Kriegsmarine Document Group – Marine-Schützen-Bataillon 311 (EK2 & VWA in 1945!)

Original grouping of award and qualification documents belonging to Matrose Karl-Heinz Günther, who served with the Kriegsmarine’s Marine-Schützen-Bataillon 311.

The group includes three particularly interesting documents:

• Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (EK II) — awarded to Matrosen I Karl-Heinz Günther, serving with 2./Marine-Schützen-Bataillon 311, on 18 March 1945. The certificate was issued im Felde and signed on behalf of the commander of the 7. Infanterie-Division. The 7. Infanterie-Division was operating in the West Prussian/Danzig area at this time and had Marine-Schützen units under its command.
• Verwundetenabzeichen in Silber — an original Besitz-Zeugnis confirming that Günther was awarded the Wound Badge in Silver as a result of a wound sustained on 2 May 1945. The certificate was issued at Travemünde on 11 July 1945, making this an especially interesting immediate post-war award document. The silver grade represented multiple wounds or qualifying severe injuries under the award regulations.
• Polartaufschein / Polar-Taufschein — dated 18 August 1944 at Tromsø, awarded to Matrose III (sp.) Günther after crossing the Arctic Circle. The document is an original humorous naval “polar baptism” certificate, complete with Neptune/Ägir imagery and handwritten endorsement.

The Marine-Schützen-Bataillon 311 was formed in October 1944 and belonged to Marine-Schützen-Regiment 3. From January 1945 it was employed in ground combat on the Nogat front and was subsequently heavily engaged in the fighting around the Danzig Bay area.

Original period documents with the expected age-related folding, handling and paper wear. The Polar-Taufschein has particularly nice handwritten additions and period artwork. The award certificates remain very legible.

Note: The documents have been denazified