Large medal bar with 9 decorations: Iron Cross 1914 2nd Class with attached repeat clasp “1939”. Saxe-Meiningen Honor Badge for Merit in War. Hamburg Hanseatic Cross, minor enamel damage. Honor Cross for Front Fighters 1914-18. Silesian Eagle 2nd Grade, enameled version. Wehrmacht Long Service Awards for 25 and 12 years, both with ribbon eagles. Medal in Commemoration of October 1, 1938. Reverse with gray fabric backing and woven label “Gebr. Godet & Co. Ordensjuweliere Berlin, Charlottenstr. 55”. With matching ribbon bar from the same maker. Aside from minor damage on the Hanseatic Cross, condition 2+. Additionally Wehrmacht Long Service Awards for 18 and 4 years, both without ribbon, unworn, condition 1.
Repeat clasp 1939 for the Iron Cross 1st Class 1914 - B.H.Mayer, non-ferrous metal silver-plated, polished edges, lightly worn, complete in black case with silver imprint of the repeat clasp.
Wound Badge in Silver 1918, particularly fine example by Godet Berlin, silver toned, hollow riveted, 48 x 39 mm, needle marked “800”, condition 2.
German Cross in Silver, 1957 version, awarded on 03.02.1945 as Generalleutnant and General of Engineers with the Command Staff North Coast. Heavy version by Deschler, partially still manufactured on original tools, reverse with 4 rivets, needle stamped “1”, complete in presentation case, condition 2+.
A single collar tab and shoulder board as Generalleutnant of the Wehrmacht, worn.
Additionally his Italian Order of the Italian Crown Commander's Cross and breast star in corresponding case with printed cipher “VE” under the crown, in lining marking of jeweler “Cravanzola Succ. E. Gardino Gioielliere Roma”, condition 2.
From World War I the identification tag as Hauptmann “Martin Dehmel Hpt... P.B. 17 3.K. N 23”, a pair of shoulder boards still as Leutnant in Pioneer Battalion 7, a single collar tab for Pioneer Officers as well as a breast eagle and single Wehrmacht shoulder board as Oberst in Pioneer Battalion 6.
2 portrait photos as Generalmajor of the Wehrmacht, on the chest the ribbon bar and repeat clasp are clearly visible. One portrait photo as Major of the Reichswehr, on the chest the special Wound Badge by Godet is clearly visible. Additionally 2 old cabinet photos as young soldier and as newly commissioned Leutnant before World War I.
“War Diary of the 292nd Infantry Division”, deluxe edition as gift of the Division to General Dehmel after the successful French campaign 1940. Bound in blue leather with gold embossing, inside on the flyleaf “The Officers of the Division Command to their highly esteemed Division Commander in memory of the campaign in France, Siedlce, Christmas 1940”, inside with photos of the officers and General Dehmel, order of the day by Dehmel from 19.5.1940, excerpts from the war diary with battle maps and photos of the campaign. This edition was printed only once for General Dehmel. With handwritten dedication page “Most esteemed Herr General! On behalf of the officers of the Division Command, I may ask Herr General to accept this book, a special printing of the war diary of our Division...” signed by Hauptmann i.G. Kirsch. Additionally as appendix the march performance of the 292nd Infantry Division in the West (1300 km) as well as the overview of losses during deployment in France up to June 28, 1940.
Additionally a commemorative plaque, made after the death of General Dehmel.

Generalleutnant Martin Dehmel, born February 6, 1886 in Waldau, Bunzlau. Died August 26, 1964 in Minden, Westphalia.
Promotions: to Fähnrich May 18, 1908, Leutnant January 27, 1909, Oberleutnant December 24, 1914. Hauptmann August 18, 1916. Major October 1, 1929. Oberstleutnant November 1, 1933. Oberst October 1, 1935. Generalmajor June 1, 1939. Generalleutnant June 1, 1941.
Military Career: Entry into the Army 1907, Fahnenjunker in Pioneer Battalion 6 until 1913, thereafter at War School in Metz until October 1913. At outbreak of war as Leutnant and Adjutant in Pioneer Battalion 6, in October to November Company Commander in Reserve Infantry Regiment. Severely wounded to Reserve Hospital Stettin II (November 10, 1914-May 8, 1915). After recovery Adjutant with the Pioneer Commander of the VI. Army Corps until November 1915. After a course deployed as Commander of the 11th Mortar Company of the 11th Infantry Division until April 1916. Thereafter Company Commander in Pioneer Battalion 17 until September 1917. Until end of war as Staff Officer of Engineers in the General Command of the V. Army Corps. After end of war transfer into the Reichswehr as Officer of Engineers with various units and schools. 1933 Commander of Pioneer Battalion 6, thereafter Pioneer Battalion Minden, Higher Engineer Officer 1 Berlin until November 1938, thereafter Higher Engineer Officer 5 Vienna until August 1939. At outbreak of war 1939 Engineer Commander of the 14th Army until October 1939, thereafter Engineer Commander of the 12th Army and General of Engineers Army Group A until February 1940. Thereafter Commander of the 292nd Infantry Division until September 1941. Assigned to General of Engineers and Fortification with the Commander-in-Chief OKH until January 1942. Appointment as Commander of Fortification Upper Rhine until October 1942. Thereafter Inspector of Engineers, Bridge and Railway Engineers until August 1944, thereafter Führer-Reserve OKH until September 1944. General of Engineers with the High Command of Fortification West until October 1944. General of Engineers with the Operations Staff North Sea Coast until April 1945, finally Führer-Reserve with High Command Northwest, from April 1945 until January 1946 in hospital. Prisoner of war until April 1947.
Awards:
German Cross in Silver: on 03.02.1945 as Generalleutnant and General of Engineers with the Command Staff North Coast
Iron Cross 1914 1st and 2nd Class
Hamburg Hanseatic Cross
Ducal Saxe-Meiningen Honor Cross for Merit in War
Wound Badge, 1918 in Black
Silesian Eagle Order 2nd Grade
Honor Cross for Front Fighters
Wehrmacht Long Service Award IV to I Class
Medal in Commemoration of October 1, 1938
Clasp to Iron Cross I
Clasp to Iron Cross II
War Merit Cross 1st and 2nd Class with Swords

434690

The War Diary of the 292nd Infantry Division – A Unique Presentation Copy for Generalleutnant Martin Dehmel

Among the extensive collection of objects from the estate of Generalleutnant Martin Dehmel, the Kriegstagebuch der 292. Infanterie-Division (War Diary of the 292nd Infantry Division) stands out as a singularly important piece. This is not a published work or an official military document but rather a unique luxury presentation copy, produced only once and exclusively for General Dehmel by the officers of his division command. As such, it represents a one-of-a-kind artifact of both historical and collector significance.

Historical Context: The 292nd Infantry Division

The 292nd Infantry Division was formed on 6 February 1940 during the 8th mobilization wave in Wehrkreis II (Pomerania). The division played a limited role in the French campaign of 1940, and before the invasion of the Soviet Union it served on occupation duty in Poland. The division’s ultimate fate was destruction in the battle for the town of Heiligenbeil in 1945. Throughout its existence, the division’s personnel distinguished themselves in intense combat: 23 members received the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross and 94 received the German Cross in Gold.

Martin Dehmel – Career of a Pioneer Officer

Martin Dehmel was born on 6 February 1886 in Waldau, Bunzlau, and died on 26 August 1964 in Minden, Westfalen. His military career was rooted in the engineer (pioneer) branch and spanned both World Wars. He was promoted to Generalmajor on 1 June 1939 and to Generalleutnant on 1 June 1941. Dehmel commanded the 292nd Infantry Division from its formation on 6 February 1940 until 29 September 1941. On 3 February 1945, serving as Generalleutnant and General der Pioniere beim Führungsstab Nordküste (General of Engineers at the North Coast Command Staff), he was awarded the German Cross in Silver (Deutsches Kreuz in Silber).

The War Diary as a Presentation Piece

The book is bound in blue leather with gold printing (Golddruck) and was printed only once, solely for General Dehmel. On the endpaper, a formal dedication reads: “Die Offiziere des Divisions-Kommandos ihrem hochverehrten Divisions-Kommandeur zur Erinnerung an den Feldzug in Frankreich, Siedlce, Weihnachten 1940” (“The officers of the Division Command to their highly honored Division Commander in memory of the campaign in France, Siedlce, Christmas 1940”). This inscription places the presentation of the book at Christmas 1940 in Siedlce, Poland, where the division was stationed on occupation duty at the time.

Accompanying the book is a handwritten dedication sheet that reads: “Hochverehrter Herr General! Im Namen der Offiziere des Divisions-Kommandos darf ich Herrn General bitten, dieses Buch, ein Sonderdruck des Kriegstagebuches unserer Division, entgegennehmen zu wollen...” (“Most honored Herr General! On behalf of the officers of the Division Command, may I request that Herr General accept this book, a special edition of the war diary of our Division...”), signed by Hauptmann i.G. Kirsch. This personal note underscores the deeply respectful nature of the gift from the staff officers to their commander.

The contents of the book include photographs of the officers and General Dehmel, Dehmel’s order of the day (Tagesbefehl) dated 19 May 1940, excerpts from the war diary accompanied by tactical maps and photographs of the campaign. Appended to the main body are the marching achievements of the 292nd Infantry Division in the West, totaling 1,300 kilometers, as well as an overview of the division’s losses during the deployment in France through 28 June 1940.

Significance for Collectors and Historians

This war diary is an extraordinarily rare object, having been produced as a unique copy with no commercial distribution whatsoever. A separately published divisional history was later written by Günther Nitz under the title “Die 292. Infanterie Division”, published by Bernard & Graefe, Berlin, in 1967. Dehmel’s presentation copy is an entirely different artifact – a personal, bespoke commemorative item created during the war itself.

The book remained in General Dehmel’s personal possession until his death in 1964 and has since entered the militaria market as part of his estate. It stands as a remarkable example of the tradition whereby German staff officers presented their commanding generals with individually crafted commemorative volumes following successful campaigns. For the collector, it offers an intimate window into the internal cohesion of a German infantry division of the Second World War and a direct, tangible connection to a senior officer whose career spanned the full arc of twentieth-century German military history, from the Kaiserreich through the Reichswehr era and into the Second World War.