 200 mm.

5) A Bronze Grade Driver’s Proficiency Badge; bronzed metal (magnetic) badge depicting a laurel leaf wreath and a steering wheel; field grey wool backer with its original paper backing; the paper having come loose over time; measuring 52 mm in diameter. The Driver’s Proficiency Badge in Bronze certificate is named to Obergefreiter Hitzl of the 1st Company of Anti Tank Battalion 152. It is dated to September 29, 1944 and signed in faded black ink by Battalion Commander, Hauptmann Georg Vaerst, a recipient of the German Cross in Gold. It measures 150 mm x 209 mm.

6) A Wehrmacht Driver’s Licence; The Wehrmacht driver’s licence is named to Kraftfahrer (motorist) Hitzl of the 1st Marine-Kraftfahr-Lehr-Abteilung (navy motor training battalion) in Heidkaten (northern Germany). It states that Hitzl obtained the licence for classes 1, 2, and 3 on June 6, 1941. It is dated by Frigate Captain Walter Mauer. On the back cover are two additional statements of which the first one is illegible. The second one states that Hitzl, as of June 8, 1943, is eligible to drive armored track vehicles. It is signed by an Oberst (Colonel) Dr. Keßler. It measures 104 mm x 151 mm.

7) A post war print of a wartime studio portrait of Hitzl wearing the ribbon to the Iron Cross 2nd Class and the General Assault Badge. On the reverse it states that he was born on October 29, 1921 and died on November 12, 1998. It measures 99 mm x 143 mm.