German WWII Postcard of Knight’s Cross Recipient Fedldwebel Erich Schuster- This is a Hoffmann studio portrait made into a collectible postcard. Schuster was a highly decorated feldwebel in the Fallschirmjäger. He was with the 3./LL-Sturm.Rgt . Erich Schuster was killed on 11 January 1943 during the Tunisia Campaign. This is an interesting side note regarding his death:
'One of the forward sentry posts thought he saw Lt Schuster taken prisoner by the British and reported it to the command. Oberstleutnant Koch then had leaflets dropped over the British positions near Bou Arada from an aircraft made available to him. The leaflets were printed in Tunis and taken to the airfield immediately after the report became known.
"Immediately release Leutnant Erich SCHUSTER in an exchange for one of your officers. If Schuster is not returned by 1900hrs, the British positions near Bou Arada will be attacked by a Stuka Squadron and destroyed".
The British could not release Schuster. They did not have him. Schuster was found on 12 January, the day after he bled out on Hill 331. He was buried with 12 other dead Fallschirmjäger at the La Mornaglia cemetery. Hauptmann Jungwirth, Hauptmann Schirmer, Hauptmann Knoche and Oberstleutnant Koch all spoke parting words at the grave side'. He was posthumously promoted to Oberleutnant. This postcard is in very good condition. The reverse is setup in the traditional way, with the space for a note, and the address to the right, separated by the studio information. This is very clean and would make a nice addition to your Luftwaffe collection.