{"product_id":"germany-kriegsmarine-a-1943-edition-of-schnellboote-vor-with-freiherr-von-mirbach-signature-and-photos-g64264","title":"Germany, Kriegsmarine. A 1943 Edition of Schnellboote vor!, with Freiherr von Mirbach Signature and Photos","description":"\u003cp\u003e1. A 1943 edition of “Schnellboote vor!”, constructed of a card stock binding with 140 paginated interior pages, featuring an operational history of the Kriegsmarine S-Boat service in the east, supplemented by many (mostly black-and-white) photographs, compiled by Hugo Bürger and published in 1943 by Gerhard Stalling, Oldenburg, the interior notably pasted with a gift dedication for the fifth Christmas at war (1943) to men of the 9. Schnellbootflottille, complete with the handwritten signature of then-Kapitänleutnant (later-Korvettenkapitän) Götz Freiherr von Mirbach (Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, 14 August 1940; with Oak Leaves, 14 June 1944; S-Boat War Badge with Diamonds, 14 June 1944), measuring 20.5 cm (w) x 26.5 cm (h), demonstrating some foxing and damp staining, with additional material fatigue resulting in some deterioration of the binding, in very fine condition\/\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e2. A group of four wartime photographs, including a studio portrait of a Kriegsmarine Enlisted serviceman (and presumed book owner) in a dark blue uniform, with a second pattern S-Boat War Badge and 1939 Iron Cross II Class ribbon clearly visible, unmarked, measuring 8.5 cm (w) x 13.5 cm (h); a group photo of Kriegsmarine S-Boat personnel aboard a vessel, with one wearing an S-Boat War Badge, unmarked, measuring 13 cm (w) x 8.5 cm (h); a photograph of Kriegsmarine field graves, with markers named to Willi Wegner and others serving with 4. Sperrbrecher-Flottille, who were killed in a nighttime battle off the coast of Dieppe on 12 December 1942, during which the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Whitshed struck Sperrbrecher 178 with a torpedo, resulting in a rapid sinking and the death of 99 of the ship's 102 crewmen, unmarked, measuring 8.5 cm (w) x 13.5 cm (h), and; one depicting Götz Freiherr von Mirbach addressing a group of Kriegsmarine Officers and Enlisted personnel, with von Mirbach and another Officer both wearing the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross, and other partially-obscured personnel wearing S-Boat War Badges, the reverse bearing a handwritten caption of “V. MIRBACH”, measuring 13 cm (w) x 9 cm (h); in overall extremely fine condition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"eMedals","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50204868411669,"sku":"G64264","price":300.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0713\/9105\/2053\/files\/eMedals_G64264_2.jpg?v=1791227961","url":"https:\/\/www.emedals.com\/products\/germany-kriegsmarine-a-1943-edition-of-schnellboote-vor-with-freiherr-von-mirbach-signature-and-photos-g64264","provider":"eMedals","version":"1.0","type":"link"}