Germany. An Iron Cross 1939 Second Class with Award Certificate and American POW Leaflet

A grouping of an Iron Cross 1939, a late-war makeshift field-made award certificate, as well as an American Prisoner of War propaganda leaflet. 1) The Iron Cross 1939 Second Class “Eisernes Kreuz 1939 2. Klasse”; a cross pattée of multi-piece construction with a blackened iron core (magnetic) within a ribbed border; on loop for suspension - marked “55” for “J. E. Hammer & Söhne of Geringswalde”; with its period original ribbon; the obverse with a raised central mobile swastika with the re-institution date “1939” in raised numbering on the lower arm; the reverse with the original institution date “1813” in raised numbering on the lower arm; measuring 44.16 mm x 44.30 mm; weighing 16.7 grams; attractive and even patina from age, with the black paint on the core fully preserved; in overall better than extremely fine condition. 2) The Iron Cross 1939 Second Class certificate; the paper is of unusually thin quality, obviously due to the very late war stage of the awarding. The certificate is named to Jäger Hermann Ksander in the 2nd Company of Mountain Panzer Jäger Detachment 55 and dated to “in the field” on May 1, 1945. It is signed in blue ink by Lieutenant General and Division Commander of the 2nd Mountain Division Willibald Utz (1893–1954), a recipient of the Knight’s Cross; it measures 148x209mm, very fine condition with multiple folding creases, some scuffing, and light soiling. 3) The American Prisoner of War propaganda leaflet; states what German soldiers can count on if giving themselves up to Allied forces: treatment according to the Hague Convention of 1907 and of the Geneva Convention of 1929. The reverse, in both German and English, states that any soldier(s) can use this leaflet as a safe conduct certificate to indicate that he/they want to give himself/themselves up. Above the title somebody has written “Feindpropaganda!” (enemy propaganda) in either crayon or pencil. It measures 133x215mm, better than fine condition with folding creases, some fraying, and two small holes along one of the creases. (C:204) Footnote: Mountain Panzer Jäger Detachment 55 was first established in Norway and, as part of the 2nd Mountain Division, moved from there to the northern part of the Eastern Front. After retreating back to Norway in late 1944, the division was then transferred via Denmark to the Western Front, fighting in the Alsace region and ultimately in the southwest of Germany.