662. HOLDERS OF THE KNIGHT'S CROSS WITH OAK LEAVES, SWORDS AND DIAMONDS A very rare assemblage of items signed by German military figures who were awarded the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds from July 16, 1941 to May 8, 1945, a total of twenty-seven men. The Knights Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds was awarded to officers and men of all ranks within any branch of the Wehrmacht, Waffen-SS or the auxiliary service organizations who had already been awarded a Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords; it was the highest award presented to more than one person in the Third Reich, and it was reserved for the most highly decorated and heroic figures in the German military. The signed items are contained within a maroon cloth presentation album with a "window" in the front cover displaying a facsimile of the award medal. Also included is a list of the men given the award, along with statistical information. Included are all 27 recipients, in order of their receipt of the award: WERNER MOELDERS, S.P. 11" x 9" b/w, shows him with Luftwaffe officers, boldly signed; ADOLF GALLAND, S.P., 3 1/2" x 5 1/2" portrait in uniform; GORDON GOLLUB, T.L.S. 1p. large 4to., 1963, in German, concerns researching of Luftwaffe pilots and aircraft; HANS JOACHIM MARSEILLE, S.P. "Afrika", August, 1942, a six-line inscription penned to his wingman, beneath a 7" x 5" photo of the aviator (framed separately); HERMANN GRAF, war-date S.P. 3 1/2" x 5 1/2" in uniform with medal visible; ERWIN ROMMEL, S.P. 3 1/2" x 5 1/2" in uniform, in pencil and adding rank, contrast fair; WOLFGANG LUTH, S.P. 3 1/2" x 5 1/2", dated Nov. 26, 1943 on verso; WALTER NOWOTNY, S.P. 3 1/2" x 5 1/2" in uniform, just fair contrast; ADELBERT SCHULZ, S.P. 3 1/2" x 2 1/2" candid photo showing him in a staff car; HANS ULRICH RUDEL, S.P. 4" x 6" b/w in flight gear, nicely signed; HYAZINTH GRAF STRACHWITZ, S.P. 3 1/2" x 5 1/2" in uniform, fair contrast; HERBERT OTTO GILLE, S.P. 3 1/2" x 5 1/2" in uniform, boldly signed; HANS HUBE, D.S. 2pp. 4to., Nov. 22, 1940, an awards list for the German War Cross, 2nd Class, signed in indelible pencil; ALBERT KESSELRING, D.S. 1p. 8vo., Jan. 30, 1945, an award document for the War Merit Cross 2nd Class with Swords; HELMUT LENT, S.P. 4" x 6" in uniform; JOSEF "SEPP" DIETRICH, S.P. 5" x 7" in uniform seated in his staff car; WALTER MODEL, D.S. 1p. 8vo., Jan. 30, 1943, an award document for the War Merit Cross, 2nd Class with Swords, signed in indelible pencil; ERICH HARTMANN, S.P. 4" x 6" in uniform, signed in 1981; HERMANN BALCK, S.P. 4" x 6" with a great 1972 A.L.S. on verso calling Kesselring a "great soldier"; HERMANN BERNHARD RAMCKE, S.P. 5" x 7" showing him full-length in the field; HEINZ WOLFGANG SCHNAUFER, S.P. 4" x 6" b/w, a later image showing his plane, signed at bottom; ALBRECHT BRANDI, S.P. 7" x 5", a candid June, 1943 photo in uniform signed at bottom, only fair contrast; FERDINAND SCHOERNER, war-date T.L.S. 1p. 4to., [n.p.], as Commander of Norwegian Mountain Troops concerning Murmansk and the Arctic; HASSO VON MANTEUFFEL, war-date D.S., 1p. 4to., "Russia", Oct. 14, 1943, an awards list for the 7th Panzer Division; THEODOR TOLSDORF, D.S. 3pp. 4to., Feb. 6, 1945 an award list for the War Service Cross, First Class; DR. KARL MAUSS, S.P. 3 1/2" x 5 1/2" in uniform adding rank in the 7th Panzer Div.; and DIETRICH VON SAUCKEN, D.S. 1p. 8vo., Dec. 4, 1943, an award document for the Iron Cross, 2nd Class. Overall, all of the letters and photos are in very good to fine condition. This collection, as was the case with the collection of marshals offered in our last sale, would be nearly impossible for anyone less that the most devoted collector to assemble! It should be noted that of the 27 holders of this award, none are alive today and nine were killed in action or are listed as missing in action during the war. $4,000 - 6,000