Ritterkreuzträger with Holster

 WALTHER PP HOLSTER

The Walther PP holster from World War II stands as an iconic example of German engineering tailored to the compact 7.65mm Polizei Pistole, a double-action semi-automatic pistol introduced in 1929 and widely issued to Wehrmacht officers, Luftwaffe pilots, police units, and party officials throughout the 1939–1945 conflict for its reliability in close-quarters self-defense and non-combat roles; crafted primarily from supple black or brown leather with a signature “breakaway” flap design that allowed lightning-fast draws via a front-opening mechanism secured by a sturdy leather retaining strap and metal stud or snap closure—distinct from pre-war pinned Polizei variants that locked rigidly behind the trigger guard—these holsters typically featured an internal spare magazine pouch, dual belt loops for secure attachment to standard Sam Browne or field belts, and reinforced stitching often in contrasting white thread for durability under field conditions. Produced by leading manufacturers such as Albrecht Kind (AKAH) of Zella-Mehlis, whose output frequently bore the crossed-rifles trademark alongside “DRGM” (Deutsches Reichs-Gebrauchsmuster) patent markings indicating a registered design, examples were stamped with production dates ranging from 1939 to 1944, maker codes, or subtle Waffenamt eagle acceptance proofs for military contract pieces, while pre-war commercial variants remained largely unmarked in smooth leather finishes. Wartime variations included pebble-grain textured black leather for enhanced grip and wear resistance, specialized Party Leader models adorned with a prominent Nazi eagle embossed on the flap, and late-war ersatz substitutes fabricated from laminated brown or black paper-fiberboard with minimal or no markings due to raw material shortages, yet still incorporating a functional leather closure strap.

Oberleutnant Hans-Werner Deppe (1921-2009), born on 21 March 1921 in Obernbeck-Herford in Westphalia, Germany, and who died on 30 December 2009 in Bielefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia, was a decorated German infantry officer whose courage during the Second World War exemplified frontline leadership in the Heer. Initially serving as Leutnant in the III. / Infanterie-Regiment 58 of the 6. Infanterie-Division, he had already proven himself in the heavy defensive battles near Rzhev in August 1942, an action that led to his award of the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold on 31 October 1942 after an earlier recommendation for the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes was declined. By 1943, promoted to Oberleutnant and acting as Chef of the 3. / Grenadier-Regiment 58 within the same division, Deppe earned the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 14 August 1943 for his decisive intervention during the breakthrough battles south of Orel on 8 July 1943, when the reinforced I./Grenadier-Regiment 58 assaulted heavily fortified Russian positions northeast of Kutyrki. Facing a sudden and powerful enemy counterattack supported by artillery and aircraft that overran the neighboring 1. Kompanie after it lost its commander and platoon leaders, Deppe instantly recognized the mortal danger to the entire Bataillon, deviated from his assigned mission, and with his own depleted 3. Kompanie—already weakened by the loss of both Zugführers—charged into the enemy’s exposed flank with a resounding Hurra amid exploding shells. Wounded in the shoulder by a grenade during the ensuing close combat, he refused to yield, alternately standing or lying atop a Sturmgeschütz while firing an MG to rally his Grenadiere through sheer personal example, repelling the Soviet thrust, then pursuing on his own initiative to clear the heavily defended Rachel of remnants and push the farthest south in a narrow attack wedge; struck a second time in the arm, he only relented for medical treatment after being explicitly ordered by the Regiment. His lightning-swift situational awareness, bold independent initiative, outstanding personal bravery, and exemplary Führungsstärke not only saved the depleted Bataillon but enabled the regiment’s successful penetration of the strongly fortified enemy defensive network northwest of Kutyrki, inflicting around 150 enemy dead while capturing prisoners, a Katyusha rocket launcher, anti-tank guns, and numerous small arms with comparatively light German losses, actions that proved decisive for the broader operation as detailed in his award citation.

Source :
https://www.amazon.com/walther-pp-holster/s?k=walther+pp+holster
https://www.tracesofwar.com/awards/83/Ritterkreuz-des-Eisernen-Kreuzes.htm