Wolf Hagemann – Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 139 & 336. Infanterie-Division (Narvik, Eichenlaub)

Original Postwar Signature on a Postwar Photo of Wolf Hagemann. Generalleutnant Wolf Hagemann (23 March 1898, Metz † 15 October 1983, Göttingen) was a German Army officer who rose to the rank of Generalleutnant during the Second World War. He was twice decorated for distinguished leadership in battle, earning the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.

Awards and Decorations:

• Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, Nr. 211) – 4 September 1940, as Oberstleutnant and Kommandeur of III./Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 139, 3. Gebirgs-Division.

  Awarded for his leadership and bravery in the Battle of Narvik (Norway, 1940), where his battalion played a decisive role in the successful mountain warfare operations against Allied forces.

• Oak Leaves to the Knight’s Cross (Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub, 484th award) – 4 June 1944, as Generalmajor and Kommandeur of 336. Infanterie-Division, 17. Armee, Heeresgruppe Südukraine.

  Recognized for his division’s stubborn defensive performance on the Crimean front. On 8 April 1944, his troops repulsed a major Soviet attack against the Siwasch straits. Later, during 5–12 May 1944, he successfully delayed a Soviet breakthrough until the evening of 6 May, a feat of vital importance for the survival of the 17. Armee. The Oak Leaves were personally presented to him by Adolf Hitler on 22 June 1944.

Career Highlights:

• Served as a young officer in World War I, remaining in the Reichswehr after the war.

• Distinguished himself early in World War II with the 3. Gebirgs-Division in Norway, where his leadership at Narvik earned him the Knight’s Cross.

• Later promoted to divisional command, leading the 336. Infanterie-Division in the desperate defensive battles in the Crimea, earning the Oak Leaves for his leadership.

• Promoted to Generalleutnant, continuing to command until the final phases of the war.

• Captured in 1945 and held in captivity before returning to civilian life in West Germany. He lived until 1983.

Item Details:

• Authentic postwar signature of Generalleutnant Wolf Hagemann.

• Signed on a postwar photograph. Size: 7,3×10,5cm.

• Condition: Clear and well-preserved autograph.

Collector’s Note:
Wolf Hagemann’s dual decorations — the Knight’s Cross for Narvik and the Oak Leaves for his stand in the Crimea — mark him as one of the more notable divisional commanders of the Heer. His autograph is especially desirable for collectors focusing on the Gebirgsjäger and the Eastern Front’s late-war battles.