The service tunic is a typical privately-purchased piece, probably manufactured after 1942. Made from heavy gabardine cloth, complete with all insignia. The breast eagle is a very special officer's model, high-quality machine-embroidered execution on backing. The collar patches hand-sewn, sewn-in shoulder boards. Around the collar the circumferential sewn-on officer's piping also in a very special execution. On the left breast loops for all his decorations with the original pinned awards: small ribbon bar with 3 decorations. Front Flying Clasp for Bomber Pilots in Gold with pendant for “400” combat missions. The Front Flying Clasp in fire-gilt base metal, the pendant in fine zinc. Iron Cross 1939 1st Class, reverse with maker “26” on the pin. Pilot's Badge, base metal execution, maker “C.E. Juncker Berlin SW”. Wound Badge 1939 in Silver, base metal execution, reverse with maker “13”. Glider Pilot Badge “Silver C” in hand-embroidered metal thread execution on Luftwaffe cloth. On the right breast the German Cross in Gold, lightweight execution, maker “20”. Interior with Luftwaffe-blue lining, in the inner pocket with sewn-in owner's label “Kramer”. With sewn-in slit for wearing the officer's dagger. The tunic was worn for several years and shows typical wear and age traces, but in good condition.
Included is Kramer's visor cap as an officer. Manufactured circa 1942/43, complete with hand-embroidered metal thread insignia. Interior with light sweatband, Luftwaffe-blue silk lining with damaged celluloid diamond. Size 58. Worn, condition 2.
Included is an original portrait photograph of Hauptmann Kramer, taken immediately after his Knight's Cross award on 18.3.1945. In the photograph this uniform with exactly this visor cap is clearly recognizable.
All awards are naturally original, the hand-embroidered glider pilot badge is also clearly visible in the photograph and was Kramer's piece. Whether the remaining awards are the pieces from Kramer's possession, we cannot confirm.

Rudolf Kramer (1916 - 1999). As an enthusiastic glider pilot, Kramer entered the Luftwaffe in 1935 and received the Pilot's Badge in June 1936 after his training as pilot and bomber pilot. From 8.8.1937 he served as instructor at FFS Neukuhren, transferred on 4.10.1938 to the Große Kampffliegerschule Faßberg and was assigned on 1.11.1938 to 7./KG 157 “Boelcke”. Shortly thereafter he transferred on 31.1.1939 to 3. Staffel. Subsequently he was repeatedly detailed as instrument flight instructor to various schools. With his squadron, redesignated 3./KG 27, he flew over Poland, in the Western Campaign (Iron Cross 2nd Class on 18.5.1940) and against England (Iron Cross 1st Class on 18.11.1940). From September 1940 Kramer was repeatedly entrusted with conducting individual attacks. After approximately 100 combat missions he was transferred on 2.4.1941 to the training section to 12./JG 26 at Lübeck-Blankensee. From 15.1.1942 he was assigned to 3./KG 26 to complete an officer's course and then be promoted to Leutnant (as wartime officer). On 27.4.1942 Kramer received as Oberfeldwebel the Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe, on 12.12.1942 as Leutnant the German Cross in Gold.
From 25.6.1943 he served as officer z.b.V. in the replacement group of KG 26, initially in the 10. and from 15.2.1944 in the 12. Staffel. In the context of the dissolution of IV./KG 26, Kramer was transferred on 10.8.1944 as instructor to 3./Erg.K.Gr. LT, which in early 1945 was absorbed into EKG 1. Whether Kramer returned once more to a front-line unit and flew further combat missions is no longer known. On 1 March 1945 his promotion to Hauptmann finally occurred, the award of the Knight's Cross followed on 18 March.
According to his own statements, Kramer flew a total of 416 combat missions in the West and East. Sank a total of 48,000 GRT shipping tonnage and damaged an additional 220,000 GRT shipping tonnage. (Excerpt from the reference work “Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kampfflieger, page 260).

With the original photograph this is one of the best documented uniforms and caps of a Knight's Cross recipient that we have been able to offer in many years. A true sensation!

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Luftwaffe Personal Service Tunic and Visor Cap from the Estate of Knight's Cross Recipient Hauptmann Rudolf Kramer, Kampfgeschwader 26 - with Original Owner Photograph!

The Luftwaffe was the air force of Nazi Germany prior to and during World War II. By Hitler's decision on February 26, 1935, the Luftwaffe was to be officially the third branch of the Wehrmacht as of March 1, 1935. Luftwaffe styles of uniform and rank insignia had many unique features between 1935 and 1945.

The Waffenrock was the formal parade and walking-out uniform worn by Luftwaffe officers, NCOs, and enlisted men from 1935 through the early war years. Tailored in the traditional German military style, it projected the elegance and precision of the Luftwaffe while maintaining strict uniform standards. The Waffenrock was worn with matching blue-grey service trousers and a peaked or side cap, making it one of the most iconic Luftwaffe uniforms of the prewar and early WWII period.

The Luftwaffe uniform Waffenrock tunic is made in blue grey wool and closely matches the design of the Wehrmacht M 1935 tunic in construction. Officers' uniforms had an embroidered Luftwaffe eagle over the wearer's right breast pocket. Collars were edged in twisted aluminium cording and the four patch pocket tunics had aluminium pebbled buttons. The Waffenrock existed in both regulation and private-purchase variations. The example described here is a private-purchase item with high-quality tailoring, as indicated by the heavy gabardine fabric and hand-sewn collar patches.

The officers' Luftwaffe uniform Waffenrock tunic has deep turn-back cuffs coming to the mid-forearm and a five-button front. The tunic has four pleated pockets with pointed flaps and the lower two pockets on the skirt are pouch pockets. This particular tunic was manufactured from heavy gabardine cloth and includes sewn-in shoulder boards, hand-sewn collar patches, and an officer's cord around the collar in a particularly fine execution. The breast eagle is a machine-embroidered officer's model on backing of exceptionally high quality. The interior features Luftwaffe-blue lining with a sewn-in owner label reading “Kramer”. An internal slit for wearing an officer's dagger is sewn in.

The accompanying Schirmmütze (peaked cap) was manufactured circa 1942/43 and is complete with metal-thread hand-embroidered insignia. It features a light sweatband and Luftwaffe-blue silk lining with damaged celluloid trapezoid, size 58.

This uniform belonged to Hauptmann Rudolf Kramer (1916-1999), who served as Staffelkapitän with Kampfgeschwader 26. Born on May 4, 1916 in Lagenhagen, Hanover, Germany, Kramer died on February 12, 1999 in his hometown. An enthusiastic glider pilot, Kramer entered the Luftwaffe in 1935. After training as a pilot and bomber pilot, he received his pilot's badge in June 1936. His military career took him through various units including KG 27 and KG 26, where he flew as a bomber pilot over Poland, in the Western Campaign, and against England.

On March 18, 1945, Kramer was awarded the Knight's Cross (Ritterkreuz). He had previously received the German Cross in Gold on December 12, 1942 as a Leutnant. According to his own records, he flew a total of 416 sorties in the east and west, during which he sank 48,000 GRT worth of enemy shipping and damaged a further 220,000 GRT.

The decorations mounted on the left breast include loops for awards with original decorations: a small ribbon bar with 3 decorations, the Frontflugspange für Kampfflieger in Gold (gold front flight clasp for bomber pilots) with a “400” pendant, the Eisernes Kreuz 1939 1. Klasse (Iron Cross 1st Class), a Flugzeugführerabzeichen (pilot's badge) by C.E. Juncker Berlin SW, the Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Silber (Wound Badge in Silver), and the Segelfliegerabzeichen “Silber C” (glider pilot badge) in hand-embroidered metal thread execution. On the right breast is the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (German Cross in Gold) in light version.

The uniform is documented by an original portrait photograph of Hauptmann Kramer taken immediately after his Knight's Cross award on March 18, 1945. The photograph shows this exact uniform and cap, with the hand-embroidered glider pilot badge clearly visible. This documentation makes this uniform set one of the best-documented examples of a Knight's Cross recipient's uniform. After 1945, many Luftwaffe uniforms were retained by veterans or dispersed into private collections. This specific uniform set with documented provenance to Hauptmann Kramer represents one of the best-documented examples due to the original photograph showing the exact tunic and cap being worn by the award recipient at the time of his Knight's Cross presentation.