The service tunic in fine officer quality, complete with all insignia. Gold metal-thread hand-embroidered breast eagle, the collar tabs hand-embroidered in celleon/metal thread, the piping around in celleon, the collar tabs hand-sewn, sewn-in shoulder boards with large silver rank stars. Due to promotion to General der Flakartillerie in January 1942, the shoulder boards were “promoted” as well, the two upper rank stars therefore slightly different from the lower ones. On the chest loops for the long ribbon bar, including Iron Cross 1914 1st Class with repeat clasp “1939”, Flak Badge, Wound Badge World War I and 1 additional pin badge. Inside with tailor's label “Averbeck & Bröskamp, Berlin W.”, the handwritten wearer designation only faintly visible. Clearly worn piece, 2 old repair patches, the sleeves also with old repair spots. Together with matching long trousers for generals. Manufacture in same cloth quality as the tunic, laterally with broad white lampassen stripes. Inside with the same tailor's label “Averbeck & Bröskamp, Berlin W.”, handwritten wearer designation “Gen. v. Axthelm.. 7.6.1944”. Worn piece in good condition. Together with a very fine original photograph of General v. Axthelm with freshly awarded Knight's Cross and personal ink signature “v. Axthelm”, verso with inscription of recipient (Received on 11.3.43 Property of ...”.
A fine worn ensemble. This was a donation by Mr. v. Axthelm during his lifetime to a military museum, which was dissolved by us in 2007. In recent years the uniform together with his visor cap was in the “Eyewitness Museum” in Beek, Netherlands, which closed this year.
The uniforms for Luftwaffe generals are considerably rarer than those of the Wehrmacht. The Luftwaffe had only 688 generals in total. In this completeness probably unique.
Walther von Axthelm (* December 23, 1893 in Hersbruck; † January 6, 1972 in Traunstein) was a German General der Flakartillerie of the Luftwaffe in World War II.
Axthelm entered on September 15, 1913 as officer cadet in the 8th Field Artillery Regiment “Prinz Heinrich von Preußen” No. 8 of the Bavarian Army in Nürnberg. With the outbreak of World War I he participated as battery officer in the fighting in Lorraine, the trench warfare between Mosel and Maas as well as the Battle of Verdun. On December 16, 1916 Axthelm transferred to the staff of the II. Abteilung, where he received instruction as battalion adjutant until January 20, 1917. He held this function subsequently until September 8, 1917 and was then employed as battery commander on the Western Front until beyond the war's end. His achievements during the war were recognized by the award of both classes of the Iron Cross, the Wound Badge in Black as well as the Military Merit Order IV Class with Swords and with Crown. After the war's end and return to garrison, his regiment was demobilized from December 28, 1918 and finally dissolved.
From demobilized elements various free formations were formed, including Security Battery 2. It was also known under the name Volkswehr Battery “von Axthelm” and formed into four batteries. Axthelm functioned from March 25 to October 20, 1919 as commander of this unit, was transferred into the Provisional Reichswehr and assigned to Reichswehr Artillery Regiment 24. From January 1, 1921 to September 30, 1923 he was battalion adjutant in the 7th (Bavarian) Artillery Regiment. There Axthelm then served until September 30, 1931 first as platoon leader, battery commander, later battery chief and completed motor vehicle technical as well as flak training. Here Axthelm was detached to the Swedish Army from September 20 to October 2, 1931. On October 1, 1931 he was then transferred to the Reich Ministry of War.
On April 1, 1935 Axthelm transferred as Major to the Luftwaffe, where he served until August 12, 1936 as group leader at the Inspectorate of Flak Artillery in the Reich Air Ministry. On the following day he was appointed commander of the Luftwaffe Regiment “General Göring”, which from October 28, 1939 carried the cover designation Staff Flak Regiment 103. During World War II Axthelm relinquished command on May 31, 1940 to Generalleutnant Paul Conrath and became on June 1, 1940 commander of the newly established 1st Flak Brigade, which had been established after the end of the Western Campaign for flak protection of the Greater Paris area. On December 8, 1940 the brigade staff was transferred to Dessau, where it assumed flak protection of the Junkers Aircraft and Engine Works. On March 11, 1941 the brigade staff was expanded and converted into the newly established General Command of I. Flak Corps. Axthelm was in this connection entrusted with command of I. Flak Corps.
In the course of the beginning Eastern Campaign from June 1941 his corps was component of Army Group Center and was employed within the 2nd Panzer Army. There followed operations at the encirclement battle at Białystok and Minsk, the encirclement battle at Smolensk, the Battle of Kiev, as well as the double battle at Vyazma and Bryansk and ultimately at the Battle of Moscow. The latter Axthelm led from November 25, 1941 as Commanding General of I. Flak Corps. Previously he had already received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on September 4, 1941 for his tactical leadership. On December 20, 1941 Axthelm relinquished command of the corps to Generalmajor Richard Reimann, who was entrusted with command. Axthelm himself returned to Berlin to the Reich Air Ministry, where from January 12, 1942 to end of March 1945 he held the function of General of Flak Troops (Inspector of Flak Artillery). Simultaneously he functioned during this time from April 1, 1943 to end of March 1945 as Inspector of V 1, which initially still carried the cover designation Flak Target Device 76.
On March 31, 1945 Axthelm relinquished the office of General of Flak Troops to Wolfgang Pickert, who had already been oriented since March 20, 1945 and became Commanding General of Flak Training. With the unconditional surrender of the Wehrmacht, Axthelm entered US captivity on May 8, 1945, from which he was released on July 1, 1947.
