WWII German Knights Cross of the Iron Cross Formal Award Document-Hauptmann der Reserve Peter Ingenhoven formal award document with folder to the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross of 1939. Large, double-paged parchment document with calligraphic text and national eagle dated 11 May 1940, the name of Peter Ingenhoven rendered in hand-executed gold lettering, beneath which is the ink signature of Adolf Hitler. Document dimensions are 43.2 x 34.7 cm. The award folder in red leather with a gold-embossed eagle on the front, the inside with gold-embossed decorative edging lines and parchment inserts. Centered on the lower edge of the rear inside cover is the stamp in gold of “Frieda Thiersch”. Folder dimensions are 45 x 36 cm. Also included are some great “extra” documents: 1- A copy of the letter from Minister Dr. Doehle to Frau Professor Troost (the one who was in charge of the RK documents program for Hitler) telling her that Ingenhoven was awarded the RK by Hitler and to produce the document for him. 2 – A narrative of the Norway campaign and Ingenhoven’s part in the securing of the airport. (In German). 3- A letter to Frau Ingenhoven about the Russian Campaign – original in German. 4 – Several other original letters to/about Ingenhoven – originals in German. 5 – His original Iron Cross Second Class document from WWI – 1915. 6 – His original Iron Cross First Class document from WWI (As a Flieger in Abt 3) – 1917. 7 – His original Frontkampfer (Front Fighter) document – not awarded until April 1935 but for WWI. 8 – An original document from the Oberbiirgermeister (Mayor) of his town (Gladbach) congratulating Ingenhoven upon winning the RK in 1940.
Peter Ingenhoven, Born 16, December 1894 (Düsseldorf, Germany), died 1, February 1942 (Beljevo-Velizh,USSR). Awarded the cross for the crucial role he played in securing the Fornebu airport (outside Oslo) during the Norwegian campaign. When German paratroopers failed to land and capture the airfield before the arrival of the reinforcing troops, most German transport planes except those from the Kampfgruppe z.B.V. 103 turned back. The latter transports did not get the order and proceeded to the airport. Upon arrival, they began to land at the airport anyways despite it being still under Norwegian control. During the descent the commander of the Kampfgruppe, Hauptmann Wagner, was killed by Norwegian AA fire. The second in command, Hauptmann Ingenhoven, thus took over command of the attack. Due to the aggressive German attack and the lack of preparedness of the Norwegian defenders, the airfield was swiftly captured and reorganized to facilitate follow-up German reinforcements. He was later killed flying supplies into Stalingrad during Goring’s attempt to supply the doomed 6th Army of Paulis, a Junkers Ju 52 of the Kampfgruppe z. b. V. 900 was flying over the Eastern Front. The plane was piloted by 1st Lieutenant Bruno Fillner (b. 4 January 1913 in Berlin-Niederschöneweide), his observer sitting to his right was group commander Peter Ingenhoven, because of his rank, also commandant of the plane. The aircraft was shot down by machine gun fire from the ground and crashed near Beljajewo 10 km south of Welish. German records state, Ingenhoven, Fillner and four others (among them Lieutenant Schultz) were reported missing. The Russian side states: “Comrade Chursin, using a captured machine gun, destroyed the transport plane.” In his statement, Chursin claimes he “destroyed” 13 crew members, two wounded officers were taken prisoner. For this action, Chursin received the Russian Order of the Red Banner. Because this happened behind enemy lines, the crash could only be verified by the Germans in November 1942, until then, the crew of the transport plane had officially been reported missing. Newspaper articles, reporting on Ingenhoven’s death, are all from November 1942. On 15 December 1942, Peter Ingenhoven was posthumously promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of the Reserves with backdated effect from 1 February 1942. Near excellent and incredibly desirable!