Germany, Third Reich. A Rare Honour Cross of the German Mother, with AH Hand-Signed Award Document

(Ehrenkreuz der Deutschen Mutter Urkunde mit AH Unterschrift). Constructed of bronze with multi-coloured enamels, on loop for suspension from its period original ribbon, consisting of a Latin Cross with stylized rays joining the quadrants, the obverse with blue and white enameled arms, overlaid by a central white enameled disc bearing a black swastika, circumscribed by an inscription of “DER DEUTSCHEN MUTTER” (“TO THE GERMAN MOTHER”), the reverse bearing an etched institution date of “16. DEZEMBER 1938” and a signature of the Führer, unmarked, measuring 36 mm (w) x 46 mm (h), in extremely fine condition.

Notably accompanied by its original award document, constructed of off-white paper stock with black ink, named to “ELSE MARTINI” (née Rauter), a resident of Innsbruck, awarded in Berlin on 21 May 1939, notably certified by the handwritten signatures of AH and Otto Meissner, measuring 21 cm (w) x 29.5 cm (h), demonstrating some creasing and fatigue, an exceptionally rare example of a document hand-signed by the Führer to a recipient associated with the upper echelons of the NSDAP, in better than very fine condition.