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Document grouping to SS-Sturmbannführer and SS-Totenkopfring recipient Hans-Günter Bernau. Bernau was awarded the German Cross in Gold as a SS-Hauptsturmführer and commander of 7./SS-Art.Rgt.5 on 1.11.1943. Part of the grouping is the original large size award certificate to the German Cross in Gold. Signed by Generalfeldmarschall Keitel and "Oberkommando des Heeres" stamped. A textbook document. It has been folded, taped and trimmed. The size is roughly 32cm + 25,5cm so the bottom part has been cut off for some reason. Even if the condition is not perfect it is one of the very rare Waffen-SS German Cross certificates available. A scarce document!

Original documents:
Apart from the German Cross in Gold certificate there is a so called "Übergabeverhandlung" document. It it 31.12.41 dated and confirms that Bernau has handed over the secret war diary of the III./SS-Art.Rgt.5 to Leutnant Zäh. Both have signed the document.

Furthermore the original certificate to the Austria Medal issued in March 1939 to Hans-Günter Bernau as a SS-Sturmmann.
A DIN A5 size field-issued certificate to the Close Combat Clasp in bronze issued to Bernau as a SS-Hauptsturmführer serving with SS-Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 5 on 20.4.1945 (Bernau himself wrote a book on this unit after the war). The document comes with an original ink signature of the commander SS-Obersturmbannführer Hans Bünning.

There is a nice DIN A4 size promotion document which is August 1941 dated. Issued by "Der Reichsführer-SS" and written on an official Reichsführer-SS paper. It promotes Bernau to an SS-Obersturmführer and is signed by a "Schmidt".

A DIN A4 size document confirms that the 7th Kompanie of SS-Artillerie Regiment 5 has given 2000 Reichsmark to Bernau as a birthday present in order to use to take care of the families of soldiers killed in action of his unit. It is March 1943 dated, signed by the Stabsscharführer and 7./SS-Artillerie Regiment 5 stamped.

A period time list with soldiers awarded with the German Cross in Gold. It lists Bernau straight before SS-Brigadeführer Hermann Fegelein!

A very interesting list with all battles Bernau was part of. The list is about 80cm long and confirms Bernau has seen action from 1.11.1939 until 8.5.1945. It must have been issued shortly after 8.5.45. It is still stamped with the national eagle but without the swastika.

Finally an original so called "Truppenkarte" map which Bernau must have used during the battles of Tscherkassy in January 1944.

Photocopied documents:

- A list of Bernaus SS, NSDAP etc.. numbers. Also the text of his dog tag: 2./SS-Na VT 181. A great addition and help for further research
- Promotion document to SS-Untersturmführer
- Award document to the SS-Totenkopfring
- Promotion document to SS-Hauptsturmführer
- Certificate to the Sudetenland Medal
- 1974 Bundesnachrichtendienst certificate for 25 years service. (Bernau served with the BND after the war)

Personal letters and documents written from Hans-Günter Bernau:

Curriculum vitae from 1917 until 1945. Signed by Bernau himself. The list tells you all about his military carrer. For example: joined the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler on 1.4.1937, Junkerschule Tölz, serving with the SS-VT, awardings, when he became chief of the Batterie, when chief of the Abteilung… He finally became commander of the Panzer-Artillerie-Gruppe "Bernau" in 1945.

A list of all awardings and promotions from 1936 until 1959. Also signed by Bernau.

An interesting list confirming that he gave his German Cross in Gold to the collector this grouping came from. Also the case go the German Cross, his EK1, etc…. He describes exactly what was scratched into his German Cross.

Finally a few other letters and postwar documents and quite a few reproduction photographes. A lot of them are showing Bernau. There are a few really nice portrait photographes of Bernau. Unfortunately only as reproductions. You can read in his letters to the collector that he preferred to have the original photos back. There is one original photo which shows Bernau in his Bundeswehr uniform after the war.

These documents were part of a large collection we bought in February and March 2012. The widow of the collector has confirmed that he had known most of the veterans personally since they were of similar age. These documents are being offered for sale for the first time and are fresh to the market. The letters confirm the collector knew Bernau personally. We know that at least his German Cross might be still part of the collector. Anything connected to Bernau which might turn up in near future will of course be offered to the buyer of that grouping first!