Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A German Second World War Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross Citation.

An extremely fine example in the most superb condition awarded to the then Oberstleutnant Wilhelm Crisolli, date award 15 July 1941, with pen signature of Adolf Hitler. The very high quality calligraphy work with the name of the recipient in gold, the remainder in very dark brown, situated in its large folder, which still has its single strip of Morocco leather in place holding the double page velum document in place, the Morocco leather strip has come adrift at the bottom of the folder. The folder itself, as always with the gold blocked name of ‘Frieda Thiersch’ to the inner rear lower section of the cover. The remainder is in excellent condition with just minor scuffs with a very fine down swept winged gilded Reich eagle and swastika to the front. A very fine Knight’ Cross citation with good history, superb condition £8,000-£12,000

The Knights Cross was instituted on 1 September 1939, created to replace the many older merit and bravery neck awards of the German Empire, and was awarded for a wide range of reasons and across all ranks from Senior Commanders to individual private soldiers for a single act of military valour. It was presented to all four branches of the Armed Forces, the Army, the Kriegsmarine, the Luftwaffe and the Waffen SS. As the war progressed further levels were instituted which included the Oak Leaves to the Knights Cross, the Oak Leaves and Swords to the Knights Cross, the Oak Leaves, Swords & Diamonds to the Knights Cross and the final grade, the Knights Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, with only one of this final grade ever being awarded. Over 7,000 awards were made during the course of the war.

Wilhelm Crisolli was born in Berlin in 1895 of Italian decent, and first joined the Imperial German Army in 1914. After full service during the Great War he transferred to the Reichwehr where he rose steadily in rank, and in 1938 he was appointed Commander of the 1st Division of Cavalry Rifle Regiment, which he led into battle at the Polish Campaign. After Poland he was involved in the battle of France, and then the invasion of Yugoslavia with a Panzer Division. In late 1940 he was appointed Commander of the 8th Panzer Division, which he led in Operation Barbarossa, fighting on the Eastern Front an intense but eventually successful action, with his division securing a 185 mile advance after crossing the border. For this achievement Crisolli received the Knights Cross on 15 July 1941. In January 1942 he was badly wounded and had to give up his command, and later in 1942 he was commissioned Major General of the 13th Panzer Division and saw further service in Southern Russia and at the battle of Kursk. In November 1943 he was sent to become Major General of the 20th Luftwaffe Field Division in Italy.

Crisolli was assassinated on the 12 September 1944 during an ambush by Italian partisans close to Modena in Italy. Immediately after the assassination the German Forces launched a massive anti-partisan assault in the Bologna area where various massacres and atrocities were carried out. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of General Leutnant in March 1945. His grandson Thomas Medicus has written a book exploring his grandfather’’s time in Italy.