Germany, Luftwaffe. An Outstanding Document Group to Ace Leutnant Peter Düttmann, 152 Victories

Item #G35483

Price:

$40,500

Germany, Luftwaffe. An Outstanding Document Group to Ace Leutnant Peter Düttmann, 152 Victories

A simply outstanding and extensive document group to one of the Luftwaffe's most successful and daring pilots. Peter “Bonifazius” Düttmann of Jagdgeschwader 52 was born on May 23, 1923 in Gießen, central Germany. After his pilot training in southern France, Düttmann joined the most famous and successful of German Second War wings, Jagdgeschwader 52 on May 7, 1943. Like his comrades, he flew a Messerschmitt Bf 109. Düttmann proved to be one of the brighter junior pilots. He was very successful right from the beginning, scoring his first victory only two weeks after being assigned. By the end of the year his tally had risen to 25. The numbers only escalated from there in 1944, such that by early summer he was closing in on 100 victories. After achieving his 91st victory and being awarded the Knight’s Cross on June 9, 1944 Düttmann had to take some rest due to combat fatigue. He was back in the cockpit in September, claiming his 100th victory on the 24th of that month. Düttmann was appointed Squadron Leader of the 5th Squadron of JG 52 on December 23, 1944. He remained an active front line fighter until the very end of the war, claiming his final and 152nd victory on April 26, 1945. Düttmann is credited with having flown 398 missions, all on the Eastern Front, during which he was shot down or forced to crash-land 17 times, yet was never wounded. Some sources claim that towards the end of the war Düttmann was recommended to receive the Oak Leaves to his Knight’s Cross, but wasn’t awarded them due to the war ending, however this is unconfirmed. Düttmann survived the war and died aged 77 on January 9, 2001.
 
Düttmann's document group is extensive and consists of the following: a preliminary Knight’s Cross certificate (148x209mm, near extremely fine); 5 congratulatory telegrams and letters on account of the Knight’s Cross award (208x146mm–209x198mm, better than very fine to extremely fine); 2 congratulatory letters on account of the 100th aerial victory (207x293mm, very fine, and 210x298mm, near extremely fine); a German Cross in Gold certificate (255x354mm, near very fine); an Honour Goblet certificate (211x296mm, near extremely fine); an Iron Cross 1st Class certificate (140x200mm, near extremely fine); a Front Flying Clasp for Fighter Pilots in Gold certificate (147x209mm, near very fine); a congratulatory letter for nine victories in a single day (209x295mm, extremely fine); an Iron Cross 2nd Class certificate (140x200mm, near extremely fine); a promotion certificate to Feldwebel (210x291mm, near extremely fine); an appointment certificate to officer cadet (208x148mm, near extremely fine); a Pilot’s Badge certificate (147x208mm, extremely fine); an official hit list of Düttmann’s first 30 victories (211x297mm, very fine).

The preliminary Knight’s Cross certificate is named to Leutnant Düttmann for the award of June 9, 1944. It is dated to June 16, 1944 and signed in black ink on behalf of the Chief of the Luftwaffe Personnel Office by Oberst (Colonel) Dr. Gottlieb Wolff (1897–1971), a recipient of the Knight’s Cross. Of the congratulatory notes on account of the award of the Knight’s Cross, four out of five are telegrams, dated to mid June 1944. The senders are: the Commanding General of the 1st Flying Corps, Lieutenant General Paul Deichmann (1898–1981), a recipient of the Knight’s Cross; members of Düttmann’s wing, among them Major Barkhorn, the second most successful ace of all time and a recipient of the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, and Senior Lieutenant Lipfer, presumably a spelling mistake, meaning Helmut Lipfert (1916–1990), a recipient of the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves; Major General Adolf Galland (1912–1996), a recipient of the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds; General Field Marshal Erhard Milch (1892–1972), a recipient of the Knight’s Cross. The other congratulatory note is the order of the day for Fighter Wing 52 on July 17, 1944. It states that Düttmann was awarded the Knight’s Cross for achieving 91 aerial victories. It is signed in pencil by the commanding officer of JG 52, Lieutenant Colonel Dietrich “Dieter” Hrabak (1914–1995), a recipient of the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves. The first congratulatory letter on account of Düttmann’s 100th aerial victory is dated to September 28, 1944. Düttmann achieved his 97th, 98th, 99th, and 100th victory on September 24. The letter is signed in black ink by the Commodore of Fighter Wing 52, Lieutenant Colonel Hermann Graf (1912–1988), a recipient of the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds. The second letter is the transcript of a radio message by Lieutenant General Deichmann, telling Düttmann to continue what he’s doing. The German Cross in Gold certificate is named to Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel (Officer Cadet and Sergeant) Düttmann on April 15, 1944. It carries the facsimiles of Göring and Colonel General Bruno Loerzer (1891–1960), a recipient of the Pour le Merite and the Knight’s Cross. The Honour Goblet certificate is named to Feldwebel Düttmann on February 1944. It carries a facsimile of Göring and is signed in black ink by Chief of the Luftwaffe Personnel Office, Colonel General Bruno Loerzer.

The Iron Cross 1st Class certificate is named to Unteroffizier (NCO) Düttmann on August 25, 1943. It is signed in blue ink on behalf of the Chief of Aerial Fleet 4 by General der Flieger Otto Deßloch (1889–1977), a recipient of the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves.

The Front Flying Clasp in Gold is named to Unteroffizier Düttmann of the 5th Squadron of Fighter Wing 52. It is dated to August 17, 1943 and is signed by Wing Commodore, Lieutenant Colonel Dietrich Hrabak. The congratulatory letter on nine victories in a single day is dated to May 9, 1944. It is named to Leutnant Düttmann of the 2nd Group of Fighter Wing 52 for achieving nine victories on May 7. It is signed in black ink by Lieutenant General Paul Deichmann. The Iron Cross 2nd Class certificate is named to Unteroffizier Düttmann of the 5th Squadron of Fighter Wing 52. It is dated to August 6, 1943 and signed in blue ink by the Commanding General of the 1st Air Corps, Lieutenant General Karl Angerstein (1890–1985), a recipient of the Knight’s Cross. The promotion certificate to Feldwebel is named to Unteroffizier Düttmann of the 5th Squadron of Fighter Wing 52. The promotion is effective October 1, 1943. The certificate is dated to September 21, 1943 and signed in black ink by Commander of the 2nd Group of Fighter Wing 52, Captain Gerhard “Gerd” Barkhorn, the second most successful fighter ace of all time and a recipient of the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. The appointment certificate to Kriegs-Offiziersanwärter (wartime officer cadet) is named to Unteroffizier Düttmann of the 2nd Group of Fighter Wing 52, effective September 20, 1943. It is dated to September 24 and signed in black ink by Wing Commodore and Lieutenant Colonel Hrabak. The Pilot’s Badge certificate is named to Gefreiter (Lance Corporal) Düttmann. It is dated to February 12, 1942 and carries a facsimile of the Chief of the Luftwaffe Personnel Office, General der Flieger Gustav Kastner-Kirdorf (1881–1945), a recipient of the German Cross in Silver. The official hit list (Abschußliste) is dated to January 21, 1944 and lists Düttmann’s first 30 aerial victories from between May 21, 1943 to January 21, 1944. All were achieved on the Eastern Front.