Germany, Heer/RAD. Award Documents & Emsland Cuff Title to Obergefreiter Karl Wehling, 1938-1943

The collection consists of: a Medal of the Crown of King Zvonimir, Iron Grade with Oakleaves certificate (179x241mm, better than fine); an Emsland cuff title (421x24mm, very fine) with associated RAD award certificate (239x318mm, fine); an Iron Cross 2nd Class certificate (140x198mm, near very fine); a Wound Badge in Black certificate (139x199mm, fine); an Eastern Front Medal certificate (139x199mm, near extremely fine).

The Medal of the Crown of King Zvonimir, Iron Grade with Oakleaves certificate is named to Obergefreiter (Corporal) and Signals Troop Leader Karl Wehling. It states that Wehling was granted the award for brave conduct in battles against bandits in Bosnia in February of 1943. It is dated to Zagreb on May 14, 1943 and signed in blue ink on behalf of the Minister of the Armed Forces by a State Secretary, the name is illegible.

The Emsland cuff title certificate is named to Arbeitsmann (worker) Wehling upon his retiring from the RAD, Arbeitsgau 31 (Emsland), Abteilung 3/316 “von Finckh”. The certificate states that the cuff title is supposed to be a token of remembrance, yet that Wehling is not granted the right to wear it, unless he is granted the right to wear the uniform attire with red piping. The certificate is dated to Lähden on March 28, 1938 and signed in black ink by an Oberfeldmeister, the name is illegible.

The Iron Cross 2nd Class certificate is named to Obergefreiter Wehling of Staff Battery II of the Artillery Regiment 369 (Croatian). It is dated to August 14, 1943 and signed in pencil by the Commander of the 369th Infantry Division (Croatian), nicknamed the “Devil’s Division”, Major General Fritz Neidholdt (1887–1947), a recipient of the German Cross in Gold.

The Wound Badge in Black certificate is named to Obergefreiter Wehling of Infantry Regiment 216 for being wounded on March 4, 1942. It is dated to Breslau (present-day Wrocław, southwest Poland) on March 26, 1942 and signed by a Chief Medical Officer and Oberstabsarzt, the name is illegible.

The Eastern Front Medal certificate is named to Unteroffizier (NCO) Wehling on October 26, 1943. It is signed by a Hauptmann (Captain) the Commander of the 2nd Battalion of Artillery Regiment (Croatian) 369, the name is illegible.

Footnote:

The 369th (Croatian) Infantry Division was established in September of 1942. It consisted of German Wehrmacht officers and specialists as well as Croatian soldiers and was tasked with fighting partisans in the Balkans. However, Infantry Regiment 369 was also active on the Eastern Front. It was destroyed in Stalingrad in early 1943 and was then reformed as Grenadier Regiment 369.