Nazi Glider Corps Medal

[Phil Anthos]

This medal was given to me by my grandfather, along with some other militaria (a flag, dagger and watch) from his time in the RAF during WWII. He and my father were feuding at the time so he gave them to me directly but when we returned to the States dad grabbed them and I didn't see them again for many many years. 90 years old now, he recently turned them over to me. This was one of two medals but my dad donated the other one, a zinc Nazi Ski Patrol medal, to a group restoring a B17 here in Salem. A good home. But damn! ☹

Inside the case for this one is the card presented to the recipient and which to me is as interesting as the medal itself. But I do wish I still had its partner.

~ Peter 

[DonnaML]

So these were war souvenirs found or otherwise acquired by your grandfather? What does the medal represent, third prize in some kind of competition running through fields with rifles to practice invading Poland two months later? I assume that's the recipient's name at the top, but I can't read it.

[Phil Anthos]

It apparently was a prize awarded in Dusseldorf in 1939 by the aviation corps. My dad didn't keep it stored well unfortunately as the presentation case is damaged, although fixable.

The story is that my Grandfather 'liberated' them while accepting the surrender of some low level official in Berlin in 1945. Apart from the two medals there is a dress dagger which reads "Alles fur Deutschland" on the blade, a red Nazi flag (banner), as well as the large watch he wore on his leg while flying over North Africa. My dad still has the watch.

I have to say that while the eagle with the swastika in its talons which is inset on the walnut handle of the dagger is pretty cool, the flag really gives me the creeps and I keep it rolled and stored out of sight.

~ Peter 

[DonnaML]

13 minutes ago, Phil Anthos said:

It apparently was a prize awarded in Dusseldorf in 1939 by the aviation corps. My dad didn't keep it stored well unfortunately as the presentation case is damaged, although fixable.

The story is that my Grandfather 'liberated' them while accepting the surrender of some low level official in Berlin in 1945. Apart from the two medals there is a dress dagger which reads "Alles fur Deutschland" on the blade, a red Nazi flag (banner), as well as the large watch he wore on his leg while flying over North Africa. My dad still has the watch.

I have to say that while the eagle with the swastika in its talons which is inset on the walnut handle of the dagger is pretty cool, the flag really gives me the creeps and I keep it rolled and stored out of sight.

~ Peter 

My ex-father-in-law -- my son's other grandfather -- was a physician who was at the front with the U.S. Army in Europe after D-Day, and also brought home a whole trunkful of German "souvenirs" he had liberated, including a helmet, a pistol, a disassembled rifle, etc. When he died years ago, his widow, my son's grandmother (who never liked having them in the house) gave them all away. Which kind of annoyed my son, who was quite young at the time and would have wanted the helmet. But I understood how she felt.

[kirispupis]

The name appears to be Staumau (though Stauman sounds more correct). It's interesting because AFAIK the "curve" (can't remember the correct name) was a relic of Kurrent, but here it's still used. Whoever it was won third prize in the 4x100m relay. I searched and found a number of these for sale on various sites, so it must have been a large competition. It's an interesting piece.

One item from my grandfather I really wish I had was a knife he used in the Philippines during WWII. He carved his name "Joseph Calev" along with some other words regarding the war front. I had no knowledge this even existed until he died and it was auctioned off. I found it in an auction catalog several months later and tried calling the auction house. I asked them to call the new owner, explain that the knife was from my grandfather and I was willing to pay double the hammer, but he refused.

One reason I really want this knife so badly is my name is also "Joseph Calev" (I was named after him). I strongly feel it belongs in my family and not in someone else's collection.

If anyone here happens to see this knife come up for auction someday, I'd greatly appreciate a heads up.

[Phil Anthos]

I think I saw that same sale. I have a feeling the card might be worth more than the medal, or plaque as they call it. The card was hidden behind a satin cushion in the lid of the case. I remember the case being fine as a kid but it was under some heavy items in a drawer and is now slightly crushed. Not sure if I should repair it or leave it alone.

~ Peter 

[Tejas]

The name on the document is “Staunau”. Mr Staunau’s rank was “Scharführer”, abbreviated as “Schf.”. Scharführer (something like a corporal) was a paramilitary rank that was used not just by the NS Fliegerkorps, but more famously by the SS. In contrast, Wernher v. Braun, the head of the US space programme in the 1950s and 60s,  who put the first man on the moon, had been an SS-Sturmbannführer (something like a Major).

Edited January 18 by Tejas

[panzerman]

Actually Rottenführer =Corporal

Scharführer = Sargeant

There were SS Fallschirmajäger units/ Colonel (Obersturmbannführer) Otto Skorzeny was in command of a battalion that rescued Mussolini from Gran Sasso without any casualties on that day. They repeated same feat in Budapest (Miklos Horthy Affair) in late 44. For those feats plus many others, he was awarded Ritterkreuz+ Eichenlaube (equal to two Victoria Crosses)

After the War, the A British publication dubbed him , "the Commando Extraordinaire"

[Deinomenid]

13 hours ago, Phil Anthos said:

t my Grandfather 'liberated' them while accepting the surrender of some low level official in Berlin in 1945.

I have a few of these sort of thing and  it's difficult to  know what to do with them. One grandfather  joined  up in '39 and  wasn't demobbed until 1947 and so "got" various  things but especially in the early days of the military occupation in the British zone when Germans would barter for food. Plus a Luftwaffe watch (surprisingly small) from a plane they  shot down at Dunkirk. (He said he didn't loot it, but his men who did were ordered to hand everything over and his temporary c/o told  him to keep just that later. ) 

    

[LONGINUS]

Those are some interesting historical items, @Phil Anthos

Thank you for posting them. Years ago I toured many of the battlefields of Europe and had the opportunity to visit Fort Ében-Émael in Belgium.

In 1940, German airborne troops in gliders captured the fort by landing on top of it and surprising the Belgian Army garrison.

[panzerman]

2 hours ago, LONGINUS said:

Those are some interesting historical items, @Phil Anthos

Thank you for posting them. Years ago I toured many of the battlefields of Europe and had the opportunity to visit Fort Ében-Émael in Belgium.

In 1940, German airborne troops in gliders captured the fort by landing on top of it and surprising the Belgian Army garrison.

Yes indeed/  They had that escapade on youtube. Major Rudolf Witzig coordinated the feat by landing paratroopers via gllders on top of the fortress/ completely taking the Belgians by surprise. They destroyed the concrete gun cupolas with "hollow charge munitions." Witzig after taking forts/ later when older man.