Original Postwar Signature on a Postwar Photo of Friedrich-Wilhelm Reinke. Major Friedrich-Wilhelm Reinke (25.12.1908 † 10.08.1986) earned the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold on February 23, 1943 and the Ritterkreuz on October 9, 1943 as Major und Kommandeur of the I. Abteilung/ Flak-Regiment 9 “Legion Condor”. Good condition.
Ritterkreuz: “On the 15.01.1943 I held a section of front south of the Pitomnik airfield (near Stalingrad) with two 8.8 cm and three 2 cm AA guns as well as 180 men. When I did a roll call later that day at 16:00 I was able to find just 30 men. With 12 men I reached the German lines which had been pulled back during the day. In this action, as usual, I had covered the retreat of the 297. Infanterie-Division and was recommended for the Knight’s Cross by its commander, Generalleutnant Pfeffer.”
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.