Alfred Ritz – Panzergrenadier-Regiment 1 (1. Panzer-Division)

Awards and Decorations:

• Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) – 11 December 1944, as Hauptmann and Kommandeur of I./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 1, 1. Panzer-Division.

Career Highlights:

• Entered the Heer and rose through the ranks as a Panzergrenadier officer.

• Served in the 1. Panzer-Division, one of the Wehrmacht’s most famous armored formations.

• As commander of I./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 1, he led his battalion in heavy defensive battles on the Eastern Front in late 1944.

• His determined leadership and personal bravery during these actions earned him the Knight’s Cross.

• Survived the war and later lived in Bonn until his death in 1982.

Item Details:

• Authentic postwar signature of Hauptmann Alfred Ritz.

• Signed on a postwar photograph.

• Condition: Clear and well-preserved autograph.

Collector’s Note:
As a decorated officer of the 1. Panzer-Division and a Knight’s Cross recipient, Alfred Ritz’s autograph is a significant addition for collectors of Panzer commanders and late-war Eastern Front leadership. His award in December 1944 places him among the division’s noteworthy officers recognized in the final stages of the conflict.