Ritterkreuzträger with Wristwatches

During the Second World War, the German Wehrmacht issued and privately procured a wide variety of wristwatches that combined precision engineering with rugged military utility. These timepieces, produced by renowned German manufacturers such as A. Lange & Söhne, Wempe, IWC, Junghans, and Stowa, were essential tools for coordinating infantry movements, artillery barrages, and Luftwaffe operations. Most featured high-grade movements with hacking seconds for exact synchronization, luminous radium or early luminous paint on hands and markers for low-light readability, oversized cases for gloved use, and water-resistant designs built to survive the harsh conditions of the Eastern Front and North African deserts. Many bore official military engravings on the case back, including the "B" for Beobachtung (observation) on Luftwaffe B-Uhren or property marks of the Heer and Kriegsmarine. Today, original Wehrmacht wristwatches are highly prized by collectors not only for their historical significance but also for their exceptional build quality and timeless functional design that influenced modern military watchmaking.



Albert Speer (Reichsminister für Rüstung und Kriegsproduktion) in conversation with General der Panzertruppe Hasso von Manteuffel (Oberbefehlshaber 5. Panzerarmee). The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Bauer in 1944. In September 1944, General von Manteuffel assumed command of the 5th Panzer Army on the Western Front, stepping into a highly volatile theater following the Allied breakout from Normandy. Tasked by Adolf Hitler to spearhead a major counteroffensive against General George S. Patton’s advancing U.S. Third Army in Lorraine, Manteuffel orchestrated the Battle of Arracourt. Although his panzer divisions suffered severe material losses against superior American tactical air power and defensive positioning, Manteuffel’s aggressive, maneuvering style of armored warfare managed to temporarily stabilize the crumbling German front along the French border. His tactical leadership during this grueling September campaign ultimately solidified his reputation as one of Germany's premier armored commanders, leading to his selection just a few months later to play a pivotal role in the Ardennes Offensive

Oberleutnant Karl Hausmann (1912-1997), born on 10 January 1912 in Neuweistritz-Habelschwerdt, Silesia, rose to prominence during the intense fighting on the Eastern Front. Serving initially with Infanterie-Regiment 28 of the 8. Infanterie-Division and later with Jäger-Regiment 28 of the 8. leichte-Division (redesignated as 8. Jäger-Division), he participated in campaigns in Poland, the West, and Operation Barbarossa before distinguishing himself in the brutal winter battles of 1942. As Oberfeldwebel and Führer of 3.Kompanie / I.Bataillon / Jäger-Regiment 28, Hausmann earned the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 15 May 1942 for his outstanding bravery and decisive leadership during Operation Bruckenschlag, the relief effort to break through to the encircled German forces in the Demyansk Pocket. In extreme winter conditions with temperatures below -30 degrees Celsius, deep snow, and fierce Soviet resistance, he personally led his Jäger troops in repeated assaults on fortified enemy positions near the Lovat River and Ramushewo, overcoming machine-gun fire and counterattacks through hand-to-hand combat and determined advances that helped secure the vital corridor, turning a stalled attack into a successful link-up with the trapped troops.



Hauptmann Hans Stern (1907-1972) was born on 2 May 1907 in Kassel, Germany, and died on 30 March 1972. During the Second World War he served initially in the Heer, participating in the campaigns in Poland and France before advancing with the 6. Panzer-Division during the opening phase of Operation Barbarossa on the Eastern Front, where he held the rank of Hauptmann and served as Chef of the 3. Kompanie in the Panzer-Regiment 11. For his exemplary leadership and combat performance in this role he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 15 July 1941. He had earlier earned the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse and the Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse, together with the Panzerkampfabzeichen ohne Zahl. In 1943 Stern transferred to the Waffen-SS, rising to the rank of Obersturmbannführer and later commanding the SS-Brigade Westfalen among other units; after the war he continued his service in the Bundeswehr, attaining the rank of Oberstleutnant.

Source :
Bundesarchiv R 3 Bild-110
https://lorologiese.com/german-military-watch/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjClnKbtcqo