Martin Unrein – Panzergrenadier-Regiment 4 & 14. Panzer-Division (Eichenlaub)

Original Postwar Signature on a Postwar Photo of Martin Unrein. General der Panzertruppen Martin Unrein (1 January 1901, Weimar † 22 January 1972, Karlsruhe) was a German Panzer commander who rose to the rank of General der Panzertruppen during the Second World War. A highly decorated officer, he received the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves for his leadership of armored formations on the Eastern Front in 1943–44.

Awards and Decorations:

• Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, 2099th award) – 10 September 1943, as Oberst and Kommandeur of Panzergrenadier-Regiment 4, 6. Panzer-Division, XXXXVI. Armeekorps, 8. Armee, Heeresgruppe Süd.

  Awarded for his successful leadership of Panzergrenadier-Regiment 4 during the aftermath of the Battle of Kursk, in particular for the fighting at Alexejevka (19 July 1943) and in the Fourth Battle of Kharkov at Taranovka (23 August 1943). His recommendation also cited his distinguished service during the 1942–43 campaigns, including the successful attack at Sytschevka (5 May 1942).

• Oak Leaves to the Knight’s Cross (Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub zum Eisernen Kreuz, 544th award) – 26 June 1944, as Generalmajor and Kommandeur of the 14. Panzer-Division, III. Armeekorps, 6. Armee, Heeresgruppe Südukraine.

  Recognized for his distinguished command of the 14. Panzer-Division in a series of critical battles: the defensive actions around Ingulez and Adshamka (15 November 1943 – 4 January 1944), the Battle of Kirovograd (5–22 January 1944), the relief efforts and defensive fighting around Cherkassy (23 January – 4 March 1944), and the retreat into Romania (March–May 1944).

Career Highlights:

• Career officer who entered the Reichswehr in the 1920s and specialized in mobile warfare.

• Distinguished himself as a regimental commander in the 6. Panzer-Division, earning the Knight’s Cross in 1943.

• Promoted to Generalmajor, he led the 14. Panzer-Division through grueling defensive campaigns in Ukraine and Romania, recognized with the Oak Leaves in 1944.

• Promoted to General der Panzertruppen, later entrusted with command of the III. (Germanisches) SS-Panzer-Korps in the final battles of 1945.

• Captured at the end of the war and released from captivity before settling in West Germany, where he lived until his death in 1972.

Item Details:

• Authentic postwar signature of General der Panzertruppen Martin Unrein.

• Signed on a postwar photograph.

• Condition: Clear, well-preserved autograph.

Collector’s Note:
As a recipient of the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves and a commander of both Panzer-Divisions and the III. SS-Panzer-Korps, Martin Unrein’s autograph is highly desirable. His battlefield leadership in the Ukraine campaigns of 1943–44 and his high-level command in the final year of the war make this a significant and historically rich addition to any advanced Panzer collection.