Description
Silver “Schnappsbecher” Flussräumflottille Niederlande – H. S. Flotille Süd Holland.
The Flussräumflottille Niederlande (Netherlands river clearing flotilla) was a security unit of the German Navy during the occupation of the Netherlands. Their base was in Dordrecht.
After the occupation of the Netherlands by the Wehrmacht, the Navy formed the Netherlands river clearing flotilla in December 1940 in order to be present on Dutch waters as well. The flotilla was initially under the naval commander in the Netherlands and was led by Kapitänleutnant d. R. Emmerich Steppwieser, set up in Dordrecht and commanded with interruptions until September 1944. From January 1941, the subordination changed to the leader of the motorboat associations in the Netherlands with the naval commander in the Netherlands. The Maas flotilla (April 1941 until the transfer to the Rhine flotilla in February/March 1945) and the Rhine flotilla (set up in January 1940) were also subordinated to this.
The task of the flotilla was to clear Dutch inland waterways of mines and, where necessary, to lay new mine barriers. In the course of the war, other tasks were added, such as escorting merchant ships and defending against Allied bombers. On February 8, 1945, the unit was dissolved by order of the naval high command and in February/March 1945 the remaining boats were handed over to the Rhine flotilla. The rest of the crews were transferred to land units and were locked up by the Allies in Fortress Holland as the war progressed.
The Flussräumflottille Niederlande consisted of the following parts:
Hafenschutz Flottille SüdHolland
Hafenschutz Flottille NordHolland
FlüssRaum Flottille Niederlande
Führer de Mototbootsverbände Nierlande
Maas Flottille
Rhein Flottille
The here offered silver Schnappsbecher was for the Hafenschutz Flotille Holland (H.S. Flotille Süd Holland). These cups were given as presents to men who had served.
The Hafenschutz FLotille (Süd) Holland formed in June 1940 and was subordinate to Seekommandant Stavanger. In May 1944 most of the Flotille was ceded to the 55. Vorpostenflotille, formed in june 1941 from the Hafenschutzflotille Holland and subordinate to the Führer der Motorbootsverbände Niederlande. It had bases in Hoek van Holland. On 1 december 1941 the flotilla was moved to the control of the Seekommandant Südholland.
It was commanded by:
- Korvettenkapitän der Reserve Hans Kiesewetter (from june 1941 – december 1942).
The cup has the name H. S. Flotille SüdHolland engraved, as well as a German Kriegsmarineflag. On the back are the autographs of Korvettenkapitän der Reserve Hans Kiesewetter and one by Keller.
The cup is on the underside silver hallmarked with BK 830.
The cup has a height of 5 centimeters and is in excellent condition. Due to the silver color it’s very hard to take good pictures. In hand it is very good!
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This a very rare item and it’s only the first time i can offer one in all my collecting life.
