Formal portrait and awards
Grouping consists of awards, documents, photographs, personal and uniform items formerly belonging to Major Darius. Awards present include S&L A-Type micro 800 Knights Cross, loop marked 800, with length of originally worn neck ribbon which had a couple of stitches holding the suspension loop in place on the ribbon, JFS marked Panzer Assault Badge in Silver for 50 engagements (3. Stufe), 20 marked Iron Cross First Class, tombak Wound Badge in Gold, DRL Sport Badge for the War Wounded, East Front Medal (ribbon added). With the exception of the Iron Cross First Class, each award item comes with a separate affidavit, including description and photographs of the item, signed by Darius’ widow.
Documents for the following awards are included: Knights Cross, Panzer Assault Badge in Silver – 50 engagements, Iron Cross First Class, Panzer Assault Badge in Silver, Wound Badge in Black (2 different types), Wound Badge in Silver, Wound Badge in Gold, National Sports Badge. In addition, the awards page from the Soldbuch listing the awards of Knights Cross, 50 Panzer Assault Badge plus Silver and Gold Wound Badges is present. Other documents include letters of congratulations on award of the Knights Cross, both hand and type-written, from political and military leaders including GFM Kluge and the commanders of other Panzer Divisions.
Among the other paper items included is the 9. Armeetagesbefehl for 6 September 1943 listing Hauptmann Darius and other Knights Cross recipients, a typed action report for combat in the west from 9 May to 23 June 1940, numerous photographs including a formal portrait 24x30cm depicting Darius with Knights Cross wearing black Panzer wrap, multiple photos of Darius wearing wrap and Knights Cross, a couple postwar signed, several photographs of the Knights Cross award ceremony and post award celebration, photos of Darius in turret of Panzer and in seat of car, Arbeitsbuch and other RAD documents, student-related IDs and documents, three different DLRG proficiency certificates with photos, etc.
The ensemble includes a service blouse tailored in May 1944 by the Stechbarth firm in Berlin, named to Major Darius on the internal pocket label. Tunic has originally applied bullion collar tabs and national emblem plus sew in shoulder straps. Ribbons for Iron Cross Second Class and East Front Medal are originally sewn. The left breast has loops for four badges and a long ribbon bar although in the case of the former, one loop is missing. Piece has an excellent appearance and shows little wear and soiling but does have a couple of pinholes to the reverse and some moth damage including holes almost 1cm in length, located on the lower front skirt (hidden), at the tip of the right collar (almost hidden) as well as moth damage to the lower edge of each cuff. Accompanying riding breeches in a stone grey fabric are included and in excellent condition with the exception of one missing button at the calf. They are also made by Stechbarth and are labeled and dated to Darius the same as the service blouse. The ensemble includes an all original black Panzer sidecap as worn by Darius, maker marked and with size 56. The cap is a standard issue item for enlisted use but was wartime upgraded with the additions of hand sewn silver piping to the front scallop, a flatwire national emblem on dark green and a bullion rosette replacing the enlisted version. Soutache is machine factory applied. The cap has been hand tacked along the center top seam to prevent its opening too widely. Cap has seen service wear but has no holes or tears. Each uniform item comes with a separate affidavit, including description and photographs of the item, signed by Darius’ widow.
Darius was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 22 August 1943 as Hauptmann and commander of Panzer-Abteilung 21. On 1 November 1943, Darius was promoted to Major and took over the command of Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 4 of the 20th Panzer Division. He was the last commander of Panzer-Regiment ‘Feldherrnhalle’. Major Darius died on 18 October 2000 in Bonn.
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