Officers with Order Pour le Merite

[Deruelle]

Hi everybody,

I want to start a new thread to show the officers who received the PlM during the war. I begin with Infantry officers. Don't hesitate to show your rarest photos

The first one : Major von Langsdorff

[Deruelle]

Oberstleutnant Teschner

[Deruelle]

Hauptmann Haupt

[Deruelle]

Hauptmann von Brandis

[Deruelle]

Oberstleutnant Freiherr von Lupin

[Deruelle]

Generalmajor Freiherr von Lupin

[Deruelle]

Oberst Hesse

[Deruelle]

Oberstleunant Hauss

[Deruelle]

General von Deimling

[Deruelle]

General von Zwehl

[Deruelle]

General von Seeckt (on the left)

[Deruelle]

General von Lettow Vorbeck

[joe campbell]

very impressive, christophe!

my compliments.

joe

[Deruelle]

General von Quast and Oberstleutnant von lentz

[Deruelle]

General Graf von der Goltz

[Deruelle]

Kronprinz and Oberst Graf von der Schulenburg

[Bob Hunter]

Nice series of pictures and an interesting thread. Nicely done, Christophe!

[Bob Hunter]

...OBTW, can we see close up of your new avatar?

[Deruelle]

Many thanks for your nice words. Bob, please find the photo of my "avatar". This ribbon bar belonged to Major Lukas Ritter von Kaufmann

[Deruelle]

Oberstleutnant von Selle and officiers of I.R. Nr. 95

[Deruelle]

A close-up of von Selle

[Deruelle]

General Graf von Bothmer and Oberst Ritter von Hemmer

[Deruelle]

General Graf von Bothmer. Look at the ribbon bar, nice isn't it ?

[David Gregory]

Christophe,

Very nice images. After looking at all of those rather elderly gentlemen, I wonder how many of them actually risked their lives or went anywhere near the front.

Regimental commanders and the officers that served beneath them almost certainly deserved the PlM as a bravery award. For the rest, it was probably only a merit distinction.

It is interesting to note that von Brandis, a nobleman and professional officer, was regarded for many years as the conqueror of Douaumont and received the PlM, while Leutnant der Reserve Radtke, who actually occupied and held the fort with his company, only received a signed photograph of the Crown Prince for his efforts as a commoner.

David

[Deruelle]

You are right David. Remember that some old Generals, like von Hindenburg were opposed to give such medal to young officer (like Ernst Juenger). But like we can see, the young officers played with theirs lives all the time and only their valour will be rewarded, not only for a single action but for all the actions they realized during the war.

I will post now some of young officer with Pour le M?rite. Leutnant Schnieber