(Anerkennungsurkunde des Oberbefehlshabers des Heeres)

Date Instituted

6 September 1941

Requirements

Outstanding achievements on the battlefield (“besondere Anerkennung für hervorragende Leistungen auf dem Schlachtfelde”).
Single soldiers of all ranks could be awarded, posthumously too, but also entire units of the Heer and the Waffen-SS.

There is a group of 40 soldiers cited in the Wehrmachtbericht or Armed Forces Communiqué but not named in the newly established Honor Roll of the German Army due to a change in award policy made effective 8 August 1941 (and beginning with award # 74). The soldiers in question, did, however, receive the Commendation Certificate.

Number Awarded

Heer: 1267
Waffen-SS: 35
Einheiten (unit level): 20

Recipients

The certificate could be presented more than one time for repeated and different acts of bravery. Several Heer members received two Anerkennungsurkunden. Examples :

Clemente, Adolf, 27.10.1943 (2359), Hauptmann, Kdr. III./Art.Rgt. 7 / 7. Inf.Div.
Clemente, Adolf, 05.11.1944 (4388), Hauptmann, Kdr. III./Art.Rgt. 7 / 7. Inf.Div.

Inden, Paul, 18.04.1942 (913), Hauptmann, Chef 8./Art.Rgt. 126 / 126. Inf.Div.
Inden, Paul, 27.05.1944 (3381), Major, Kdr. I./Art.Rgt. 126 / 126. Inf.Div.

The holders of this award are listed on the individual unit histories as part of the Holders of high awards project.

Comments

Presented by Generalfeldmarschall Walter von Brauchitsch, OB des Heeres, until Dec 1941, and signed by him personally. Since Jan 1942 presented by “Der Führer und Oberbefehlshaber des Heeres Adolf Hitler”. Thereby another version of the certificate was introduced having printed the entire text and the signature of Hitler.