Info on German Order

Patton247 · Post by **Patton247** » 25 Oct 2003 20:52

Can anyone tell me anthing about this award?

I have been told this is the third in the version which was not handed out but there are two earlier orders which were. What were they handed out for and who to?

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Rob

anythingww2 · Post by **anythingww2** » 26 Oct 2003 00:35

this is from http://www.therupturedduck.com

This is a Third Class award of one of the rarest of all Third Reich produced decorations. It was not introduced until February of 1942. Hitler considered this to be the party's highest award. The first recipient was Dr. Fritz Todt who had been killed in an air accident. Because five of the ten documented recipients also received the award posthumously, it is also referred to as "The Order of The Dead". Hitler considered this specific award his personal decoration to be given only to worthy persons who had rendered great service to him, the party and the German people. Very few of these were ever awarded and even fewer have survived

WCSTUMP · Post by **WCSTUMP** » 26 Oct 2003 02:27

Patton247 wrote:Can anyone tell me anthing about this award?

I have been told this is the third in the version which was not handed out but there are two earlier orders which were. What were they handed out for and who to?

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Rob

THERE IS NO DEFINITE DOCUMENTED PROOF THAT ANY CLASS OTHER THAN THE GOLDEN CROSS OF THE GERMAN ORDER WITH S OAK LEAVES AND SWORDS WAS EVER ISSUED. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT ONE 2ND CLASS WAS BESTOWED, BUT NO FACTUAL EVIDENCE EXISTS TO THAT BEING THE CASE.

Mark Costa · Post by **Mark Costa** » 26 Oct 2003 05:36

There are several other threads on this forum that deal with the history of the German Order. There were in fact 11 Documented cases.

Dr. Fritz Todt
Reinhard Heydrich
Adolf Huhnlein
Viktor Lutze
Adolf Wagner --- recently postively confirmed in the VB of April 17, 1944.
Josef Burckel
Rudolf Schmundt
Konstatin Hierl
Karl Hanke -- the Goebbels diaries entry of April 8, 1945 makes mention of a lower class being awarded but which one is not known and there is no other supporting evidence that a lower class was awarded.
Karl Holz
Artur Axmann -- may have been a 2nd class but no evidence.

Some references mention Admiral Doenitz but this award never took place as the Admiral himself once stated.

Also Heinrich Muller has been mentioned as a recipient in the "bogus" Gestapo Chief Books -- if you believe them.

Mark Costa

Patton247 · Post by **Patton247** » 26 Oct 2003 12:30

So I take it that the German Order was strictly a political award then?
Does anyone have any pics of the other two types of award (the gold with oak leaves and the 2nd class) as I do not know what they look like?

WCSTUMP · Post by **WCSTUMP** » 26 Oct 2003 18:07

2nd Class.

WCSTUMP · Post by **WCSTUMP** » 26 Oct 2003 18:08

1st Class.

Michael Marshall · Post by **Michael Marshall** » 26 Oct 2003 18:52

Is there any photos of this award being worn and maybe a award document

?
8)
Thanks
Michael

WCSTUMP · Post by **WCSTUMP** » 26 Oct 2003 22:50

Michael Marshall wrote:Is there any photos of this award being worn and maybe a award document ?
8)
Thanks
Michael

None exist as the first SEVEN were given posthumously. The only war time examples are shown on funeral pillows of the deceased. Here is the Fritz Todt funeral pillow.

PS: Mark is right the first seven were posthumously bestowed. I am still searching for a period photograph of just one being worn.

Mark Costa · Post by **Mark Costa** » 27 Oct 2003 01:04

The First seven awards were posthumous. The last 4, although awarded to living persons was actually only worn twice. Hanke and Holz only received telegrams from Hitler. Axmann for sure, was seen in the Bunker wearing his. Von Below, Hitler's luftwaffe adjutant is the source for the "2nd class" award. Von Below claimed that Axmann was awarded a 2nd class. But there is no further evidence. But what is amazing is that Axmann himself lived until 1996 and was never asked what version he was awarded !!!!! Shame shame, on us researchers.

Konstantin Hierl's award in February 1945 also makes his wearing of the medal very likely --- there is the possibility that he is seen wearing it in the early March 1945 German Newsreel. Hierl is in fact in this newsreel although I myself have never seen it. As this took place after the award, it is possible that he has it on.

Mark Costa

Matt Gibbs · Post by **Matt Gibbs** » 01 Nov 2003 23:16

Mark;
I was also suprised that no one ever asked Axmann what grade he recieved, specially as you say he was alive until 1990's. More people were concerned in disbelieving he had seen Bormann and Stumpfegger escaping Berlin!!
When he was arrested and questioned perhaps he would have had to give details of awards etc then and there would be a record of this somewwhere, or in a biog..?
Next time I am looking through old late war VBs I will look for references to him!
Regards
Matt Gibbs

Mark Costa · Post by **Mark Costa** » 02 Nov 2003 03:21

There is an interesting reference to Axmann's German Order in the book "Hitler's Last Courier" -- I can't remember the author. But he was one of Axmann's aides or "runners" in the Bunker. He relates the story of Axmann's award and Axmann's showing of it to his Hitler Youth Comrades in one of the other bunkers in late April 1945.
Maybe he is still alive and could remember what version he saw ???

Mark Costa

WCSTUMP · Post by **WCSTUMP** » 02 Nov 2003 04:27

"Hitler's Last Courier"
Armin Dieter Lehmann can be ordered on Amazon.com. The price is $24.95. I have order one and hopefully additional information on Axmann will come forth.

Rommel8 · Post by **Rommel8** » 02 Nov 2003 06:54

nice looking award...

Requin Marteau · Post by **Requin Marteau** » 02 Nov 2003 10:02

The German Order (also called Order of Death), believed to have been designed by Benno von Arent and manufactured by Wilhelm Deumer (Black enamel cross with gold eagles between the arms, the centerpiece was the Golden Party Badge and a facsimile of Hilter's signature appeared on the reverse. The entire cross was surmounted by a large gold laurel wreath, crossed swords, an eagle and oakleaves, carried around the neck, the ribbon identical to that of the Blood Order).
Apart from Dr Todt, the only known recipients were :
- SS Ogruf Heydrich, 9 juin 1942 (posthumous),
- NSKK Korpsfhr Adolf Huhnlein, 22 juin 1942 (posthumous),
- SA Stabschef Lutze, 8 mai 1943 (posthumous),
- Gauleiter Josef Bürckel, 3 octobre 1944 (suicide in novembre 1944,
- Generalmajor Rudolf Schmundt, 7 octobre 1944 (posthumous),
- Reichsarbeitsfhr Konstantin Hierl, 24 février 1945,
- Gauleiter Karl Hanke, 12 avril 1945 (murdered several weeks later),
- Gauleiter Karl Holz, 19 avril 1945 (K.I.A. the following day),
- Reichsjugendfhr Artur Axmann, 28 avril 1945.

Dönitz, Himmler & Speer were also considered for the award, but so far as can be ascertained never received it.
No photos of it being worn have ever come to light, although it was clearly pictured, perhaps significantly without a ribbon, on the funeral pillows of Todt and Heydrich.
However, since the order is known to have been manufactured in two classes (Neck cross, breast cross) and six different versions, both with and without swords (Breast cross without swords, approved but never conferred).

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