Cased Early German Cross in Gold Medals and Photograph Albums Group of Army Major Friedrich Schaper
The group consists of the medals and photograph albums of German Army Major z.V. Friedrich Shaper, together with associated insignia, memorabilia, and a large carved wood keepsake box. The group includes an early cased German Cross in Gold, with stickpin. The cross is a five rivet example, showing age toning of the gilt wreath and typical oxidation of the backing plate. The center of the swastika as well as the lower arms show enamel damage. Pined inside of the lid of the case is the stickpin for the cross. Schaper was awarded the German Cross in Gold on January 29, 1942, while serving in Infantry Regiment 434. The group includes the cased 1914 Iron Cross First Class, with the cross showing some wear to the paint, primarily on the central “W”, but in overall very good condition; a cased Braunschweig Ernst August Cross First Class; a cased 1939 Spange to the 1914 Iron Cross First Class, showing excellent detail and uncleaned patina; a cased Imperial German railways 25 year service badge, maker marked by Wagner of Berlin; the Prissian Landeskriegerverband – Kriegervereins Honor Cross, First Class, in gilt and white enamel, maker marked on the reverse and lacking the pin; a Prussian Landwehr Long Service Clasp, Second Class; a two place medal bar with the Prussian Cross of Merit for War Aid and a plain blue ribbon without medal, which likely held a Prussian Long Service Medal; and a four place medal bar with the 1914 Iron Cross Second class; the Braunschweig Ernst August War Merit Cross Second Class; the Hindenburg Front Fighter Honor Cross with Swords; and the Third Reich Army Four Year Long Service Medal. The group also includes a lapel device with the miniature Prussian Cross of Merit for War Aid and a miniature 25 Year Railways Service Badge, as well as a loose miniature Prussian Landwehr Long Service medal, Second Class. Also with the group is the boxed Bayern Thaler 1914 – 1916 medallion, containing 28 color paper disks, attached accordion-style, which present an assortment of wartime patriotic images, with two disks having become detached.The group also includes two Third Reich RAD Labor Service female rank brooches, for the ranks of Arbeitsmaid and Kameradschaftsalteste, together with the metal cap insignia for the female branch of the RAD . There is also a numbered badge for a life guard of the Bavarian Red Cross, lacking the pin. There are two enamel Hitler Youth membership badges, with intact enamel, marked as RZM M1/34 and M1/148. The group contains a World War II German identification disk for Infantry Regiment 490 and a post WWII plastic name tag with the name “Schaper”. Also with the group are two photograph albums with military images that appear to date from before and early into the war, with many pages having handwritten notations. One cloth covered album is approximately 7-1/2 inches by 10-1/2 inches, and it contains approximately 94 photographs, including some commercial images of Paris, no doubt acquired after the battle for France. The second photograph album is approximately 9 inches by 13 inches and it contains approximately 324 photographs that are mounted on the pages in the album, as well as 25 loose photographs, most of which have handwritten notations on the reverse. The pages of the album have become detached from the cord binding and so they are loose within the covers of the album. The group also includes a large wooden keepsake box, approximately 9-1/2 inches wide by 13-3/4 inches long by 5-1/2 inches deep. The lid bears the designation of the 194th Reserve Grenadier Battalion and the name of “Schaper” is written inside of the lid.