A document and photo collection to Herbert Breidenbach, consisting of six award documents (138x198mm to 148x209mm), three official papers (103x61mm and 211x149mm), one ID document (100x146mm), a picture postcard (89x139mm), and six photos (61x48mm to 62x62mm), all in very fine to extremely fine condition with minor age-related fraying and discolouration.
Award documents:
A certificate for Unteroffizier (NCO) Breidenbach for the Front Flying Clasp for Fighter Pilots in Silver, awarded on March 28, 1942. It is signed in blue ink by Captain and Wing Commander Ullrich Diesing (1911–1945), recipient of the Knight’s Cross and Major General at the time of his death.
A certificate for Gefreiter (Lance Corporal) Breidenbach for the Front Flying Clasp for Fighter Pilots in Bronze, awarded on October 9, 1941. It is signed in blue ink by Major and Wing Commander of the Schnellkampfgeschwader (Fast Bomber Wing) 210, Arved Crüger (1911–1942), a recipient of the Knight’s Cross and the Front Flying Clasp for Bomber Pilots in Gold.
A certificate for Obergefreiter (Senior Lance Corporal) Breidenbach for the Iron Cross 1st Class, awarded on November 30, 1941. It is signed in blue ink by the then-General Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen (1895–1945), a recipient of the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves and ultimately in the rank of Generalfeldmarschall. He was a distant cousin of First War flying ace Manfred von Richthofen, “the Red Baron”.
A certificate for Gefreiter (Lance Corporal) Breidenbach for the Iron Cross 2nd Class, awarded on October 17, 1941. It is signed in blue ink by the Commanding General of the 2nd Air Corps, General Bruno Loerzer (1891–1960), a recipient of the Pour le Merite, the Knight’s Cross, and the Pilot/Observer Badge in Gold with Diamonds. At the end of the war he held the rank of Generaloberst (Colonel General).
Two certificates for the Eastern Front Medal, both for Breidenbach, one at the rank of Obergefreiter (Senior Lance Corporal), the other as Unteroffizier (NCO), the first one dated to September 1, 1942, the other to September 6, 1943. The first document is signed in blue ink by an Oberleutnant (Senior Lieutenant), possibly flying ace Peter Jenne (1920–1945), recipient of the Knight’s Cross, and holding the rank of Captain at the time of his death. The second document is signed in blue ink by Major and Wing Commander Joachim Blechschmidt (1912–1943), a recipient of the Knight’s Cross, holding the rank of Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) at the time of his death.
A picture ID card for Gefreiter (Lance Corporal) Breidenbach. It is dated to August 13, 1941 and signed in black ink by a Captain, the signature is indecipherable.
Official papers:
A certificate stating that Gefreiter Breidenbach participated in a training course to become a radio operator between August 1940 and January 1941, and that he passed. It is signed in blue crayon by a Senior Lieutenant, the signature is indecipherable.
A handwritten note at the top states that the radio operator certificate has been issued on July 15, 1941.
A telegram to NCO Breidenbach, sent to his home address on August 13, 1943 at 11:15 pm. It states that he has to terminate his vacation and return to his company by 12 pm on August 15.
A small slip of paper stating that Gefreiter Breidenbach is eligible to wear a pistol. It is dated to September 24, 1941 and signed in blue crayon by a Lieutenant, the signature is indecipherable.
A picture postcard, showing Breidenbach wearing his flight suit.
Six small photos showing Breidenbach and several comrades. One photo shows a mountain, seen from a plane.
Footnote: Herbert Breidenbach was born in 1919 in Remscheid, western Germany. He served as a radiooperator in the Luftwaffe, where he was assigned to the Schnellkampfgeschwader (Fast Bomber Wing) 210, and the 5th squadron of the 2nd group of the Destroyer Wing 1. He saw action in Russia, Norway, and France.