Large award document for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, awarded to Major Hans Christern, dated “Führerhauptquartier, 31 January 1941”. With original ink signature of the Führer and Reich Chancellor “Adolf Hitler”. The document on large double-leaf parchment handwritten in the early version in black ink (later a brown “sepia” ink was used). The document on large double-leaf parchment handwritten, the name of the recipient “Hans Christern” rendered in raised gold. The Knight's Cross presentation case of red leather with gold-embossed national eagle. The interior covers with parchment mirrors and hand-gilded line borders. On the reverse lower edge with signature “Frieda Thiersch”. The presentation case shows minimal signs of age, the corners only slightly bumped, the red retaining strap for the parchment sheet is detached at the top but completely intact. The document and case in good condition, exterior with slight age and storage traces, corners slightly bumped. Condition 2.

Hans Christern (born 24 January 1900 in Lauenburg/Elbe; died 17 June 1966 in Georgenhof near Oldenburg in Holstein) was a German officer, ultimately Oberst in World War II and last commander of the 7. Panzer-Division. Hans Christern grew up in Lübeck. In 1917 he became Fahnenjunker in the Kaiser Franz Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 2, in 1918 promoted to Leutnant. He was decorated with the Iron Cross II. Class and the Lübeck Hanseatic Cross. Shortly before the end of World War I he was severely wounded. The consequences of the wound led to his medical discharge from the Reichswehr in 1921. He became a farmer at Georgenhof, a former manor farm of the Putlos estate near Oldenburg in Holstein (today part of the Putlos military training area). On recommendation of Heinrich Eberbach he was reactivated in 1936 and came as Hauptmann initially to Panzer-Abwehr-Abteilung 12. On 31 January 1941 he was decorated as Major and battalion commander II./Panzer-Regiment 35 for the capture of the fortress Maubeuge on 17.5.1940 during the advance in France with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. In 1943 he was promoted to Oberst. From May 1944 he was regimental commander of Panzer-Regiment 35. On 26 March 1945 Oberst Christern assumed command of the 7. Panzer-Division after Generalleutnant Karl Mauss was incapacitated due to severe injury. To avoid Soviet captivity, the 7. Panzer-Division under his command surrendered to the British Army in Schwerin on 8 May 1945. After the war he was again active as a farmer at Georgenhof. He became involved in the CDU, for which he unsuccessfully ran as a constituency candidate in the 1949 federal election.

510705

€ 20.000,00

Wehrmacht Large Award Document for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross to Major Hans Christern, Commander II./Panzer-Regiment Nr. 31

The award certificate for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross represents one of the most significant documents in German military history of the Second World War. These large-format parchment certificates were exclusively awarded to recipients of the Third Reich's highest decorations for valor, embodying both the military recognition culture and the calligraphic artistry of that era.

The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was instituted on September 1, 1939, by Adolf Hitler as the highest grade of the Iron Cross, replacing the Pour le Mérite decoration of the First World War. During the war, it was awarded to approximately 7,300 soldiers of all service branches, with the armored forces being disproportionately represented. The award was granted exclusively by the Commander-in-Chief of the Wehrmacht personally, underscoring the extraordinary significance of this decoration.

The large award certificates were hand-crafted by specialized calligraphers during the early war years. Particularly noteworthy is Frieda Thiersch, one of the few known female document scribes whose signature can be found on numerous early Knight's Cross certificates. The certificates from the early period of 1939 to approximately 1941/42 are characterized by the use of black ink, while later versions were executed in brown sepia ink. The recipient's name was always rendered in raised gold leaf, symbolizing the special esteem for the bearer.

The production of such a certificate was an elaborate process. The parchment used had to be of the highest quality, and the calligraphic execution required supreme craftsmanship. Each certificate was individually created, using standardized text blocks that were supplemented only with the recipient's name, rank, unit, and the date of the award. The dating always included the notation “Führerhauptquartier” (Führer Headquarters), regardless of Hitler's actual location at the time of signing.

The red leather folders with gold-embossed imperial eagle served not only to protect the valuable certificates but were themselves masterpieces of craftsmanship. The inside covers were lined with parchment mirrors and decorated with hand-gilded lines. These folders were manufactured by specialized bookbinders and leather goods firms working under contract for the Wehrmacht. The leather used was of high quality, and the gold embossing of the Reich eagle with swastika was executed with the greatest precision.

The present certificate is dated January 31, 1941, a phase when the German Reich was militarily at the height of its successes. The Western Campaign of 1940 had led to the rapid defeat of France, and the armored forces had proven to be the decisive arm of service. The capture of strongly fortified installations such as the Fortress of Maubeuge in May 1940 demonstrated the superiority of German Blitzkrieg tactics and the leadership quality of the middle command level.

Major Hans Christern represents the typical career path of a German armored officer of that time. As a veteran of the First World War with combat experience and severe wounds, reactivated after years as a civilian, he belonged to that generation of officers who were familiarized with modern tank tactics and successfully implemented them. His military career took him from battalion commander to division commander, ultimately commanding the traditional 7th Panzer Division, which had become famous under Erwin Rommel as the “Ghost Division.”

Christern's decision to surrender his division to British forces in Schwerin on May 8, 1945, reflects the pragmatic attitude of many German officers in the final days of the war, who sought to spare their soldiers from Soviet captivity. This capitulation to the Western Allies was characteristic of the final days of the war in northern Germany.

From a historical perspective, such award certificates are important primary sources for military historical research. They document not only individual military achievements but also the propaganda and recognition structures of the Nazi regime. The craftsmanship quality of the certificates and their folders also demonstrates that even during wartime, considerable resources were devoted to producing representative award documents.

The preservation of such documents is of scientific value as they represent authentic testimonies of a historical epoch. They enable researchers to reconstruct and analyze the military structures, award practices, and biographical details of Wehrmacht members. For military historians, these certificates provide insights into the recognition culture of the German armed forces and the bureaucratic processes behind the award system.

The early date of this certificate, from January 1941, places it among the first year's awards, when production standards were at their highest and materials were still readily available. The hand-written execution in black ink and the signature of Frieda Thiersch mark it as a product of the early, more elaborate period of certificate production, before wartime shortages necessitated simplifications in later years.