Any thoughts on this KVK 1 ?

[afa485]

Good Evening Everyone,

I normally limit myself to Gold Party Badges, but with the limited supply out there I am currently looking to develop my War Merit Cross Collection and recently came across this one for sale. Can anyone give their thoughts on originality ? This one is maker marked clearly with a boxed '4' stamping on the pin.

Any thoughts or points to look for would be greatly appreciated.

Best regards

Tony

[von thoma]

Hello afa485:

It looks good to me.

[afa485]

Many thanks von thoma ! Almost 500 views so far, but the members must be a bit shy to reply. Stay safe

Best regards

Tony

[Hans1906]

Tony,

there is little to note about this award, as it was given in very large numbers.

Kriegsverdienstkreuz (1939) https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kriegsver ... euz_(1939) (Multi-language link)

The War Merit Cross 1st Class https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/war_me ... _class.htm

My grandfather Hans was awarded the first class with swords in 1944 as an officer in the Reich Labor Service for flak duty in Belgium and France.
It was his only wartime award, and certainly the man was proud of it.
His award at that time is still in my possession today. (Awarded about 140.000 times)
(Hersteller 4 ( = Steinhauer & Lück, Lüdenscheid)

Link: https://www.ek1-dna.de (Herr Stefan Temme / Germany)

The very best of luck for your further researches!


Hans

[afa485]

Hello Hans !

Many thanks for those links and particularly for the link to DNA.de. It looks like the KVK I have shown in the pictures is a good, used, original example of the Steinhauer award.

Your Grandfather was right to be proud of his KVK award in the service of his country. My grandfather was also very proud of his awards. He was captured at Dunkirk and was a prisoner of war for five years. He always treasured his medals and I now have them. It is good that the descendants of these old soldiers can preserve the heritage of their ancestors and now be friends sharing a common interest.

Best Regards

Tony

[Hans1906]

Tony,

the purpose of an internet forum, as I understand it, is to share knowledge and advice, that's all it is.
I am glad if I could help you.


Hans

P.S. You should reconsider the Golden Party Badge as an avatar.

[afa485]

Hans,

Many thanks for your wise advice.

Best Regards

Tony

[Hans1906]

Tony,

You're welcome, I think it's good that you decided to use another user image, a good decision.

My grandfather was also very proud of his awards. He was captured at Dunkirk and was a prisoner of war for five years. He always treasured his medals and I now have them. It is good that the descendants of these old soldiers can preserve the heritage of their ancestors and now be friends sharing a common interest.

You should write about it, very many people would want to read something like that, very surely...


Hans

[Hans1906]

My grandfather, a member of the NSDAP and a Major ("Arbeitsführer") in what was then the Reich Labor Service, the man left behind a document a good twenty pages long and written by hand.
Probably a kind of his own justification for his own wrong decisions before 1945.

His handwriting at that time, a mixture of Old German and Sütterlin is hardly decipherable, unfortunately.
I have not read the whole text until today, and actually I do not want to know, or learn, what moved the man at that time to write this text.

The man was a staunch National Socialist, skin and hair, and he sold his conscience to the devil, no question about it. The man wanted to make a career, to become a general in the labor service, that was his goal.

One day, before it is too late, I will decipher and read this text.
In many families, such legacies were disposed of, destroyed, one no longer wanted to read or even know about all this.
My grandmother kept everything, for me, the only grandson.

Take care


Hans

[afa485]

Hello Hans,

My Grandfather was with the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers and served as a regular soldier since 1925. He was awarded the General Service Medal for Palestine and also served on the North West Frontier, India,1930-32. In WW2 he went to France in September 1939 and was captured near Caen, France, in May 1940. He was then marched across Europe to Stalag 21B at Posen where he remained for five years. When he was released in 1945 he was awarded the 1939-45 Star and British War Medal. Many years later the town of Dunkirk also awarded him with the Dunkerque Medal. He was a proud man and never spoke of his wartime service. I have his medals, pay book and documents. In the photograph he is sitting in the middle of the front row with his comrades at Stalag 21B.

Best Regards

Tony