Original WWII Kriegsmarine Johannes Schur Promotion Document Erich Raeder Signed 1942

Description

Original German Kriegsmarine officer promotion document issued during the Second World War to Korvettenkapitän Johannes Schur, promoting him to the rank of Fregattenkapitän with effect from 1 April 1942.

The formal promotion patent is dated:

Führerhauptquartier, 15 April 1942

and begins with the traditional wording:

“Im Namen des Deutschen Volkes…”

The document records the promotion of Johannes Schur from Korvettenkapitän to Fregattenkapitän and contains the formal expectation that he continue to fulfil his professional duties faithfully and justify the confidence placed in him by the promotion.

At the foot of the certificate appears the printed designation:

“Der Führer”

together with a facsimile signature of Adolf Hitler.

Importantly, this is not being presented as a handwritten Hitler autograph. The Hitler signature is a period facsimile or reproduced signature forming part of the official document.

The certificate additionally bears an original handwritten signature of Großadmiral Erich Raeder, then Commander-in-Chief of the German Kriegsmarine.

Raeder had headed the German Navy since 1928, became Commander-in-Chief of the Kriegsmarine in 1935 and was promoted to Großadmiral in 1939. He remained in command until January 1943.

Johannes Schur and the Küstenschutzflottille Ostland

The recipient is historically identifiable.

The Historisches Marinearchiv records Johannes Schur as commander of the formation that developed into the Küstenschutzflottille Ostland. He is listed as Korvettenkapitän from September 1941 and again as Fregattenkapitän from 16 April 1942 to 9 October 1943.

This date is especially significant because the present promotion certificate is dated 15 April 1942, immediately preceding his recorded service as Fregattenkapitän.

The same archival source explains that the Küstenschutzflottille Ostland operated from the Baltic region and was responsible primarily for convoy protection and minesweeping duties off Latvia and Estonia.

Original Accompanying Letter

The grouping retains an original typewritten Kriegsmarine communication from:

Küstenschutzflottille Ostland
B.Nr. 1885

dated 12 August 1942.

Its subject is:

“Beförderungsurkunde Fregattenkapitän Schur”

The letter states that Fregattenkapitän Schur, described as the Flottillenchef, was currently at sea and requested that the enclosed promotion patent be sent to his wife in Lübeck.

It gives her address as:

Elsässerstraße 21, Lübeck

and carries a dated receipt stamp from the military district command in Lübeck of 19 August 1942.

This accompanying letter substantially strengthens the provenance of the group because it directly connects the promotion patent to Schur’s active wartime service and identifies him contemporary to the document as the flotilla commander.

Presentation Folder

The grouping also includes its large official presentation folder decorated with the German national eagle and wreath emblem.

The folder, promotion certificate and forwarding document have remained together as one coherent wartime group.

Condition

The group shows genuine age and handling consistent with wartime administrative use.

Visible characteristics include:

• original presentation folder
• large national eagle decoration
• original promotion certificate
• Johannes Schur named in the document
• promotion effective 1 April 1942
• Führerhauptquartier date of 15 April 1942
• Adolf Hitler facsimile signature
• original Erich Raeder handwritten signature
• original August 1942 forwarding letter
• Küstenschutzflottille Ostland heading
• official Lübeck receipt stamp
• period paperclip
• light staining and age toning
• minor edge wear
• folds and handling marks
• small tears and losses visible on the accompanying administrative letter

The photographs show the exact grouping offered and form an integral part of the condition description.

A particularly strong Kriegsmarine document group combining a named flotilla commander, an officer promotion, active Baltic wartime service, an original Erich Raeder autograph, Hitler facsimile and surviving contemporary forwarding documentation.

Historical collectible offered exclusively for collection, preservation, historical study and research.