A certificate, measuring 140x200mm, near mint condition. It states that SS-Unterscharführer Walter Remus of the 2nd Company of SS Reconnaissance Detachment 105 has been awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class. The document is dated to July 6, 1944 and signed in blue ink by SS-Obergruppenführer and General of the Waffen-SS Artur Phleps.
Footnote: Artur Phleps was born in 1881 in Birthälm or Biertan, Siebenbürgen (Transylvania), Austro-Hungarian Empire (modern day Romania). He was a highly decorated officer in the Austrian Army in the First War, ending it in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. In 1919, his homeland was declared a part of Romania, so Phleps joined the emerging Romanian Army, being instrumental in establishing it. He was promoted to Lieutenant General in 1940, but left over internal differences in 1941. At nearly 60 years of age, Phleps then joined the SS as a Colonel in the Staff of SS Division “Wiking”. He went on to become Commander of the Regiment “Westland”. In 1942, Himmler promoted Phleps to SS-Gruppenführer and Lieutenant General of the Waffen-SS. He was tasked with establishing a new SS unit consisting of ethnic Germans of foreign origin from Yugoslavia, Hungary, and Romania. This marked the birth of the infamous 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division “Prinz Eugen”. Phleps made SS-Obergruppenführer and Lieutenant General of the Waffen-SS on June 21, 1943, and was awarded the Knight’s Cross on July 4. He went on to establish and lead the 5th SS Mountain Corps. Phleps later served as Higher SS and Police Leader Siebenbürgen in 1944 when the Russian army was advancing on Romania. In an effort to get an idea of the situation, he and his adjutant drove to the western Romanian town of Șimand near Arad where they were taken prisoner by the Russian forces in a surprise attack. They were presumably shot on that same day, September 21, 1944. Phleps was awarded the Oak Leaves to the Iron Cross posthumously, and the 13th Volunteer Mountain Regiment was given the honour name “Artur Phleps”.