German WWII VDA Postcard of Luftwaffe Knights Cross Recipient Hauptman Joachim Helbig- The VDA (Verband Deutscher Artisten, a German artists' association) produced a postcard series featuring images of German military personnel who received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Helbig was a bomber pilot during the war. He joined the Luftwaffe in 1936 and served almost all of his career with Demonstration Wing 1 (Lehrgeschwader 1 (LG 1). With his unit, he participated in the Invasion of Poland, the Norwegian Campaign, the Battles of the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Britain in 1939–40. For his contributions in these campaigns, Helbig received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross in late 1940. He was then transferred to the Mediterranean theatre where he bombed Malta, the British Mediterranean Fleet and flew in support of the Afrika Korps. Helbig received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords in late 1942 for the support of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel's 1942 summer offensive. He surrendered to the American forces at the end of the war in May. After the war, Helbig pursued a civilian career. He died in 1985 after he was in a very bad car accident while on vacation in Spain. The reverse is set up as a traditional postcard style, and has the caption, Series Nr. 3608, and a space for the note and address. There is the photographer’s logo in the upper right where the postage would go.