BACKGROUND: Artwork, as a propaganda tool, was widely used during the Third Reich and Hitler’s own humble artistic background also helped foster a general interest in German art. Many art exhibitions were held through-out German during the time period with the largest being held annually, ever summer from 1937 to 1944, at the German House of Art in Munich. As early as 1938 the OKW, Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, (High Command of the Armed Forces), actively began recruiting artists who were assigned to a units Propaganda Company along with photographers and journalists. By the end of the war almost two hundred war artists had served in the Wehrmacht. One of the most prolific, and as a result, one of the best known German war artists was Feldwebel Wolfgang Willrich. Willrich a WWI veteran, had volunteer for military service prior to the outbreak of WWII but had been rejected on the basis of his age, (42), and was assigned to Landwehr I as a trained reserve. Through his personal friendship with Erwin Rommel Willrich was able to secure a position in the OKH visual arts section of the Propaganda department. In this position Willrich painted and drew numerous personalities and regular soldiers in all branches of service through-out the war. Many pieces of his artwork were featured on assorted series of postcards developed by the "VDA, "Volksbund für das Deutschtum im Ausland", (National League for Germans Abroad), among others. The VDA was originally a pre-war organization formed to assist German nationals living in foreign countries and during the Third Reich era the VDA was taken over by the NSDAP and placed under the jurisdiction of the SS. In mid-1942 the OKH, Oberkommando des Heeres, (High Command of the Army), decided to have portraits of all the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross holders and Willrich was assigned the task. Of Note: On May 10TH 1940 Hauptmann and commander of Fallschirm Jäger Sturmabteilung Koch, (Paratroop Storm Unit Koch), Walter Koch lead the successful glider borne assault on the Albert Canal bridge and the fortress of Eban Emael in Belgium. As a result of this daring assault, Koch was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross and promoted to the rank of Major on May 10TH 1940. Koch actually didn’t receive his Knight’s cross until May 15TH at a ceremony held at Hitler’s Felsennest headquarters, where Hitler personally bestowed the award, as one of the first two Knight’s Crosses to be awarded for the campaign in the west. Koch died in a Berlin hospital in September 1943, while holding the rank and position of Oberstleutnant und Kommander Fallschirm Jäger Regiment 5.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly, 10cm x 15cm, mid-weight card stock, color and charcoal artwork postcard. The artwork features a close up of Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross holder, Major Walter Koch wearing a Paratrooper jump smock, with his Knight’s Cross clearly visible. Koch has his head bandaged and is clutching a pair of binoculars in the foreground with the tactical emblem of a falling comet of the Sturm regiment in the background. The reverse of the postcard has black printed Gothic script which includes, "Major Koch Eroberer des Forts Ebean Emael und hervorragend beteiligt an den Kämpfen um Kreta", (Major Koch Conqueror of the fortress of Eban Emael and outstanding participant in the battle of Crete). The reverse also has additional printed script that includes, "Verlag: "Volksbund für das Deutschtum im Ausland", (Publisher: National League for Germans Abroad). The reverse also has an unknown, purple inkstamped abbreviation, "K.Qu.". The postcard was produced by the VDA, as number twenty-two in the "E" series of fund raising postcards.