WW2 German Grouping – Wachtmeister Achim Dohany – 24. Panzer Division – Epic Historical Grouping – Super Rare (Sold)

Description

This grouping consists of the following items: 

1. Leaflet to the 24th Panzer Division – from Von Edelsheim 
2. Postcard 24th Panzer – Victory is Ours 
3.  Leaflet – OKW Meldung – Soldiers of the 24th Panzer Division 
4. April 1945 – Last words from von Nostiz Wallwitz – rare
5. Congratulations for Iron Cross First Class 28.8.1942 – Panzer Regiment 24 – to Dohany. Signed: Bruno Ritter von Hauenschild (RK/OL)
6. Iron Cross First Class Certificate for Dohany 22.08.1942 – signed: Bruno Ritter von Hauenschild (9 June 1896 – 10 March 1953), born Bruno Hauenschild, was a general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II. Knights Cross with Oak leaves.  Hauenschild served in World War I; at the beginning of World War II, he rejoined the army as an officer. From 15 April to 12 September 1942, Hauenschild commanded the 24th Panzer Division. On 26 January 1945 Hauenschild was given command of the III Military District headquartered in Berlin. Hauenschild commanded the III Military District until 15 March. He was relieved of command of the Berlin Defense Area on 6 March due to illness and was replaced by Lieutenant-General (Generalleutnant) Helmuth Reymann.
7. Iron Cross Second Class Certificate for Dohany 22.08.1942 – signed: Kurt Feldt (RK) (22 November 1897 – 11 March 1970) was a general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross. He was the German commander in the Battle of the Afsluitdijk on 12-14 May 1940.
8. Assault Badge Certificate for Dohany – 22.12.1941 – Signed by Kurt Feldt (RK)
9. Driving Order – Interestingly after capture Dohany was given a Volkswagen with Registration WH1486629 along with Rittmeister Fischer and they drove home. 
10. Dohany – Dog Tag which he wore the whole war. 
11. Panzer Regiment 24 Shoulder Board belonging to Dohany
12. Panzer Wrap Collar Tab belonging to Dohany

Unit History:

The 1st Cavalry Division was formed shortly after the outbreak of World War II, in November 1939, when the 1st Cavalry Brigade was expanded to division-size.

The division was part of the German invasion of the northern Netherlands where it encountered only weak defences as it was not a strategically important area. After the Dutch surrender, the division took part in the final actions of the battle of France before serving as an occupation force there and, from September 1940, in Poland. It participated in the German invasion of the Soviet Union, Operation Barbarossa, where it was part of the Army Group Center before being sent back to East Prussia for conversion to a tank division.

After initially being stationed in northern France the division served under the Fourth Panzer Army in Army Group South of the Eastern Front from June 1942. The division participated in the capture of Voronezh and, in late December 1942, was encircled in the Battle of Stalingrad and destroyed.

The 24th Panzer Division was reformed in March 1943 and served in Normandy, Italy, and then went back to the Eastern Front where it suffered heavy casualties in around Kiev and the Dniepr Bend. During spring-1944 it took part in the battle of Târgu Frumos, part of the First Jassy-Kishinev Offensive. Near the end of the war, it saw action in Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia. Parts of the division were evacuated to Schleswig-Holstein and surrendered there to British forces at the end of the war while the remainder surrendered to Soviet forces in East Prussia in May 1945.

In keeping with the Division’s mounted origins, the 24th Panzer’s tank crewmen wore the golden-yellow Waffenfarbe of the cavalry rather than Panzer pink.

Comments:

Super rare lot to an incredible character in the division, Achim Dohany, who was promated to Wachtmeister and R.O.B. on May 8 1945 by Major Kuls(who knew about him being Jewish), so he could attend to the “Offizierstreffen” after the war. Detail: Dohany wrote about his life:”Soldat – zweiter Klasse”(second rank Soldier) and mentions he played “Deutschland, Deutschland über alles” on a piano when the radio-broadcast told Germany had surrendered.

He had been with them since the early days right to the end. Dohany made a publishing company after the war and many of the central books on the 24th Panzer Division are in fact from his publishing house.