Knights Cross Recipients Who Are Still Living

yeah, they were the grainy pictures. Surprisingly, there are no photos of him available on the internet wearing his Knights Cross! He won his RK in August of 1944 - plenty of time to take a photo before the war ended. I've seen photos of people who won their RKs in April 1945. I wonder why there aren't any other photos? He signed his photos in a regular pen, and a faded blue marker, so its really hard to see. Whatever, at least he signed it. The guy is almost 95 years old, and I wasn't expecting him to reply, let alone reply so soon. Great guy. Also got a response from Martin Drewes yesterday - in a letter from Brazil. He signed all four photos I sent, and apologized in a letter for not writing me sooner. Hey, I'm just grateful he wrote me at all! It's amazing that these guys still sign photos and reply within a month or less (most of them), being in their early - mid 90s. I supposed years of surviving in war made them harder and tougher, allowing them to live longer.

 

Wanhofers pictures were ones taken after his Ritterkreuzverleihung at Sillamae in August 1944 at the HQ of III SS Panzer Korps a number of RK's were awarded by Felix Steiner at the same time, unfortunatley they are all of a grainy appearance as are many of the photos taken that day , it would appear that they were not taken by a Kreigsberichter.

Other photos of him are not in wide circulation and i am not aware of any formal portrait !! He is the last Narwakampfer RK left alive !!

 

Interesting! I guess that's why neither of us could find a decent photo for him to sign. Herr Wanhoefer turns 95 years old today! What a trooper.

Got a reply from Martin Drewes from Brazil the other day. He signed all four pictures, and wrote a letter apologizing for how long it took him. Wow! What a thoughful, kind man.

 

Gunter was awarded his RK for combat in the Siivertsi Bridgehead in March 1944 and the blowing of the bridge during the withdrawal from Narva in July 1944 , as i know much about his combat career he is a hero of mine , a very couragoues man , signing photos at 95 years ols shows what sort of a guy he is !!

Drewes is another nice guy who despite his age travels to Germany every year for the OdR JHV !!

 

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I found this picture of Gunther Wanhofer on a website yeasterday. The clearest that I have been able to find

 

This photo is from the " Bible " of the III SS Panzer Korps , Tragedy of the faithful !!

 

Have you read "Wenn Alle Brueder Schweigen"? That's the "Bible" of the Waffen-SS! There's a great introduction by Paul Hausser (in German AND English!) and the book also contains lots of very rare, unpublished photos of soldiers and vehicles. The only downside is how expensive it is.

 

Where did you read about how Wanhoefer go his Knight's Cross?

 

I have a copy> My wife bought me it years ago. It is one of my prized books

 

Wenn alle Bruder Schweigen is the Bildband of the Waffen SS produced by Munin Verlag for the Bundesverband der Ehemaligen Waffen SS e.V ,so not a great read as it only contains captioned photos but some excellent photo shots and the first of it's kind !!. The English version was first produced in 1973 and were signed by Paul Hausser , Hubert Meyer and Richard Schulze-Kossens i have two of the first edition signed by Hausser and Meyer, the modern reprints are not to expensive plenty of copies around !!

 

Research on the Ritterkreuztraeger of III SS Panzer Korps and from the horses mouth !!

 

Spring 1944 near to Nederlands HQ in the Narva Bridgehead , most of the Officers in this photo became Knights Cross Winners !!

 

Isn't Hubert Meyer still alive? I would like to get his signature, but at 98 years old I doubt he'd be receptive to a request. That's cool that you have a first edition. The photos in there are great.
Yesterday I got a reply from Herr Max Zastrow, MG-Schütze 2./PiBtl 81 and Knight's Cross winner, with some signed photos.

 

Hubert Meyer is still alive but doesn't sign photos any longer. I know Max well he is a real character he was one of my RKT sponsores for the OdR

 

I got a package from herr Artur Becker Neetz today. He enclosed a copy of Das Ritterkreuz, but didnt return the pictures I sent him. He did underline the Managing Directors name ofr the ODR. Any ideas on what this means?

 

VonKoenigsberg,

Empty your inbox, I cant send you a PM

 

Never mind on my last post. Today I received a second package from Herr Neetz with the signed pictures and other items. I am at work so I am unable to see what they are but this sure makes getting home a great deal more fun. Cant wait to see and translate everything

 

Artur likes to be helpful probably just pointing out that Gunter Halm is the present Vorsitzender !!

 

I read Das Ritterkreuz last night from cover to cover. What a great book and a great reference to keep up on things. I am just very happy that he sent it to me. The article on the Ark Royal was extremely good.

 

Greg- I deleted some things in my inbox. It should be all clear now.
Congrats on receiving the reply from Herr Becker-Neetz! Contact the administrator and see if you can join the OdR. He gave me the same things and wrote a note asking me to contact the highlighted name on that sheet if I was interested. This should be fun!