Germany, Luftwaffe. The Awards & Documents Of Fallschirmjäger Schütz; Hermann Göring Div.

This is an extensive grouping of award documents with their matching awards, and a service photo album, belonging to Non-Commissioned Officer Paratrooper Georg Schütz of the Regiment “Hermann Göring”, consisting of 1) A Paratrooper Badge with Award Certificate and Miniature Stick Pin, and 4th Paratrooper Division Stick Pin, 2) An Afrika Cuff Title with Award Certificate, 3) A Luftwaffe Ground Assault Badge with Award Certificate, 4) An Iron Cross 1939 First Class, 5) An Iron Cross 1939 Second Class, 6) A Black Grade Wound Badge, 7) A Personal Military Service Photo Album, 8) A POW Postcard, 9) Miscellaneous Documents about the life and death of Goerg Schütz.

1) A Luftwaffe Paratrooper “Fallschirmjäger” badge; the obverse consisting of a cupal wreath of laurel and oak leaves with a gilt cupal eagle superimposed on the badge; the reverse plain, but depicting two rivet holes, with a vertical pinback, a barrel hinge and a flat wire catch; unmarked, but displaying the typical manufacturing characteristics of Steinhauer & Lück of Lüdenscheid; measuring 41.88 mm (w) x 53.12 mm (h); weighing 19.2 grams. The Paratrooper Badge certificate is named to Gefreiter (Lance Corporal) Schütz. It is dated to October 5, 1942 and carries a facsimile of General der Flieger Gustav Kastner-Kirdorf (1881–1945), a recipient of the German Cross in Silver. It measures 148 mm x 210 mm. It is accompanied by a  Luftwaffe Paratrooper “Fallschirmjäger” badge miniature stick pin; in the shape of a traditional Luftwaffe Paratrooper badge; in nickel-silver; on a 48 mm long knurled needle; measuring 8 mm (w) x 9 mm (h). It is also accompanied by a 4th Parachute Division (4. Fallschirmjäger-Divison) stick pin; in gilt alloy and enamels; the obverse depicting the divisional insignia of the 4th Parachute Division; 45 mm long pin; maker marked “Hoffstätter Bonn” on the reverse; measuring 14 mm (w) x 18 mm (h).

2) A Wehrmacht Heer (Army) DAK (Deutsches Afrikakorps/Afrika Corps) cuff title; uniform removed; constructed of finely woven, brushed, khaki/tan coloured cloth, with machine embroidered script “Afrika” in grey threading, flanked on both sides by palm trees in the same colour; the top and bottom edges ordained with matching horizontally running silver-grey braiding; measuring 428 mm x 33 mm. The Afrika cuff title certificate is named to Obergefreiter (Corporal) Schütz. It is dated to May 1, 1943 and carries the facsimile of a Major, the name is illegible. It measures 143 mm x 201 mm.

3) A Luftwaffe Ground Assault badge “Erdkampfabzeichen”; in silvered and patinated zink; the obverse with an oval oak leaf wreath with a ribbon on the bottom and a Luftwaffe eagle with outspread wings on the top, with a cloud towards the top and a lightning bolt striking the ground; the reverse plain with a vertical needle style pinback with a sheet metal hinge and a round wire catch; unmarked; measuring 43.24 mm (w) x 56.24 mm (h); weighing 29.6 grams. The Ground Assault Badge certificate is named to Oberjäger Schütz of Fallschirmjäger Battalion Schirmer. It is dated to March 21, 1944 and signed by proxy, the name is illegible. It measures 154 mm x 219 mm.

4) An Iron Cross 1939 First Class “Eisernes Kreuz 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; an unmarked example; measuring 44.04 mm (w) x 44.16 mm (h); weighing 17.3 grams. The Iron Cross 1939 First Class certificate is named to Oberjäger (NCO rank) Georg Schütz of the 14th Company of Fallschirm Panzer Grenadier Regiment 3 “Hermann Göring”. It is dated to November 9, 1944 and signed in faded blue ink by the Commander-in-Chief of the 4th Army, General der Infanterie Friedrich Hoßbach (1894–1980), a former adjutant of A.H. and a recipient of the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves. It measures 139 mm x 201 mm.

5) 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 “65” for “Klein & Quenzer A.G. of Idar-Oberstein”; 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 44.40 mm (w) x 44.20mm (h); weighing 18.4 grams. The Iron Cross 1939 Second Class certificate is named to Oberjäger Schütz of the 8th Company of Fallschirmjäger Regiment 5. It is dated to March 31, 1944 and signed in black ink by proxy, the name is illegible. It measures 141 mm x 200 mm.

6) A Black Grade Wound Badge “Verwundetenabzeichen”; oval shaped blackened tombac; the obverse pebbled with a Stahlhelm in the centre featuring a large mobile swastika on its side superimposed on crossed swords within a wreath of laurel leaves with a tied bow at the bottom; the reverse plain with a vertical needle style pin, and a functional hinge/catch assembly; measuring 36.65 mm (w) x 44.04 mm (h); weighing 12.7 grams. The Wound Badge in Black certificate is named to Gefreiter Schütz of the Sapper Platoon of Fallschirmjäger Regiment “Hermann Göring” for being wounded on April 21, 1943. It is dated to Munich on May 15, 1943 and signed by an Oberfeldarzt and Chief Medical Officer, the name is illegible. It measures 141 mm x 200 mm.

7) A Personal Military Service Photo Album, containing 70 pictures, several of which show Schütz. Some are studio portraits. In the pictures he ranks as Flieger (private equivalent), Gefreiter (Lance Corporal), and NCO. Some landscape and city-scape photos have been taken in Africa. Some picture were taken in France, one page shows the iconic Mont Saint-Michel island off the coast of Normandy, which is accessible on foot at low tide. At least one photo was taken in Berlin, showing the Brandenburg Gate, and at least one was taken in Prague, showing the main train station. On a studio portrait of Schütz the photographer’s name, R. Davoine from Chateaudun, has been imprinted. One photo, taken from the ground, shows paratroopers jumping out of three planes in what is probably a training exercise. Another interesting shot is of a Master Sergeant, wearing an Iron Cross 1st Class, with a bowl of what looks like chocolate mousse or mud, and several half-naked young men with their faces, chests, and stomachs covered in the substance, probably an initiation rite or something similar. Several pictures show a troop parade, including the flag bearers. A number of pictures show a lone house at a beach being blown up. It measures 244 mm x 175 mm.

8) A POW Postcard that was sent by Schütz on June 3, 1945. He writes to inform his family of his situation and that he is in good health. He gave his name is Johann Georg Schütz, Unteroffizier (NCO) of the 3rd Company of Fallschirm Panzerjäger Battalion 1. He is being held at the POW Camp 380 in Egypt. His father’s name is Josef, he is a Postschaffner, a postal clerk. It measures 160 mm x 95 mm.

9) The small obituary states that Georg Schütz has died on November 23, 2002. It measures 140 mm x 104 mm. The second obituary is for a different man of the same name, most likely a close relative, possible an uncle and namesake. He died in a traffic accident in 1963. He was a former mayor of the town of Heimertingen (the paratrooper Georg Schütz’s town of birth) and manager of the local bank. In the final days of the second war he was the parliamentary who was instrumental in the negotiation of the surrender of the city of Memmingen to US forces on April 26, 1945. It measures 210 mm x 297 mm. The copy of the declaration of the mayor of Memmingen is the one mentioned above that played a part in the surrender of the city to US forces. It states that Memmingen is treating 4,000 wounded and is therefore not being defended. It is dated to April 26, 1945 and signed by Mayor Heinrich Bernd. It measures 209 mm x 295 mm.

Footnote: Georg Schütz was born on January 12, 1922 in Heimertingen (Bavaria). Little is known about his life, and nothing beyond this collection. Schütz joined the Luftwaffe at an unknown date. The photos from his personal album place him in France and Prague, on top of his other assignments. Schütz received the Paratrooper Badge on May 10, 1942. He was wounded on April 21, 1943, most likely in Africa, as part of Fallschirmjäger Regiment “Hermann Göring”. Because of this he was awarded the Wound Badge in Black on May 15, 1943. Two weeks prior, on May 1, he had received the Afrika cuff title. Schütz went on to receive the Ground Assault Badge on March 21, 1944, serving in Fallschirmjäger Battalion “Schirmer”. Shortly after, on March 31 he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class. At the time his unit, the Fallschirmjäger Regiment 5 was fighting in Italy at the Cassino Front. Schütz was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class on November 9, 1944, serving with the Fallschirm Panzergrenadier Regiment 3 “Hermann Göring”, which at the time was stationed at the Eastern Front in East Prussia as part of Army Group Centre. The signature by Commander-in-Chief of the 4th Army, General der Infanterie Friedrich Hoßbach on the document confirms this. However, at some point Schütz must have been redeployed again, because after the war he wound up in the British POW Camp 380 in Egypt in June of 1945, as part of the Fallschirm Panzerjäger Battalion 1. Schütz died on November 23, 2002.