Kriegsmarine Fast Attack Craft Force: Large Estate from the Property of Oberleutnant zur See Hannes Backhaus, Commander S-30, 3rd Fast Attack Craft Flotilla

This exceptional estate documents the remarkable wartime service of Oberleutnant zur See Johannes Adolf 'Hannes' Backhaus, commander of the Schnellboot S-30 within the 3rd Schnellboot Flotilla. The comprehensive collection unites decorations, uniform items, documents, and photographs into a cohesive testimony to E-boat warfare in the Mediterranean theater between 1941 and 1945.

The centerpiece of the collection comprises the military decorations documenting Backhaus' extraordinary achievements. The German Cross in Gold, manufactured by C.F. Zimmermann Pforzheim (maker code "20") in light construction, was instituted on September 28, 1941, by Adolf Hitler for repeated exceptional acts of bravery or achievements in combat ranking between the Iron Cross 1st Class and the Knight's Cross. The award required prior possession of the Iron Cross 1st Class as a prerequisite. Based on surviving documents, the closest estimation for total awards of the German Cross in Gold stands at approximately 25,964, making this a comparatively rare honor.

The Schnellboot-Kriegsabzeichen (E-Boat War Badge) in the 2nd pattern, instituted on May 30, 1941, by Grand Admiral Erich Raeder, documents Backhaus' specialized role. This second variant, introduced in January 1943, features a longer, newer model S-boat silhouette and a larger eagle compared to the first pattern of 1941-1943. Originally, the award required twelve successful operational missions against the enemy or one particularly distinguished action. The criteria were later reduced due to losses. The total number of badges awarded is estimated at approximately 3,000 to 4,000 pieces, underscoring the elite nature of this branch of service.

His Iron Cross 1st Class, manufactured by B.H. Mayer Pforzheim (maker code "26"), belonged to the approximately 450,000 examples of this decoration awarded during World War II after its re-institution on September 1, 1939. The award required prior possession of the 2nd Class as well as repeated acts of bravery or leadership. The Iron Cross 2nd Class, of which approximately 3,000,000 examples were awarded, forms the foundation of his decoration career.

The Afrika cuff title sewn onto his greatcoat references Backhaus' operations in the North African theater. This campaign badge was instituted on January 15, 1943, and the award criteria were modified in July 1943 to require four months of service with Heeresgruppe Afrika. In July 1944, the criteria were made automatic for those awarded the Iron Cross, German Cross, or Honor Roll entry. The Italian decoration Croce al Valore Militare (Cross for Military Valor), established in 1922, documents the close German-Italian cooperation in the Mediterranean.

The Soldbuch (paybook), issued on May 23, 1941, contains a remarkable entry dated May 1, 1945: "Has participated in a total of 138 Schnellboot operations during the war, of which 61 as commander and 7 as group leader." This documentation provides a rare quantitative insight into the intense operational tempo of an E-boat commander.

The 3rd Schnellboot Flotilla, known as "Die Afrika-Flottille" (The Africa Flotilla), was diverted from Baltic operations supporting Operation Barbarossa to the Mediterranean theater in October 1941. The transfer occurred via the Rhine and Rhone rivers. From October 1941 to May 1942, the flotilla conducted mining operations around Malta, laying 557 mines in 24 operations in May 1942 alone. The unit operated from bases in Sicily (Porto Empedocle, Trapani, Augusta), North Africa (Derna, Tobruk), Italy (Pola, Venice), and Greece through 1944.

German E-boats (Schnellboote) were fast attack craft capable of 43.5 knots, heavily armed with torpedoes and Flak guns, operating primarily against Allied shipping and coastal targets. After the capitulation of Axis forces in North Africa in May 1943, Mediterranean E-boat operations continued in the Adriatic and Aegean through 1944-1945.

The Kriegsmarine greatcoat for an Oberleutnant zur See, tailored by Karl Jacobs in Kiel, Fährstraße 42, bears the date November 9, 1939. The coat features fine officer-quality cloth with gold Marine buttons, black silk lining, and measures approximately 131 cm in total length with a shoulder width of approximately 44 cm. The photograph collection documents Backhaus' career from Hitler Youth through the training ship "Horst Wessel" and battleship "Schlesien" to prisoner-of-war camp in Egypt. Personal letters from Grand Admiral Raeder and Kapitän zur See Hans Bütow from November 1941, congratulating Backhaus on his engagement, provide rare insight into personal relationships within Kriegsmarine leadership.

An Italian Navy Ministry identity card issued in Rome on April 12, 1942, documents Backhaus' status during German-Italian cooperation. The aluminum identity disc bears the inscription "Johannes Backhaus Seeoffz. Okt. 1937," marking his entry into officer service. The commander's pennant, approximately 1.40 meters in length and manufactured from printed Marine flag cloth, represents his command authority aboard S-30.

After World War II, wearing Nazi-era decorations with swastikas was prohibited in Germany. In 1957, the Federal Republic of Germany re-authorized certain awards including the Afrika cuff title, which could be worn unaltered as it lacked swastika symbols, and denazified versions of crosses with the swastika removed. The complete estate grouping documented here survived as a cohesive collection through the modern collecting market, where it was later offered for sale through military antiques dealers, ensuring the preservation of this comprehensive historical record.