Personal items of German Resistance member and attempted assassin of HItler, Major Roland von Hösslin (1915-1944), including:

1. Dagger and sheath. Solingen, [Germany]: Carl Eickhorn, ca 1935-1941. With maker's squirrel mark on the ricasso.

2. Ceramic tankard with Hösslin (Hößlin) family crest. Marked to underside.

3. Sculptural marble award. Engraved plaque reads: "Ehrenpreis 1937 / Militärisches Disiplin Reiten / 17 Kav. Regt." [Honorary Award 1938 / Military Discipline Riding / 17th Cav. Regt.]

Roland von Hösslin (1915-1944) was born to a noble Bavarian family from the Augsburg patriciate, with notable family members dating to the 17th century, many of them cavalry officers. In 1934, Hösslin entered into military service as an officer candidate with the 17th Cavalry Regiment, stationed in Bamberg, and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant by 1936. He participated in the military operations annexing Austria and Czechoslovakia between 1938 and 1939, during which time he won the Military Discipline Riding award included here. On 20 April 1939, Hösslin was promoted to First Lieutenant and in August transferred to the staff of the Reconnaissance Battalion 10, 10th Infantry Division. The next mont,h he participated in the Polish campaign, earning the Iron Cross, Second Class for bravery in action, and was assigned as an instructor to the Armored Troop School the next month. As the war progressed, he was assigned to the Deutsche Afrikakorps (DAK) staff as an ordnance officer and assistant operations officer, serving for several weeks as aide-de-camp to Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. In November 1941, he assumed command of the 3rd Company, Armored Reconnaissance Battalion 33, 15th Panzer Division and was awarded the Iron Cross, First Class in December for valor in the winter battles in North Africa.

On 1 February 1942, Hösslin was promoted again, now to Captain. He assumed command of the Armored Reconnaissance Battalion 33, 15th Panzer Division on 15June 1942 and was heavily engaged during the Gazala Battles at El Adem and Trigh Capuzzo. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for extreme gallantry in action during the First Battle of El Alamein. In July, he was seriously wounded in the right arm. In the early spring of 1943, Hösslin was visted by his future co-conspirator, Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg. After rehabilition and an assignment as an instructor, he was promoted to Major in July 1943. At some point after their first meeting, Stauffenberg recruited Hösslin in a conspiracy to assasinate Adolf Hitler.

On 20 July 1944, Hösslin participated in the unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler at the Wolf's Lair and overthrow the Nazi regime. Hösslin's role was was to surround and isolate Armed Forces High Command Headquarters (OKW) with three companies of armored reconnaissance troops to prevent a response from the military leadership. Following the failure of the plot, he was arrested by the Gestapo on 23 August 1944. During his trial, he famously declared, "You are the criminals, not us!

A significant grouping of items related to a German officer who courageously attempted to overthrow the Nazi regime.

[World War II, WWII, Swords, Militaria, Arms, Armaments, Blades, Knives, Relics, Ephemera]