Description
German Luftwaffe Honor Goblet ( Ehrenpokal ) awarded to Oberfeldwebel Reinhard Aigen, killed in action 19th September 1943. Posthumously awarded the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz), beautiful example of a silver Honor Goblet awarded for outstanding achievement in the air, engraved to the lower band ‘Oberfeldwebel Reinhard Aigen AM 20.6.41’. Underneath of the goblet with ‘Joh.Wagner & Sohn’ and silver marks. Much of the original finish remains. Aigen was born on 20th May 1913 in Heidenheim. He joined the German armed forces in 1934, transferring to the Luftwaffe in 1935, Fleigergruppe Gotha (1./KG 253). He qualified as a Bordmechaniker, in 1943 joined 3./KG 4. He was awarded the German Cross in gold and the Honor Goblet with KG 4. On 14th September he was wounded in the buttocks when his He 111 was hit by anti-aircraft fire. In 1943 he joined various gruppes of KG 4, on 19th September 1943 he was killed in action when his He 111 coded H-16, crashed in midair collision and the aircraft went down west of Dubrovka, he was buried in a Soviet War cemetery. On 9th June 1944 he was posthumously awarded the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross, he was credited with flying at least 477 missions as a Bombmechaniker (Flight Engineer).
