Description
This is a 4./SS-Grenadier Regiment Nederland 49 “De Ruyter” citation to a Dutchman.
Named to native dutchman and SS-Grenadier Jakob Michel (originally wrtten Jacob Michel).
Michel was born in Amsterdam on 10 march 1919 and died in Amstelveen on 23 September 2001.
There is a dossier on Michel in the national archives under inventarisationnumber #99162 (Link: https://oorlogvoorderechter.nl/naam/?id=88200).
The citation is for a “Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz” [Black woundbadge], which was for getting injured on 27 july 1944. This is where it gets interesting, as on 27 june 1944 the SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 49 “De Ruyter, was fighting at the Narwa front in Estonia.
In July 1944, the Red Army launched a renewed offensive on Narva. As the German Army suffered increasing losses on the Eastern Front, the decision was made to withdraw from Narva. On the night before 25 July 1944, the German troops left their positions in Ivangorod to withdraw to the Tannenberg Line located in the hills near Narva. On 26 July 1944, Narva was taken by the Red Army. The Battle of the Tannenberg Line would last until 10 August 1944, when the Soviets ended the siege. The Battle of Narva had thus become a tactical defensive victory for the German Army.
More on the battle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Narva_(1944)
Following heavy retreat battles, on the night of the 25./26.07.1944 the Tannenberg Line between Orphanage Hill and the Gulf of Finland was occupied by the Regiment 49 ‘De Ruyter’. The Regiment had the mission of holding this line against all enemy attacks. The enemy commenced an immediate assault with a much greater number of divisions, which were aided by strong tank, artillery and air support. In a sacrificial battle, the Regiment succeeded in defeating all enemy attacks with extremely high losses for the foe. In this major struggle the commander of the Regiment, SS-Obersturmbannführer Collani, fell in battle.
As Michel was injured on 27 July 1944, this must have been while defending the Tannenberg Line.
Michel got then finally his woundbadge in black handed to him on 14 august 1944 in the Korpslazarett 1/503. There is a battle damaged black woundbadge included that came with the citation, but i think this is an early model. Why it is battle damaged i don’t know. The citation is here the real gem, which is as rare as it gets.
I added a few digital pages from the original kriegstagebücher that show what went down on the date on which Michel was wounded. These pages are of course not included in the sale of the here offered citation + woundbadge.
While the 49 Regiment de Ruyter consisted of volunteers, among which were dutchmen, it is extremely hard to find anything original named to a dutch person. IF anything related to de Ruyter surfaces it is almost always with regards to German members. The here offered citation is to a man from Amsterdam.
Unresearched. The dossier at the national archives for sure will tell much more on the background of this Dutch SS member.
EXTREMELEY RARE!!!!
PS: The name de Ruyter originates from famous dutch Admiral Michiel de Ruyter, who had fought the English and led his fleet up the Thames in 1666 to attack London.
