Description
Product Description: This early cased Type “A” S&L Knights Cross is a rare and very desirable set that we are pleased to be able to offer. This was manufactured by the firm of Steinhauer & Lück in Lüdenscheid. The gorgeous, all-original wartime cross is a very early type that has no evidence of the 3 o’clock die flaw that is seen on later examples from this manufacturer. All of the nice original factory applied bone black paint remains intact on the iron core. The swastika emblem and dates are crisp. The frame shows a very pleasant, even patina, with no sign of having been cleaned, and has the correct 10 o’clock knee flaw that must be seen on all original Type A Knights Crosses. The frame is also marked with the S&L “micro 800” silver mark. The suspension ring retains an original, textbook silver ribbon loop. This award is displayed handsomely in a very nice original case of issue. The case is the typical style for S&L. The black leatherette exterior is virtually pristine, with all of the original surface intact. The silk lid lining and hinge cover show no issues, and the black insert displays the cross as well as a full-length original ribbon that shows strong original color and no damage. This cross was by previously sold by another dealer, who associated the set with Major Reinhard Hoerning, who was posthumously promoted from Hauptmann to Major. He was awarded the Knights Cross for actions occurring on October 4, 1942 in Stalingrad. On that date, Major Hoerning single-handedly destroyed 2 dug-in T34 tanks resulting in a decisive victory. He was killed on October 17, 1942, inside the city of Stalingrad, while serving as commander of the 1st Battalion, Gren. Rgt. 546, 389th I.D. His posthumous award date was August 22, 1943. However, if I must be totally honest, it is near impossible to prove an unissued Knights Cross set to a particular soldier without rock solid provenance tracing back to the awardee, or a family member, selling the item. Therefore, we accordingly priced this set as unattributed. This Cased S&L Knights Cross comes with a certificate of authentication from Dietrich Maerz. This fantastic piece would be a highlight in any collection. The overall condition rates as excellent plus plus.
Historical Description: The German Knights Cross of the Iron Cross. Instituted on September 1st, 1939, the Knights Cross has come to be known as one of the most recognized awards of World War Two and Germany. Awarded for extreme individual acts of bravery during combat, or successful battlefield leadership resulting in extraordinary success, the Knights Cross and its subsequent grades were among the German Military’s most prestigious decorations. The Knights Cross, suspended by a black, red, and white ribbon, was worn around the neck. Prior to the Knights Cross, Germany’s highest military, the Pour Le Merit, was reserved for Officers. The highest bravery awards an enlisted man could obtain was the Iron Cross 1stClass. Keeping with the National Socialist idea, and the breaking of the old Prussian aristocratic ways, Adolf Hitler created an award which, for the first time in the history of the Iron Cross, every member of Germany’s armed forces was eligible to be awarded, provided the requirements of awarding had been met. The awarding process determining whether a soldier was worthy of the award, began as a recommendation at the company level. This recommendation was then reviewed and either approved or denied. Upon approval, it would continue through the appropriate chain of command. If approval continued through unopposed, the recommendation ultimately ended in the hands Adolf Hitler, with himself making the final judgment. Most recommendations did not reach Adolf Hitler, or were lost in the chaos of war. The Knights Cross was awarded 7,364 times during the war. It is estimated that approximately 20,000 Knights Crosses were produced between September 1939 to May 1945.
Keeping with the rich heroic history of the Iron Cross, the Knights Cross was also constructed of three separate pieces, a core and two outer frames. The obverse displaying a rotating swastika in the center with the date “1939” for the year of introduction during the present conflict, and the reverse featuring only the date “1813” for the first year of the institution of the Iron Cross. The core, made of iron, zinc, or brass, was placed between the two outer silver frames and delicately hand soldered together. The cross was then suspended by a large loop through the frames top eyelet. A ribbon of black, white, and red was then threaded through the suspension loop. The production of the Knights Cross was strictly regulated, and only after the company’s granted approval by the government, were they legally allowed to produce the Knights Cross. In 1941, the German Government restricted the sale of the Knights Cross only to those with proper documentation proving their eligibility.
Wartime manufacturers of Knights Crosses are Juncker, Steinhauer & Luck, Klein & Quenzer, Otto Schickle, C.F. Zimmermann, Gebruder Godet, Unknown “3/4 Ring”.
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