Paratrooper Award Document Grouping to Feldwebel (Sergeant) August Potowski

Paratrooper Award Document Grouping to Feldwebel (Sergeant) August PotowskiParatrooper Award Document Grouping to Feldwebel (Sergeant) August Potowski Potowski jumped on Crete and was captured in North Africa. This grouping consists of the following: 1) Award document for the Medaille zur Erinnerung den 1. Oktober 1938 (Medal in Remembrance of 1 October 1938 with Clasp), commonly known as the Sudetenland Medal, issued in Berlin on 20 June 1939. Document was issued under the authority of the Commander of the 7. Flieger

Paratrooper Award Document Grouping to Feldwebel (Sergeant) August Potowski-Potowski jumped on Crete and was captured in North Africa. This grouping consists of the following:

1) Award document for the Medaille zur Erinnerung den 1. Oktober 1938 (Medal in Remembrance of 1 October 1938 with Clasp), commonly known as the Sudetenland Medal, issued in Berlin on 20 June 1939. Document was issued under the authority of the Commander of the 7. Flieger-Division (7th Airborne Division), Generalmajor Kurt Student. The document is ink-signed by the battalion commander of the Ind Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1, Hauptmann Fritz Prager, who would be awarded the Knight's Cross on 24 May 1940. Prager died of cancer on 3 December 1940 in a military hospital in Frankfurt am Main;

2) Document dated 9 November 1939 issued in Braunschweig, stating that the Sudetenland Medal and award document were being sent to him. The document reveals that Potowski was a member of the 6./Fallschimjäger-Regiment 1 (6th Company of Paratrooper Regiment 1). The document is signed by Potowski's Kompanieführer (Company Commander), who held the rank of Leutant 2nd Lieutenant).

3) Award document for the Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz (Wound Badge in Black) issued on 15 July 1941, which shows that Potowski was assigned to the lInd Battalion of Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1. This document reveals that Potowski was wounded on 20 May 1941 on the first day of "Operation Merkur" ("Operation Mercury"), the invasion of Crete. Document is signed by the regimental commander of Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1, Oberst (Colonel) Bruno Bräuer (Knight's Cross and German Cross in Gold; executed for war crimes by Greece on 20 May 1947);

4) Letter dated 1 December 1942 to Potowski's mother, Maria, stating that her son, August Potowski, was listed as missing in action in the south of the El-Alamein Front on 5 November 1942. The letter further states that it is likely that he was taken into British captivity when parts of his company were cut off during an ordered withdrawal. The document is signed by an Oberletnant (1st Lieutenant) and Adjutant of Feldpostnummer (Field Mail Number) 43504 (2. Kompanie Lehr Battalion Fliegerkorps XI, or 2nd Company of the Instructional Battalion of the XI Air Corps; the Fallschirmjäger Lehr Battalion was formed by the cadre from the lind Battalion of Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1 in July 1940). Includes an acceptable translation of the letter.

5) Award document for the Ärmelband "Kreta" ("Crete" Cuff Title) issued on 29 January 1943 having a facsimile signature of Der Kommandierende General des XI. Flieger-Korps (The Commanding General of the XI. Air Corps), General der Flieger (Full General) Kurt Student;

6) Award document for the Ärmelband Afrika (Africa Cuff Title) issued on 1 May 1943 by authority of Der Oberbefehlshaber Süd (Commander in Chief South), Generalfeldmarschall (Field Marshall) Albert Kesselring, and ink-signed by a Major;

7) Award document for the Eiserne Kreuz 2. Klasse (Iron Cross 2nd Class) issued to Potowski on 28 May 1943 for his combat service on Crete. The document was actually issued on Iraklion, Crete, and is signed by the regimental commander of Fallschirmäger-Regiment 1, Oberst (Colonel) Bräuer (Knight's Cross and German Cross in Gold; executed for war crimes by Greece on 20 May 1947).

8) Document sent from Latersdorf, Germany, on 26 April 1944, to Potowski's mother, Maria, by the Restkommando Lehrataillon XI (Residual Command of Instructional Battalion XI), stating that along with this document, she was being sent her husband's Kreta cuff title and the award document for it. The document further states that she is being asked to retain the cuff title and document for safekeeping until her husband returns from captivity. Lastly, she was informed that the cuff title and document were not to be sent to her husband while he was in captivity. Document is signed by an Oberfeldwebel (First Sergeant), who served as the Kommando-Führer (Command Leader).

9) Document sent from Latersdorf, Germany, on 27 April 1944, to Potowski's wife by the Aufstellungstab Ramcke (Ramcke Formation Headquarters) stating that Potowski had been promoted to Feldwebel and that his pay rate would be increased. Document is signed by an Oberfeldwebel (First Sergeant), who served as the Kommando-Führer (Command Leader) of Aufstellungsstab Ramcke. This is a really nice grouping for a true paratrooper who fought with two elite units and was involved in two significantly historical German offensives.