WW2 German Wehrmacht 45th Infantry Division – IRON CROSS 2nd CLASS AWARD DOCUMENT – SIGNED BY HANZ VON FALKENSTEIN – RARE!

Description

You are bidding on a SUPERB and RARE example of an WW2 German Wehrmacht 2nd Class Iron Cross Award Document! Awarded to Gefreiten Wendelin Sybertz, a member of the 45th Infantry Division, it is HAND SIGNED by General Hanz Freiherr von Falkenstein!

Hans Freiherr von Falkenstein (September 12 , 1893 – October 30 , 1980) was a German officer and General of the infantry and division commande.  On October 12, 1937, he became commander of MG Battalion 7 and on January 10, 1940, commander of Infantry Regiment 103 of the 24th Infantry Division. Promoted to colonel on April 1, 1940, he was appointed commander of the 14th Rifle Brigade in the 14th Panzer Division on December 20, 1941 , which he led until November 8, 1942. From November 1st to November 16th he was acting commander of the 14th Panzer Division. He was then transferred to the reserve commanders and assigned to a division commander course. After its completion, he came to Army Group Center and was commissioned to lead the 707th Infantry Division on February 22, 1943 . From April 25, 1943, as Fritz Kühlwein ‘s successor, he led the 45th Infantry Division until November 30 and was promoted to major general in this position on May 1. Promoted to lieutenant general on November 1, 1943, Hans Freiherr von Falkenstein was transferred back to the leadership reserve on December 1, 1943 and from February 24, 1945 he commanded the 24th Infantry Division. On June 1, 1944, he was again transferred to the leadership reserve, and on August 1, 1944, he was appointed military replacement inspector in Dresden. On May 7, 1945, he was taken prisoner by the Soviets, from which he was released on October 10, 1955

The 45th Infantry Division (German: 45. Infanterie-Division) was an infantry division of the army of Nazi Germany during World War II. Towards the end of the war, the division was reassembled into a second iteration, the 45th Volksgrenadier Division (45. Volksgrenadier-Division). With the annexation of Austria in 1938 by Nazi Germany, what was once the 4th Austrian Division was incorporated into the Wehrmacht (German Army) and re-designated the 45th Infantry Division. In the 1939 Invasion of Poland, the division was on the right wing of Gerd von Rundstedt’s Army Group South. On 22 June 1941, the 45th Infantry Division began Operation Barbarossa by starting the 9-day long siege of the Brest Fortress. In March 1942 the Red Army defeated the division at Livny, Russia and captured the archive of the division. That was the first time the Red Army learned about the defense of the Brest Fortress It suffered heavy casualties during the Battle of Kursk. It was rebuilt but virtually destroyed at Bobruysk in June 1944 during Operation Bagration.

Made of paper, this award document is in VERY NICE condition for it’s age! Though it has some marks and wear, it is still VERY solid, and all information is clearly legible! It is hand-signed by Falkenstein, as Generalmajor and Divisional Commander of the 45th Infantry Division.  Would make a PERFECT addition to any collection or display!