Lot 114

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Description:

THE MAN WHO LED WORLD WAR II'S "FALSE START"
HANS-ALBRECHT HERZNER (1907-1942) German Abwehr officer who led a commando raid into Poland one week before the actual invasion by German forces on Sep. 1, 1939, thus becoming the first German officer to engage in combat in World War II and the first soldier in the war to be decorated for valor. Excessively rare pencil signature "Herzner" on a 2 1/4" x 1 1/4" coupon removed from a document. Very good. On Aug. 26, 1939, a commando unit of the German Abwehr, headed by Herzner, was ordered to infiltrate Poland and secure a strategically vital tunnel in the Carpathian mountains. Polish guards fought back and meanwhile, unknown to Herzner, Hitler had ordered a postponement of the invasion, so the whole operation had to be aborted. Not until day broke were the Abwehr able to get their commandos out. Nevertheless, Herzner was awarded an Iron Cross for his bravery. The Poles, all the wiser, blew the tunnel as soon as the Germans invaded a week later.

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September 27, 2012 11:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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