Offered is a rare and fully attributed personal group belonging to Unteroffizier Karl Storm, who served in the rank of Oberschütze / Unteroffizier. The group consists of an Iron Cross 1st Class and an extensive archive of original Third Reich–era documents, with a clearly traceable provenance connected to the soldier’s death and the subsequent dispatch of his award to his family.
The group includes an Iron Cross 1st Class 1939 in its original presentation case, accompanied by the outer cardboard box. The cross was manufactured by Wilhelm Deumer and is maker-marked L/11 beneath the catch on the reverse. The cross and case are in excellent, collector-grade condition, featuring a polished frame, a fully preserved deep blackened core, and strong original finish with very attractive contrast. The cross appears virtually untouched. The outer cardboard box is original and shows some damage, with a small missing section on one side; however, it bears the handwritten surname “Storm,” directly linking it to the recipient.
The document portion of the group is extensive and entirely original. It includes award documents for the Iron Cross 1st Class and Iron Cross 2nd Class, the Wound Badge in Black (third class), the General Assault Badge in Silver, and the 1 October 1938 Medal for the annexation of the Sudetenland. The group also contains a death notification and accompanying correspondence stating that the Iron Cross 1st Class was sent by post, as the recipient had been killed before he could receive the award in person. This correspondence fully explains the presence of the named cardboard box and firmly confirms the attribution of the cross to Karl Storm.
In addition, the group contains postal envelopes, official and personal papers, various written documents, and period newspaper clippings reporting both his awards and his death. All items are original, show natural age-related wear, and together form a coherent and historically consistent personal archive of one soldier.
The key historical and collectible significance of this group lies in the posthumous award of the Iron Cross 1st Class and its documented dispatch to the family of the fallen soldier. This is a rare opportunity to acquire a complete, intact, and well-documented attributed award group with strong historical context. The group is highly suitable for advanced private collections, museum holdings, or serious militaria enthusiasts.