Original Scarce Postwar Signature on a Postwar Photo plus Letter of Franz Graßmel. Oberstleutnant Franz Graßmel (08.06.1906 † 30.06.1985) earned the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzeson April 8, 1944 as Major und Kommandeur of the III. Bataillon/ Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 4 of the 1. Fallschirmjäger-Division and the Eichenlaub on May 8, 1945 as Major und Kommandeur of the Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 20 of the 7. Fallschirmjäger-Division. Eichenlaub may not be official.
Ritterkreuz: Awarded for his Bataillon’s role in defeating the Allied Operation Revenge, which began on the 19.03.1944. Conducted as part of the Allied efforts to take Cassino itself, it saw a thrust of 35 tanks launched against the Massa Albaneta in the middle of rugged mountain terrain. It had the aim of advancing towards the Abbey. However it was repulsed with the loss of 29 tanks destroyed or damaged. Grassmel would subsequently be recognized for the major role he played in repulsing this Allied attack in a critical frontline sector.
Eichenlaub: Awarded for the sum of his Regiment’s successes in the Hagenauer forest, Hatten, Rittershofen (January 1945), the Reichswald (February 1945) and especially around Edewecht (April 1945). During the fighting in this latter defensive battle Grassmel and his Regiment played a major role in ensuring the successful evacuation of 42669 men across the Weser river in the time period 11.04.-28.04.1945.
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.
