Max-Eckart Wolff – Zerstörer Z-2 “Georg Thiele” (Narvik)

Original Postwar Signature on a Postwar Photo of Max-Eckart Wolff. Korvettenkäpitan Max-Eckart Wolff (19.12.1902 in Wernigerode † 09.11.1988 in Bremen) earned the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on August 4, 1940 as Korvettenkapitän und Kommandant of Zerstörer Z-2 “Georg Thiele” during the German invasion of Norway!

Korvettenkapitän Wolff distinguished himself as a destroyer captain in the battles around Narvik during the German invasion of Norway. His destroyer, “Georg Thiele”, sank the British destroyers “Hardy” and “Hunter” on the 10.04.1940. It then torpedoed another British destroyer (“Eskimo”) on the 13.04.1940. Later that day his destroyer covered the disembarkation of the crews of 3 German destroyers and was then scuttled, having been trapped by the British navy. Despite the overall German defeat during these two battles, Wolff and his crew had put up such a good account of themselves that he would be awarded the Knight’s Cross.

Provenance: This signature comes from one of the largest postwar signature collection I’ve ever commissioned. This collection was started by a Waffen-SS Veteran, Werner H., in the 1950’s until he passed away.