Original Postwar Signature on a Postwar Photo of Walther von Seydlitz-Kurzbach. General der Artillerie Walther von Seydlitz-Kurzbach (22.08.1888 in Hamburg † 28.04.1976 in Bremen) earned the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on August 15, 1940 and the Eichenlaub on December 31, 1941 as Generalmajorund Kommandeur of the 12. Infanterie-Division.
Walther von Seydlitz commanded the LI. Armeekorps during the Battle of Stalingrad. At the end of the battle, he gave his officers freedom of action and was relieved of command. A few days later, Seydlitz fled the German lines under fire from his own side with a group of other officers. Seydlitz was a leader in the forming, under Soviet supervision, of an anti-Nazi organisation, the League of German Officers, and was made a member of the National Committee for a Free Germany. He was condemned by many of his fellow generals for his collaboration with the Soviet Union. He was sentenced to death in absentia by Hitler's government. Seydlitz's idea of creating an anti-Nazi force of some 40,000 German prisoners-of-war to be airlifted into Germany was never seriously considered.
In 1950, a Soviet tribunal sentenced him to 25 years of imprisonment, but in 1955 he was released to West Germany, where in 1956, his Third Reich death sentence was nullified. However, he was despised by his former army colleagues both for his role in the Battle of Stalingrad and for his later collaboration with the Soviet Union. He was denied the restoration of his retired rank and pension by the Bundeswehr. (Read more on Walther von Seydlitz-Kurzbach (Wikipedia))
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.
Set of 6 award documents for Oberleutnant Paul Doering who served with Pionier-Bataillon 102 of the 102. Infanterie-Division.
Award document for the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse. Earned on May 31, 1940 with Pionier-Bataillon 12 of the 12. Infanterie-Division for the Western Campaign in 1940! Signed by Generalmajor Walther von Seydlitz-Kurzbach! (Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub). Seydlitz has an interesting history!
Award document for the Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse. Earned on August 21, 1942 with Pionier-Bataillon 102 of the 102. Infanterie-Division but here detached to the 328. Infanterie-Division! Signed by unknown officer.
Award document for the Allgemeines-Sturmabzeichen. Earned on August 30, 1942. Signed by (later) Generaloberst Johannes Frießner (Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub)
Award document for the Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz. Earned on September 29, 1942 for a wound suffered on August 18, 1941. Signed by unknown officer.
Award document for the Winterschlacht im Osten. Earned on July 21, 1942. Signed by unknown officer.
Award document for the Deutsche Schutzwall-Ehrenzeichen. Earned on September 17, 1940.
