Item #G21161
Tri-colour embroidered ribbon, sewn together at various intervals along the length of the ribbon, 20.5 mm x 29.8 mm dual-prong open-claw buckle in magnetic black painted steel on one end, the buckle marked "SOLIDE", ribbon with the signature of Günther Rall in black ink on the opposite from the buckle, the lightly soiled ribbon measuring 45 mm x 430 mm, scattered paint chipping on the buckle, extremely fine. Accompanied by a Photograph of Rall in his Luftwaffe Uniform (wearing the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords around his neck, black and white, matte finish, Rall's signature in silver-coloured ink below his image, 88 mm x 127 mm). With Certificate of Authenticity of Carsten Baldes.
Footnote: Lieutenant-General Günther Rall (March 10, 1918 - October 4, 2009) was the third most successful fighter ace in history. He achieved a total of 275 victories during the Second World War: 272 on the Eastern Front, of which 241 were against Soviet fighters. He flew a total of 621 combat missions, was shot down eight times and was wounded three times. He fought in the invasion of France, the Battle of Britain, in the Balkan Campaign and over Crete. He began the conflict as a young Second Lieutenant, and was a Major and Geschwaderkommodore of JG 300 at the surrender. He claimed all of his victories in the Messerschmitt Bf 109. Rall died at his home in Germany on October 4, 2009, at the age of 91, after suffering a heart attack two days earlier. Rall was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords: the Knight's Cross on September 3, 1942 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 8./Jagdgeschwader; the 134th recipient of the Oak Leaves on October 26, 1942 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 8./Jagdgeschwader 52; and the 34th recipient of the Swords on September 12, 1943 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur in the III./Jagdgeschwader 52.