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Luftwaffe

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A LUFTWAFFE EHREN POKAL (HONOR GOBLET) GROUP (Item LUFT 4-1)

DESCRIPTION: This is without a doubt the best honor goblet yet to be found-worldwide. It was won by Helmet Woltersdorf, who was an Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) and squadron captain. He was an ace of the famous German Night Fighters with 22 combat kills to his credit; not all easy Polish, French, or Russian adversaries, but at least 18 British fighters and bombers. There was one victory in Poland, but for the rest, all were Brits.

Woltersdorf was a poster boy of the Third Reich and he was considered the perfect, handsome, Aryan specimen of manhood. When he did his mandatory Reichs Arbeit service (Reich's Labor Service), he was shown on the covers and pages of various R.A.D. magazines. Helmut died heroically in June of 1942, while engaged in combat. He lives on in history as one of the daring and dashing young heroes who answered his fatherland's call.

The lieutenant was credited with 22 kills and he received the honor goblet on August 4, 1941, when he already had 10 confirmed kills; this was a combat-flyer's dream. However, something even more incredible about this grouping is the fact that besides the original goblet, there are 22 cuplettes each representing a confirmed kill. We have seen many goblets in our four decades of dealing and collecting, but had never encountered even one of these petite kill cups. We had many times heard of these little treasures, but had never seen one. We know they were not government issue, but instead, presented by fellow squadron members, but they seem to have been very elusive and not all squadrons used them--only the very elite groups like der Nachtjagd (night shooters).

Although not coming up to the value these little cups are definitely more rare than the goblets and are surely more personalized in the fact that they chronicle the date, type of aircraft, and the place, and sometimes, time, for each victory. They are struck in pure silver and are so marked. These cups help to make this one of the most incredible groups ever found.

Helmut Woltersdorf took part in the early part of the war as a lieutenant pilot in his Me-110. Here he achieved his first kill on September 9, 1939. Late, during the Norwegian action, he had several more victories. Of special note is that he was on escort duty near the English coast when he shot down a Spitfire and then abandoning further kills helped one of his comrades out of a tight fix; proof of the exemplary comradely attitude of this young pilot.

On October 1, 1940 he was sent to training as a "night shooter." Unfortunately, the training was far too short and in May 1941 Helmut was assigned to the Night Fighters in Leeuwarden. The operational area was north Holland. Eventually, he shot down a Hampden in May 1941, which started his Night-Fighter career.

He seemed to be a specialist at bringing down Vickers Wellingtons. Many victories followed and he had 22 kills by June 1942. On a June '42 flight he shot down a Halifax bomber and the man Horst Diener is misinformed about his victories. He said this was Woltersdorf's fifteenth kill. Actually, it was his twenty-second. Diener is the chronicler of Helmut's life in the night clouds.

Woltersdorf attempted a landing at Deelen after his twenty-second shootdown, but at 200 feet his aircraft was hit by enemy fire causing him to miss the runway and the Me-110 drove into a group of reserve airplanes parked near the runway. The entire crew was killed. The Oberleutnant was very popular with his unit and a good officer. He rests now with his comrades in the cemetery at Jsselstein, Holland, field QU, row 11, grave number 255.

In this goblet group are included Woltersdorf's goblet with the case bought by his father to house it; the medals to include the pilot badge, the maker is not clear, but believed to be Junker; his Luftwaffe Night-Fighter clasp with the black wreath in gilted bronze; his ribbon bar with the Iron Cross Second-Class and four-year service ribbon with Luftwaffe eagle. The Oberleutnant's Wehrpass with his picture is included, as well. There are portraits of him and one sad picture of the lieutenant dancing (perhaps, the last time) with his pretty, young wife.

There is a letter from the commander of the fighter squadron to Helmut's father soon after his tragic death in which the officer makes the comment that "the Lord takes home while young the ones he loves best." The death notices from the German newspapers are there and articles from German magazines about his exploits and adventures in the air, as well. There is also an article from a magazine in German about the Night Fighters of the Reich. There are letters and cards sent by him to his family and there is a page from an N.S.D.A.P. magazine with the lieutenant dressed in the garb of an Arbeitsmann (Reich Labor Corps participant).

Helmut was considered so extremely Aryan looking and handsome that he was a natural for photos promoting the N.S. State.

The goblet is the Alpaka version rather than the pure silver since it is late, but it is beautiful and in perfect condition. The case was bought by the family after the war to protect it. This grouping was released by the Woltersdorf family with the understanding that it would go to a museum to be displayed and dedicated to the honor and glory of its heroic son. As has been typical through the years the American or British dealer laid the story on them that this was to be the destination and then immediately sold it. We at Germania would like to see it go to a museum collection or to a collector who would take the stewardship of these precious and important historical items, while giving the respect they deserve being the only remnants of a young life lost through devotion to his cause and country. Germania salutes Lt. Woltersdorf and all the other brave airmen of Britain, the U.S.A., and Germany who made the final sacrifice in a horrible fratricidal war. No more brother wars!

PRICE:  NO LONGER AVAILABLE


The following is a table of the aerial victories (kills) credited to Woltersdorf. The archiving is taken from the wording and dates shown on the engraved cups that are in the goblet group. Some of the earlier cups actually have the time of day that the kill was achieved, but on later cups, this information was eliminated. The fact that all 22 of the kills are represented by these cups is nothing short of incredible. This is probably the very finest Luftwaffe group ever offered. All honor the brave fliers who gave their lives.
Woltersdorf's Kill Record
1939
September 9Polish (P.F.L) 24; northeast of Kielle, Poland


1940
April 12Vickers Wellington; Lola, Norway; time 4:51
April 12Bristol Blenheim; Lola, Norway; time 5:14
April 30Vickers Wellington; Lola, Norway; time 8:45
April 30Vickers Wellington; Lola, Norway; time 9:00
June 15Spitfire; east of Blyth, England; time 1:45
August 15Spitfire; east of Blyth, England; time 1:48


1941
May 12Hampden Herford
June 25Vickers Wellington
July 7Vickers Wellington
September 7Vickers Wellington
September 8Vickers Wellington
September 20Vickers Wellington
December 28Hampden Herford


1942
March 9Vickers Wellington
March 26Avro Manchester
April 7Unknown
April 13Vickers Wellington
April 24Unknown
May 31Vickers Wellington
May 31Vickers Wellington
June 2Unknown (Halifax)

 

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