260 Dokumentennachlaß des Ritterkreuzträgers Oberst Gustav Georg Knabe.
Knabe was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on June 1, 1941, in Africa as commander of Motorcycle Rifle Battalion 15.
Knabe also served as commander of Rifle Regiment 104. After his service in Africa, Knabe later served in Landau as commander of Panzer Troops XII and was responsible for new units that were sent to support the Afrika Korps.
His son published a book of war memoirs in 2008. “Fahnenflucht” (Desertion) with marching orders by Hubertus Knabe.
Knabe was born on July 8, 1897, and died on December 13, 1972.
Provisional certificate of ownership for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, issued on June 4, 1941. With original signature of General Field Marshal von Brauchitsch and official seal “Army High Command – Army Personnel Office.” Issued to “Lieutenant Colonel Knabe, Commander, Kradschtz.Btl.15” on June 1, 1941.
Certificate of recognition (Army Honor Roll Clasp) “special recognition for his outstanding achievements on the battlefield in North Africa on April 27, 1941.” Damaged at the bottom. Not folded. Dated May 1, 1941. Issued to Knabe, commander of Motorcycle Rifle Battalion 15.
Letter of approval dated May 30, 1941: “The Commander-in-Chief of the Army” von Brauchitsch to Knabe, confirming that Rommel reported his outstanding achievements during the battles of Capuzzo and Sollum. This letter was sent together with the actual “Certificate of Recognition.” Signature of von Brauchitsch in ink.
Photo postcard with original signature by Knabe. He is wearing his tropical uniform with Knight's Cross.
Document marked “Secret” about the commander of the 15th Rifle Brigade, Colonel Menny, classified as “too critical.” Addressed to Knabe and sent by the commander of the 15th Panzer Division in Africa, Walter Neumann-Silkow, who died on December 9, 1941, in a military hospital in Derna, just three months later. Includes original envelope.
Certificate for the Bronze Tank Combat Badge, issued to Knabe, who served in Rifle Regiment 104. Dated “Africa, October 1, 1941.” Original signature in ink by Johann von Ravenstein, commander of the 21st Panzer Division in Africa. Folded once. Damage on the left side.
Accompanied by a letter dated “Africa, August 23, 1942,” which was sent together with the award document for the Assault Badge and the Italian-German Campaign Medal. Original pencil signature of Knight's Cross recipient Herbert Ewert.
Another certificate for the Tank Combat Badge in bronze. With official seal “Kdo. 21. Panz.Div.” (Commander 21st Panzer Division), dated “Africa, October 1, 1941” and signed by Major General Georg von Bismarck. Unfolded. Two holes.
Letter dated December 29, 1942, signed by “The Chief of the SS Personnel Office” Lieutenant General von Herff, who had previously served with Knabe in Africa as commander of the “Kampfgruppe Herff.” On the back is Knabe's reply, which he wrote in pencil as a sample. Folded twice. Some damage.
Certificate of award for the Africa sleeve band, dated October 13, 1943, in Landau. Original signature in ink by Lieutenant General Friedrich-Karl von Wachter. Issued to Colonel Gustav Knabe, who served with the “Staff/Commander of Panzer Troops XII.” Filled out by hand. Not folded.
Original aerial photographs from Africa. Notes on the back. Original letters sent and received by Italian auxiliary troops.
“In Africa, April 28, 1941” dated “Battalion Daily Order” of Motorcycle Rifle Battalion 15 with original signature by Knabe. Another with printed signature, dated November 11, 1940. A third “daily order,” dated “Africa, June 7, 1941” with original signature by Knabe.
A menu dated “Sollum, July 6, 1941” together with two hand-painted seat reservation cards issued to Lieutenant Colonel Knabe.
“Battalion daily order” dated July 16, 1941, with Knabe's original signature, in which he reports on his departure from Motorcycle Rifle Battalion 15 and his appointment as the new commander of Rifle Regiment 104.
Original letter “Africa, July 16, 1941” from Kabe to Curt Ehle (commander of Motorcycle Rifle Battalion 15 after Knabe) with best wishes on the award of his Knight's Cross.
A rare handwritten document “Convoy of Motorcycle Rifle Battalion 15” about the transfer from Naples to Africa.
A “Battalion Daily Order” dated “Africa, June 7, 1941,” signed by Knabe, in which he informs his battalion about the awarding of the Knight's Cross!
Several other very interesting documents with original signatures by Ehlert and Ehle.
A hand-painted picture of North Africa, which was presented to Knabe by the officers of the Kraschützen-Batl. 15 on July 12, 1941. Folded once.
Knabe's personal copy of “Marsch und Kampf des D.A.K. 1941” (March and Battle of the D.A.K. 1941). Good condition with signs of wear.
An extensive collection of documents, newspapers, maps of Africa, and “enemy propaganda leaflets” compiled by Knabe. He created an inventory list, which can be found at the beginning of the folder. Too much to show everything in the photos. Many items relate to Kradschützen Btl. 15.
A very interesting collection of documents with almost all documents relating to the African campaign. Compiled by Knabe, who created a detailed inventory list at the beginning of the folder.
A treasure trove of information about his two units with never-before-published information about his soldiers, commanders, and the units themselves. Contains hundreds of pages of war diaries. See inventory list.
Hundreds of documents, receipts, letters, and other records addressed to Knabe. Many interesting signatures and information about Knabe and his service after the African campaign.
An impressive collection of 19 original drawings. Most were painted in Sollum or Capuzzo and are signed by “Kurt Caesar,” a well-known German-Italian artist and war artist for Erwin Rommel. Also included is a leaflet from 1942.
Almost all were created on the African battlefield and bear the artist's signature K. Caesar and the date 1941. Among them are Arco dei Fileni, a downed British tank, views of Sollum, “before Tobruk,” Capuzzo, EL Abiar, etc.
Mostly 32 x 24.5 cm.
Kurt Caesar (also known as Cesare Avai or Caesar Away, real name Kurt Kaiser; March 30, 1906 – July 12, 1974) was a German-Italian painter, journalist, and comic artist.
He was born in Montigny-lès-Metz, Alsace-Lorraine, to a German father. He studied engineering in Leipzig but later transferred to the Academy of Fine Arts in Berlin; during this time, he pursued a boxing career that earned him a German title. In 1929, he became a correspondent for a magazine in Zurich and worked for several German magazines; his journalistic career took him throughout Europe and Asia. After his marriage, he moved to Italy, where he began working on successful comics, including Romano il Legionario, a popular nationalist figure published in Il Vittorioso. He also drew “Aeroporto Z” and “Will Sparrow” for Donald Duck and other adventures (Paperino e altre avventure).
During World War II, Caesar was in Morocco, Libya, and Spain, and in 1941 he was back in Africa working as an interpreter for Erwin Rommel. Captured by the British, he returned to Italy after the end of the conflict. Here he continued to work at Il Vittorioso until 1952, when he was hired as a cover artist for the science fiction magazine I Romanzi di Urania, for which he created about 170 works until 1958, when he was replaced by Carlo Jacono. Caesar then moved on to other popular magazine book series from the same publisher, Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, I Gialli and Segretissimo. Other series he worked on included the unsuccessful Italian science fiction magazines Oltre il Cielo and Cronache del Futuro, as well as the German Perry Rhodan.
He died of a heart attack at his home in Bracciano in 1974.
Highly interesting and extremely rare collection of documents belonging to this brave Knight's Cross recipient of the Afrika Korps.