The collection consists of: a hand-written greeting card with signature (148x105mm); five post war reprints of wartime photos, one being a signed portrait (ca. 150x105mm); an extensive type-written four page autobiography (209x296mm). In original envelope (161x114mm). The collection is in near mint condition.
The envelope was sent on June 25, 1981. The recipient was Steven H. Sandman from Cleveland, Ohio. He had asked for photos and information about Lemke’s experiences in the war, a request that Lemke was happy to fulfill.
One photo is a portrait of Lemke, showing him wearing the Knight’s Cross in the rank of Oberst (Colonel) as Commander of Fallschirm Panzer Division 1 “Hermann Göring”. He signed it in blue ink. The next picture shows Lemke on the far right in the rank of Major after the taking of a village on the Eastern Front, central part. Another photo, dated to February 1942, shows a snow shelter near Taborki in the Moscow area. The next photo, dated to Lake Peipus (Estonia/Russia) on February/March 1944, shows Lemke on the left as leader of a Panzer group in Army Group North, with Feldmarschall Walter Model in the middle. The final picture shows Lemke inspecting the 2nd Panzer Company of Fallschirm Panzer Division 1 “Hermann Göring” in Königsbrück in March 1945, together with Commander of Panzer Regiment Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) Karl Rossmann, recipient of the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves.
Footnote:
Max Lemke was born on April 7, 1895. He volunteered for service in an Uhlan regiment at the beginning of the First War. Initially he saw action in Poland and on the Eastern Front, late in the war he was transferred to France. Lemke received both the Iron Cross 2nd and 1st Class. After the war he left the army for a while before rejoining in 1937. Lemke took part in the Polish campaign. In January 1940 he took command of Reconnaissance Detachment 218. In June he joined the attack on France. For playing a vital role in forcing the surrender of the French army of the Vosges mountains Lemke was awarded the Clasp to the Iron Cross 1st Class. In 1941 he was redeployed to the Eastern Front. Here Lemke was tasked with taking an important road crossing in Belarus, however he went further and successfully established a bridgehead on the other side of a river two kilometres away as well. For this Lemke was awarded the Knight’s Cross. He stayed in Russia until May 1942 and was then redeployed to Brittany, France. In early 1943 he underwent training to become a Panzer regiment leader and subsequently received command over Panzer Grenadier Regiment 25. During the next few months he lead his unit in defensive battles in Oryol, central Russia, later in the year in Kalinkavičy, Belarus. In January of 1944 Lemke was transferred to Courland for defensive battles in the Leningrad region. During the following months his unit had to fall further back. In late January of 1945 Lemke was appointed Commander of the Fallschirm Panzer Division 1 “Hermann Göring”. The unit participated in defensive battles in Poland and eastern Germany. Lemke managed to lead his unit into US captivity rather than becoming prisoners of the Russians. At the end of the war he had reached the rank of Major General. Lemke died on May 29, 1985.