Rare Hoffman Postcard of SS Knights Cross Winner Willi Hund

SS Obersturmfuhrer Willi Hund won the Knights Cross on April 20, 1945 on Hitler’s 56^th birthday during the battle of Berlin.  Interestingly, Hoffman did not have a photo available showing Hund wearing his Knights Cross and this image was used. This postcard was in print for less than a month before the war ended and is rare. This is only the second copy I have owned in 50 years, and the one in my own collection came from the collection of Jost Schneider, the Waffen SS veteran and writer.

Condition is very good but does have a couple small abrasions on the image. Corners are sharp and shows no bends or creases.

Date of birth: February 23rd, 1923 (Wiesbaden/Hessen, Germany)

Date of death: April 30th, 2002 (Meerbusch, Germany)

Service number: SS-Nr.: 391.949 // NSDAP-Nr.:

Nationality: German

Promotions:
03.04.1939: SS-Anwärter
02.09.1940: SS-Junker
01.01.1941: SS-Standartenjunker
00.00.1941: SS-Standartenoberjunker
20.04.1941: SS-Untersturmführer der Waffen-SS
30.01.1944: SS-Obersturmführer der Waffen-SS

Career:
01.04.1933-01.04.1939: Hitlerjugend
03.04.1939: joined the SS-Totenkopfstandarte “Brandenburg”
02.09.1940-10.04.1941: SS-Junker, SS-Junkerschule Bad Tölz
20.04.1941: SS-Ustuf, Zugführer, SS-Regiment “Deutschland”, SS-Division “Reich”
11.11.1941-01.09.1942: SS-Ustuf, SS-Infanterie-Ersatz-Bataillon, SS-Regiment “Deutschland”, SS-Division “Reich”
00.00.1942: SS-Ustuf, Bataillons-Adjutant, SS-Regiment “Deutschland”
01.09.1942: SS-Ustuf, SS-Unterführerschule Radolfzell
02.03.1943: SS-Ustuf, SS-Unterführerschule Posen-Treskau
06.04.1943: SS-Ustuf, SS-Unterführerschule Lauenburg, Pommern
12.06.1944: SS-Ostuf, Führer, 7. Kompanie, II. Bataillon, SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 23 “Norge” (norwegisch Nr. 1), 11. SS-Freiwillige-Panzer-Grenadier-Division “Nordland”, III. SS-Panzer-Korps
23.09.1944: SS-Ostuf, WIA to the upper right arm near Vecildas
00.00.1945: SS-Ostuf, Führer, Kampgfruppe, SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 23 “Norge” (norwegisch Nr. 1), 11. SS-Freiwillige-Panzer-Grenadier-Division “Nordland”, III. SS-Panzer-Korps
Decorations:

Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Schwarz

Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Silber

Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2.Klasse mit Schwertern

Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse

Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse

Panzervernichtungsabzeichen in Silber

Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Gold

Ehrenblattspange des Heeres und Waffen-SS

Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Qualified for the Nahkampfspange III. Stufe (Gold), amassing 64 close combat days, but the war ended before he could receive the award.