Ritterkreuzträger with Shoulderboard Straps (Offiziersanwärter-Schulterklappen)

Wehrmacht Offiziersanwärter-Schulterklappen were the distinctive shoulder straps worn by officer candidates (Offiziersanwärter) in the German armed forces during World War II, serving as visible markers of their transitional status between enlisted or non-commissioned ranks and full commissioned officers while they underwent training at Kriegsschulen or in field units; in the Heer these Schulterklappen typically featured a wool or cloth base in the branch-specific Waffenfarbe color, edged with aluminum braiding or Litzen, and displayed rank through one or more silver or gold pips (Sterne) placed centrally, with Fahnenjunker wearing a single pip on an officer-style board, Fähnrich and Oberfähnrich progressing to two or more pips while retaining the aspirant designation until promotion to Leutnant, and the overall design differing from standard enlisted Schulterklappen (which used simpler cloth construction and buttoned loops) and from full officer boards by emphasizing the candidate phase through specific braiding patterns and the absence of certain officer-only embellishments until final commissioning; similar systems existed in the Luftwaffe with their own Waffenfarben and in the Kriegsmarine with naval-style gold braiding on dark blue or black bases, often worn on the field blouse (Feldbluse), greatcoat (Mantel), or service tunic to denote the wearer’s progress through the rigorous Offiziersanwärter program that combined practical leadership experience with formal schooling, and these insignia played a key role in unit hierarchy by signaling both authority over enlisted men and the ongoing evaluation period before full officer rank was granted.

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GENERAL-CANDIDATE

Generalleutnant Kurt-Jürgen Freiherr von Lützow (1892-1961) was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 15 August 1940 as Oberst and Kommandeur of Infanterie-Regiment 89 within the 12. Infanterie-Division for his outstanding leadership during the campaign in France, where, despite having been wounded by a shell splinter in the earlier Polish campaign, he personally led his Bataillone from the foremost line with exceptional boldness and disregard for enemy fire, most notably during the successful attack across the Scarpe river at Monchy east of Arras on 23 May 1940 that enabled his regiment to achieve its objectives rapidly and with minimal losses. He received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub on 21 October 1941, the 37th such award, still serving as Oberst and Kommandeur of Infanterie-Regiment 89 now subordinated to the 16. Armee of Heeresgruppe Nord, for his decisive actions during the opening phase of Operation Barbarossa, including breaking through the Soviet border fortifications east of Schoßbach and leading his regiment on a rapid 65-kilometre advance to reach the objective at Szeszupa, forming a bridgehead over the Njemen during the assault on Kowno while capturing two forts against determined resistance from Soviet Kyrgyzstani and Tatar regiments, distinguishing his unit in hard fighting near Putoschka on 15–16 July 1941, and subsequently securing the line Nikitina–Kokotschina from which he repelled repeated Soviet tank-supported breakthrough attempts, thereby contributing significantly to the encirclement of several enemy divisions near Newel. Lützow later commanded the 12. Infanterie-Division and was taken prisoner by Soviet forces during Operation Bagration near Bobruysk in 1944.

Source :
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dienstgrade_der_Wehrmacht