Germany. A Post War Signed Photo of KC winner & SS-Obersturmführer Willi Hein, “Wiking”

Measuring 93x142mm, mint condition. Hein signed the picture in black ink. He also signed the reverse and stated his unit, Panzer Regiment 5 “Wiking”, and the time of his Knight’s Cross award, May, 1944.

Footnote: Willi Hein was born on April 26, 1917 in Hohenweststedt (northern Germany). He became a member of the HJ in 1930 and joined the NSDAP and SS in 1936. Just after the beginning of the Second War, Hein volunteered for service in the Waffen-SS and was placed in the SS-Standarte “Germania”. In May of 1940, he was redeployed to the 1st Company of SS-Standarte “Nordland”. Between late November 1941 and early 1942 Hein participated in a Reserve Officer training course at the SS-Junkerschule Bad Tölz. Afterwards he was promoted to SS-Untersturmführer in April 1942 and placed in the SS Panzer Grenadier Division “Wiking”, stationed at the southern part of the Eastern Front. In August 1943 he became a company leader in the division. Hein distinguished himself during the Battle of the Korsun-Cherkassy Pocket, destroying 15 anti-tank guns and three T-34s, taking 200 soldiers prisoner, and defending his position against all enemy attacks. For this he was awarded the Knight’s Cross on May 4, 1944. He went on to become the leader of the 1st Detachment of SS Panzer Regiment 5. In early January of 1945 Hein was involved in the fighting in and around the Hungarian capital Budapest where he was severely wounded by a bullet penetrating his lower leg. His final promotion came later that month, to SS-Hauptsturmführer. However, Hein never made it back to the battlefield before the war ended. Among the other decorations he was awarded during the course of the war were the German Cross in Gold, the Honour Roll Clasp, the Wound Badge in Silver, and the Panzer Badge in Silver with engagement number 75. Hein died on October 25, 2000.