1944 DOCUMENT SIGNED BY CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF GENERAL HEINZ GUDERIAN

Offered for sale is an original

1944 DOCUMENT SIGNED BY CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF

GENERAL HEINZ GUDERIAN

FULL MONEY BACK GUARANTEE FOR AUTHENTICITY

General Heinz Guderian was the main pioneer of the Blitzkrieg approach and played a central role in the development of the Panzer Division concept. In 1936, he became the Inspector of Motorized Troops. At the beginning of the Second World War, Guderian led an armored corps in the Invasion of Poland. During the Invasion of France, he commanded the armored units that attacked through the Ardennes Forest and overwhelmed the Allied defenses at the Battle of Sedan. He led the 2nd Panzer Army during Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. The campaign ended in failure after the German offensive Operation Typhoon failed to capture Moscow, after which Guderian was dismissed.

In early 1943, Adolf Hitler appointed Guderian to the newly created position of Inspector General of Armored Troops. In this role, he had broad responsibility to rebuild and train new panzer forces but saw limited success due to Germany’s worsening war economy. Guderian was appointed Acting Chief of the General Staff of the Army High Command, immediately following the 20 July Plot to assassinate Hitler.

Guderian was placed in charge of the “Court of Honour” by Hitler, which in the aftermath of the plot was used to dismiss people from the military so they could be tried in the “People’s Court” and executed. He was Hitler’s personal advisor on the Eastern Front and became closely associated with the Nazis. Guderian’s troops carried out the criminal Commissar Order during Barbarossa, and he was implicated in the commission of reprisals after the Warsaw Uprising of 1944.

Guderian surrendered to the United States forces on 10 May 1945 and was interned until 1948. He was released without charge and retired to write his memoirs. [source: Wikipedia]

In the document, dated 3 July 1944, he congratulates a Oberfeldwebel Hans Strippel to the Oak Leaves to the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross. He received that award after destroying 70 enemy tanks. Nice strong ink signature.

This item ships from one of our affiliates in Germany. It comes from a private collection and has never been offered for sale before. It was purchased directly out of a German foundation. The seller gives a full money back guarantee for the authenticity of the document and signature. Includes shipping worldwide.