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World War II-dated partly-printed DS, signed in pencil, “Rommel,” one page, 9 x 10.5, January 30, 1942. Official “Verleihungsliste Nr. 3” (Award List No. 3) issued by the Oberkommando der Panzerarmee Afrika, documenting recipients of the Iron Cross, 1st Class. The typed list records three soldiers of 2.(H) / 14th Panzer Regiment – Heinrich Metzlaff, Helmut Schramm, and Walter Stolz – with ranks, birthplaces, and award dates spanning December 26, 1941, to January 3, 1942. Signed at the conclusion by Erwin Rommel as “General der Panzertruppen und Oberbefehlshaber der Panzerarmee Afrika.” In fine condition.
Dated January 30, 1942, this document originates from a pivotal moment in the Western Desert Campaign. Just days earlier, on January 21, Erwin Rommel had launched a renewed offensive from El Agheila, regaining the initiative after the setbacks of Operation Crusader. Over the following weeks, Axis forces advanced across Cyrenaica, retaking Benghazi and reestablishing momentum in North Africa. The capture of Tobruk in June 1942 and the subsequent advance into Egypt would soon follow.
Rommel’s offensive culminated in the First Battle of El Alamein in July 1942, where Axis forces were halted. A renewed attempt to break through in late August failed at the Battle of Alam el Halfa, and by October–November 1942, the Second Battle of El Alamein forced a sustained Axis retreat across North Africa. After the Allied landings in French North Africa in November 1942 and the collapse of Axis positions in Tunisia, Rommel departed the African theater in March 1943, returning to Germany on medical leave.
From the personal collection of a lifelong collector, teacher, and traveler with a passion for world history. His collecting years ranged from the 1970s to the present day, meaning that several of the premier pieces have not been on the market in decades.
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