German Generals and Heroes Cards

W. Willrich Paratrooper Lieutenant Fulda, Knights Cross Winner in the battle for Crete, color PPC. Card reads, "ein mit dem Ritterkreuz ausgezeichnneter Kretakampfer.

1941 Major General Eugen Meindl, Airborne Commander, color picture postcard. "Born in 1892, Eugen Meindl enlisted in the army in 1912 and served during World War I. Meindl served with various artillery units in the Reichswehr, the post-war armed forces of the Weimar Republic, and subsequently in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany. In November 1938, Meindl was named commander of the 112th Mountain Artillery Regiment in Graz. Promoted to Oberst, he led the "Meindl Group" and made his very first parachute jump at Narvik. He transferred to the Luftwaffe in November 1940. During the airborne invasion of Crete, Meindl jumped near the Platanias Bridge, where he was shot in the chest and seriously wounded. In February 1942, Meindl, now a Generalmajor, became commander of the newly formed Luftwaffe Division Meindl in the Soviet Union. In September he took over the 13th Air Corps (later I Luftwaffe Field Corps). In 1943, he was promoted to commanding general of the 2nd Parachute Corps, which he led in the west on the invasion front and later at Cleves and in the Reichswald. His unit participated in the Battle of Nijmegen during Operation Market Garden (September 1944), but was halted on the Groesbeek Heights by dug-in American paratroopers, and thus unable to stop the Allies from taking the city and the strategically important bridges across the river Waal.[1] Meindl’s corps fought at Goch and in the Wesel bridgehead, where he was made commander on 5 March 1945. Meindl immediately advised High Command that the bridgehead ought to be evacuated, but was unable to secure Hitler's agreement to this until the evening of 9 March. In the intervening four days Meindl had already organized the evacuation of the bridgehead, and was therefore able to bring away the remains of seven divisions and two panzer units with most of their equipment; in his words,'all that would float came back again'. Meindl continued to command the 2nd Parachute Corps until its eventual surrender at Grossbrekendorf near Schleswig in early May.[2] He died in 1951." Credit Wikipedia.

1940 W. Willrich color PPC Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstadt. "Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt (12 December 1875 – 24 February 1953) was a German field marshal in the Heer (Army) of Nazi Germany during World War II. Born into a Prussian family with a long military tradition, Rundstedt entered the Prussian Army in 1892. During World War I, he served mainly as a staff officer. In the inter-war years, he continued his military career, reaching the rank of Colonel General (Generaloberst) before retiring in 1938. He was recalled at the beginning of World War II as commander of Army Group South in the invasion of Poland. He commanded Army Group A during the Battle of France, and requested the Halt Order during the Battle of Dunkirk. He was promoted to the rank of Field Marshal in 1940. In the invasion of the Soviet Union, he commanded Army Group South, responsible for the largest encirclement in history, the Battle of Kiev. He was relieved of command in December 1941 after authorizing the withdrawal from Rostov, but was recalled in 1942 and appointed Commander-in-Chief in the West. He was dismissed after the German defeat in Normandy in July 1944, but was again recalled as Commander-in-Chief in the West in September, holding this post until his final dismissal by Adolf Hitler in March 1945. Though aware of the various plots to depose Hitler, Rundstedt neither supported nor reported them. After the war, he was charged with war crimes, but did not face trial due to his age and poor health. He was released in 1949, and died in 1953."

Wilrich Color Propaganda card featuring General Guderian, commander of German armor forces. Caption on reverse reads, "Generaloberst Guderian, Schopfer und Fuhrer unserer siegreichen Panzerwaffe." Willrich Logo, 1940. (Creator and leader of our victorious armored weapons.<span style="font-family: monospace;">)</span>

W. Willrich PPC Major Walter Koch, paratrooper commander. "Walter Koch (10 September 1910 – 23 October 1943) was a commander of the Fallschirmjäger during World War II who died in mysterious circumstances after openly criticizing Adolf Hitler. Koch, who was the recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for his actions during the Battle of Fort Eben-Emael in May 1940, had publicly denounced the Führer's infamous Commando Order, which ordered that all captured enemy commandos were to be executed. Shortly afterwards the Oberstleutnant and commander of Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 5 died in Berlin from injuries allegedly resulting from a motor vehicle collision." Credit Wikipedia.

1940 W. Willrich color PPC of a Luftwaffe squadron commander. Card translates to: Our Luftwaffe. Leader of a succsssful hunter (fighter) squadron.

W. Willrich color PPC Luftwaffe squadron commander Oberleutnant Steinhoff.

1941 W. Willrich color PPC Regimental Commander. Card Reads, Manner der Westfront.

Wilrich Color Propaganda card featuring General Edwin Rommel, historic panzer commander. 1940 color card reads: Generalmajor Rommel, Kommandeur einer Panzer-Division. Top quality.

1940 W. Willrich Scout Trooper Portrait in Snow Uniform, color PPC. Card has creases not visible in photo.<br>

1940 W. Willrich Tank Crewmember. Card reads, "Der Panzerfahrer ist das geispiel felbftlofer Pfichttreue." ...an example of a loyal soldier.

W. Willrich color PPC of U-Boat Commander Fritz Frauenheim. "Frauenheim had been made watch officer on U-25 in 1938, eventually spending over a year in this role, until October 1939. He was appointed to command U-21 on 1 October 1937, eventually carrying out five patrols, eventually sinking four merchant ships. He also laid mines, one of which damaged HMS Belfast on 21 November, putting her out of action for nearly three years. The Net-class boom defence vessel Bayonet was sunk by one of U-21’s mines on 21 December. Frauenheim left U-21 on 6 January 1940, taking over command of the newly built U-101 on 11 March 1940. He commissioned the boat and took her on four successful patrols. He sank a total of 12 ships, including three sunk and one damaged from convoy SC 7. He left U-101 on 18 November 1940. He went on to hold a number of staff positions, before taking command of 23rd U-boat Flotilla in the Mediterranean in September 1941. In 1942 he moved to command 29th U-boat Flotilla. On 1 March 1943 he was promoted to Korvettenkapitän. In February 1944 Frauenheim joined the staff of the Admiral der Kleinkampfverbände (Admiral of Small Battle Units), where he remained for the rest of the war. He was again promoted, this time to Fregattenkapitän on 1 December 1944." Credit "Wikipedia

Color propaganda card featuring U-Boat commander Günther Prien. Prien was the first U-boat commander to receive the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. His submarine U-47 was credited with sinking over 30 Allied ships totalling about 200,000 tons, along with the British battleship HMS Royal Oak at anchor in the Home Fleet's anchorage in Scapa Flow. <br>

W. Willrich color PPC U-Boat Commander Herbert Schultze. "Schultze (1909–1987) commissioned U-48 in 1939. He took command of the 3rd U-boat Flotilla in July 1941, then joined the staff of Marinegruppe Nord in March 1942. In December 1942 he was assigned to the staff of Admiral Karl Dönitz. In March 1944 he was assigned to Naval Academy Mürwik, where he remained until the end of the war. In 1956 Schultze joined the Bundesmarine and served in a series of staff positions until 1968." Credit Wikipedia. Card has acouple small ink marks on front and a number in ink on the back.&nbsp; <br>

Early WWII W. Willrich color PPC showing drawing of a U-boat watch commander.

1938 Portrait PPC of Count von Zeppelin in full military uniform. Card issued for the 1938 Zeppelin exhibit and show in Konstanz Germany. Portrait is from a painting by von Emerich. Card reads, Zeppelinpost Ausstellung. Anlasslich des 100 geburtstages des Grafen Zeppelin vom 8 bis 12 Juli 1937 in seinem geburtsort. Konstanz a. Bodensee. Excellent quality card. Special cancel for exhibit and visit of the trial-flight visit of the new Graf Zeppelin II built to replace the Hindenburg. Various cancels issued for event. Cancel and stamp may vary. Top Quality!<br>

1939 W. Willrich drawing of a student youth leader from Romania. Used. Backside has more writing. Sent to Castle Lamberg in the German area of the Sudetengau.

Color propaganda card featuring U-Boat commander Günther Prien. Prien was the first U-boat commander to receive the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. His submarine U-47 was credited with sinking over 30 Allied ships totalling about 200,000 tons, along with the British battleship HMS Royal Oak at anchor in the Home Fleet's anchorage in Scapa Flow on Oct. 14, 1939. Used card in great condition, mailed in 1941.

1940 W. Willrich Scout Trooper Portrait in Snow Uniform, color PPC. Card is used with Vienna 1941 cancel and message on reverse.