Embroidered E.K. On Ribbon Help

[rra227]

Can anybody tell me anything about this? Thanks! Rich A. in Pa.

[HPL2008]

It's a commemorative item to the Knight's Cross Holders of the 26. Infanterie-Division.

On top is the divisional crest (with a stylized depiction of the Dome at Cologne, the seat of the division's HQ), at the bottom a Knight's Cross and between them the names of the division's Knights' Cross holders, sorted by rank. They are:

• Generalmajor Walter Weiß
• Oberst Friedrich Wiese
• Oberst Fritz Hertzsch (KIA 15 July 1941)
• Oberstleutnant Arno Stoessl von der Heyde
• Major Otto Schell
• Major Kurt Matern
• Oberleutnant Helmut Haun (DOW 26 Nov. 1941)
• Leutnant Wilhelm Niggemeyer
• Oberfeldwebel Friedrich Vogelsang
• Unteroffizier Josef Schwertherr
• Obergefreiter Franz Mintert

I would tentatively date the piece to 1942, as all of these awards were made up to 1942, whereas the four additional awardees for the 1943 to 1945 period (Beckmann, Breer, Raab and Wittkamp) are absent here.
Likewise, the three men who died after 1942 (Matern, Schell and Schwertherr) are not identified as deceased, whereas the two who died up to that year (Hertzsch and Haun) are marked with a cross.

[rra227]

Thanks!! Rich A. in Pa.