The Honor Goblet in nickel silver - version with engraving "Leutnant Fritz Wappler am 22.5.42", stamped on the underside of the base "Joh. Wagner & Sohn Alpaka - Feinsilber Auflage". Uncleaned, with beautiful dark patina.
Commemorative certificate of the LW Regt. zu Fuß at the Reich Party Rally 1938 for participation in the Reich Party Rally Company 1938. Flight identification card, issued 12.1.1939. Award document for the Pilot's Badge, issued April 5, 1940. Award document for the Iron Cross 1939 2nd Class, issued June 3, 1941, original signature "v. Richthofen" General der Flieger. Award certificate for the Bulgarian Pilot's Badge, bilingual Bulgarian/German, issued June 1941. Promotion to Lieutenant/extract from personnel changes, dated September 1, 1941. Award document for the Iron Cross 1939 1st Class, issued September 16, 1941, original signature "Keller" Generaloberst. Award document for the Front Flight Clasp for Transport Pilots in Gold, issued 15.6.1942. Award document for the Honor Goblet for Special Achievement in Aerial Warfare "in recognition of his outstanding bravery and special achievements as a transport pilot", issued May 22, 1942. Award document for the Eastern Front Medal, issued March 12, 1943. Certificate for the Commemorative Medal for the German-Italian Campaign in Africa, issued July 14, 1943. Award document for the German Cross in Gold, issued August 31, 1943, folded once, with a copy of the Honor Roll of the German Luftwaffe with the award to Wappler. A beautiful portrait photo of Wappler as Lieutenant in tropical uniform with Iron Cross 1st Class. 4 flight log books from 1938 to March 12, 1943, filled with all entries and combat missions, total of 2068 confirmed flights. 3 extracts of combat flights according to regulations for the award of the Front Flight Clasp, from 1942 and 1943, up to 24.3.1943 total of 229 combat flights, including Smolensk, Cholm, Demjansk, Malemes, Tobruk, Marsa-Matruk, Tunis. Luftwaffe military service book, issued 1937, filled with all entries, promotions and awards. Last entry: "9.10.43 crashed near Blankenstaddt with aircraft Ju 52 (1Z+BB), killed in action..". Enclosed forwarding letter to the mother, newspaper clippings with the death notice etc. Additionally further handwritten extracts by Wappler. Large death certificate "On October 9, 1943, Lieutenant Fritz Wappler... gave his life on the airfield of honor for Führer, People and Fatherland..".

A large beautiful estate of a brave airman.

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Luftwaffe - Estate with Honor Goblet for Special Achievement in Aerial Warfare for Lieutenant Fritz Wappler, 16th Kampfgruppe z.b.V. 1, later 4th KG z.V. 600

The Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg (Honor Goblet for Special Achievement in the Air War) stands as one of the most significant decorations of the German Luftwaffe during World War II. Established on 27 February 1940 by Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, the Reich Minister of Aviation and Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe, this award represented special recognition for flying personnel whose achievements exceeded those meriting the Iron Cross First Class but did not yet warrant the German Cross or Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.

The funding for production was provided by the National Association of German Aviation, which presented Göring with 50,000 Reichsmarks on his birthday, 12 January 1940. Johann Wagner & Sohn of Berlin was designated as the sole manufacturer, responsible for producing all examples of this decoration. The Honor Goblet drew upon a World War I tradition, the Ehrenbecher für den Sieger im Luftkampf (Honor Goblet for the Victor in Air Combat), which had been awarded to legendary aviators including Hermann Göring himself (15 April 1916), Manfred von Richthofen, and Ernst Udet (17 August 1916).

The first recipient of the newly created Honor Goblet was Oberstleutnant Johann Schalk on 21 August 1940. German archives indicate that approximately 58,000 awards were given “on paper,” but only 13,000 to 15,000 actual goblets were manufactured. This disparity between award documents and physical exemplars widened particularly in 1944 as factories faced bombing disruptions and severe raw material deficits.

The goblet itself was produced in two material variants. Early examples from 1940 to mid-1942 were made of fine silver graded at 835 and bore the silver hallmark “835” with a crescent moon and crown on the underside. Approximately 4,000 were made of this silver. From early to mid-1942, production shifted to silver-plated Alpaka, a nickel silver alloy, which bore the marking “Fine Silver Plated, Alpaca” along with the manufacturer's stamp “Joh. Wagner & Sohn” on the underside. The goblet stood approximately 200 to 228 millimeters in height with a diameter of 100 millimeters and consisted of three parts: cup, stem, and base.

The design of the Honor Goblet was rich in symbolism. The obverse depicted two eagles in mortal combat, while the reverse bore an Iron Cross in high relief. Oak leaves and acorns adorned the stem, and the inscription “Für Besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg” (For Special Achievement in the Air War) was formed into the base. The recipient's rank, name, and award date were engraved on the stem. The three-part structure was formed from metal strips with die-stamped motifs, and the cup surface displayed a hammered texture.

The Honor Goblet presented here was awarded to Leutnant Fritz Wappler on 22 May 1942. The award document recognizes his “outstanding bravery and special successes as a transport pilot.” Wappler served initially with the 16th Kampfgruppe z.b.V. 1 and later with the 4th KG z.V. 600. His military career is documented through extensive records, including four logbooks from 1938 to 12 March 1943 recording a total of 2,068 confirmed flights. His operations encompassed 229 combat missions at critical locations including Smolensk, Cholm, Demjansk, Malemes, Tobruk, Marsa-Matruk, and Tunis. Beyond the Honor Goblet, Wappler received numerous other decorations, including the Iron Cross Second and First Class, the Front Flying Clasp for Transport Pilots in Gold, and the German Cross in Gold (31 August 1943). His tragic end came on 9 October 1943 when he was killed in a crash of a Junkers Ju 52 at Blankenstaddt.

From June 1943 onward, recipients increasingly received only the award certificates without the physical goblet due to material shortages. In January 1944, the Honor Goblet was replaced by the Luftwaffe Honour Roll Clasp. An order dated 10 December 1944 from Generaloberst Bruno Loerzer stipulated that the Honor Goblet was no longer to be awarded. The names of recipients were published in the periodical Ehrenliste der Deutschen Luftwaffe (Honor List of the German Air Force), which provided the award with additional public recognition.