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Two Cased Nazi-Era German Crosses in Gold, One Inscribed to a Commander of the SS Volunteer Sturmbri

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:700.00 USD Estimated At:1,400.00 - 2,250.00 USD
Two Cased Nazi-Era German Crosses in Gold, One Inscribed to a Commander of the SS Volunteer Sturmbri
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Two Cased Nazi-Era German Crosses in Gold, One Inscribed to a Commander of the SS Volunteer Sturmbrigade Wallonien, A.K.A.. The 28th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division Wallonien

Introduced in 1941, the German Cross in Gold was the next valor award up from the Iron Cross First Class, given for repeated acts of battlefield bravery. While widely issued within the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS to Germans, rewards to outsiders are believed to number less than 100. Each medal comes in a black leatherette case with white silk and black velvet inner lining. 1) German Cross in Gold, numbered "4" on the pin and inscribed "Lucien Lippert/20.02.44" on the back. Born in 1913 in Luxembourg, Lippert was an officer in the Belgian armed forces before taking over the 373. (Wallonische) Infanterie Battalion, a Belgian Walloon formation. The 373 would be transferred from the Heer to the Waffen-SS, becoming the 5th SS Volunteer Sturmbrigade Wallonien, which participated actively in combat on the Eastern Front. On the 13th of February, 1944, while performing rear guard duty for German forces attempting to escape the Korsun-Cherkassy Pocket, Lippert was killed in action. Following his demise, he was posthumously awarded the German Cross in Gold and promoted to SS-Obersturmbannfuehrer. The 5th Sturmbrigade would later be combined with the Spanish Blue Division and the Legion of French Volunteers Against Bolshevism to become the 28th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division Wallonien, which participated in multiple attempts to hold back the Soviet advance before finally escaping West to surrender to the British. 2) German Cross in Gold, numbered "1" on the pin, otherwise unmarked.

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Both are in very fine condition, with mild wear on the high edges. The case for #2 is stained on the silk, and both some minor wear and tear.