Hans Kissel – Grenadier-Regiment 683 & Chief of Staff of the Volkssturm

Original Postwar Signature on an Wartime Photograph of Hans Kissel. Generalmajor Hans Kissel (19 February 1911, Passau † 19 November 1984, Aichach) was a German Army officer who rose to the rank of Generalmajor during the Second World War. He distinguished himself as a regimental commander on the Eastern Front, earning both the German Cross in Gold and the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross for his leadership in heavy fighting.

Awards and Decorations:

• German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) – 18 June 1942, as Oberstleutnant and Führer of III./Jäger-Regiment 228, 101. Jäger-Division, Heer.

• Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) – 17 March 1944, as Oberst and Kommandeur of Grenadier-Regiment 683, 335. Infanterie-Division, Heer.

Career Highlights:

• Entered the Reichswehr as a young officer and advanced steadily through the interwar years.

• Distinguished himself in 1942 as battalion commander in the 101. Jäger-Division, earning the German Cross in Gold.

• Later commanded Grenadier-Regiment 683 of the 335. Infanterie-Division, where his skillful leadership during defensive battles on the Eastern Front brought him the Knight’s Cross in 1944.

• Promoted to Generalmajor before the end of the war.

• In 1945, served as Chief of Staff of the Volkssturm, directing Germany’s last-ditch defensive organization.

• Captured by Allied forces and held in captivity before returning to civilian life in postwar Germany. He died in 1984.

Item Details:

• Authentic postwar signature of Generalmajor Hans Kissel.

• Signed on an original photograph (size 7.6 × 10.7 cm).

• Condition: Clear, well-preserved autograph and photo.

Collector’s Note:
Hans Kissel’s decorations — the Knight’s Cross and German Cross in Gold — together with his unique role as Chief of Staff of the Volkssturm, make his signed photo a particularly notable item. The fact that the signature appears on an original wartime-era photograph (with dimensions 7.6 × 10.7 cm) adds further desirability for advanced collectors of Heer commanders and late-war leadership memorabilia.