3rd Reich Verleihungsurkunde Eiserne Kreuz 2, Klasse

In an excellent condition an award document iron cross 2nd class

The document has been made out in the field to a Stabsgefreiten Hentschel from the 4. Grenadier Regiment 154 and signed by Curt Siewert Generalmajor and Kommandeur 58. Infanterie-Division of which the 154th regiment was part in 1944.

Background info:

From June 22, 1941, the division took part in the war against the Soviet Union as part of the 18th Army of Army Group North. The division advanced to within sight of Leningrad and was then used there from September 1941 to December 1942 in defensive battles both in front of Leningrad and at Oranienbaum and on the Volkhov. Short-term deployments followed near Demjansk and Novgorod, then from April to September 1943 again near Leningrad. The Soviet breakthrough on Newel forced several divisions to be transferred to the southern wing of Army Group North, including those of the 58th Inf.-Div. In the heavy fighting there, the division was able to achieve new defensive successes. The breakthrough of the Soviets through the German lines in front of Leningrad and the advance to the Estonian borders resulted in the division being transferred again, this time to the Narva, where it remained deployed until July 1944.

The enormous successes of the Soviets in the summer battle of 1944 meant that e.g. the 58th Inf. div. back to the new southern wing of Hgr. north and defended itself there in the Dünaburg area. The evacuation of Estonia and Livonia in September 1944 and the Soviet breakthrough in early October to the Baltic Sea north of Memel made it necessary to move the division by sea to the bridgehead there to defend Memel.

The protective ring around Memel, in which the division remained until the evacuation at the end of January 1945 via the Curonian Spit to the Samland, was heavily fought over. Then the 58 Inf.-Div. still used to defend the Samland until it was lost and the remaining parts marched across the Vistula Spit to the Vistula lowlands, where a reception area was set up near Stutthof. From there the crossing to the peninsula of Hela took place.

On May 8, 1945, the capitulation took place on the peninsula and the day after that, the survivors began to march into Soviet captivity.

Code: 53233