Prussian Landeskriegerverein Crosses In Wear

[Guest Rick Research]

I know these UGLY crosses have been disscussed before, but cannot find any old threads on a search. But here are some photos just received from the late Tony Colson's collection of these veterans' association crosses in wear.

This portrait of Hermann Sampich was taken on his 70th birthday in 1932

His awards are

Prussian General Decoration Medal in Silver

Prussian M1913 IX or XII Years Service Medal (presumably the former since no XII grade existed before 1913 and this and the following must replace the old pinback long service brooches)

Prussian Reserve Landwehr Decoration 2nd Class M1913 ("super sized" mutant the same size as the IX Medal)

Kaiser Wilhelm 1897 Centenary Medal ***

Prussian Landeskriegerverein Cross 2nd Class

The medal bar grade Prussian LKV Cross could be betowed on no more than 1 out of 10 members of any local veterans group. Although banned for WEAR after 1934, these continued being awarded at least as late as 1942.

The white enamelled pinback cross is the Prussian Landeskriegerverein Cross 1st Class. This could be awarded to no more than 1 member in 100 of a local group.

*** The 1897 Medal here is a bit of a puzzle. It was awarded to anyone on active military service on 22 March 1897 in the Prussian army, Imperial navy, or colonial forces. Members of non-Prusian regiments whose honorary "Chief" was the Kaiser also received it, as did some non-Prussian regiments serving in Alsace-Lorraine. It was also awarded to all veterans of 1870/71, and Prussian veterans of earlier wars.

Sampich was 35 in 1897. If drafted at age 20, that SHOULD have made him qualified for the XV Years brooch (later replaceable by the M1913 cross for that many years). Yet he had obviously left active duty BEFORE then.

I cannot explain this.

[Guest Rick Research]

This old veteran of 1870 out in his sunny garden is ALSO wearing the Prussian LKV Cross 2nd Class-- as well as a visor cap of the Weimar-era Kyffh?userbund with insignia I have never seen before!

Medal bar is--

M1913 Reserve Landwehr Decoration 2nd Class granted to all draftees BEFORE 1914 who had taken part in a war (among many other possible ways to earn one in times of peace-- routinely after about 12 years of annual drills)

1870/71 War Medal with 3 battle bars

1897 Centenary Medal 9as an 1870/71 veteran)

Prussian Landeskriegerverein Cross 2nd Class

Underneath dangles the generic form of award often found with some local dedication printed on the ribbons, under the shield of the Prussian LKV.

For a closer version of that, see:

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=22837&hl=

[sambolini]

Hi Rick,

Thanks for posting these photos. I really like seeing "oddball" awards in wear. These photos often show real oddities, such as the multiple L.S. awards and sometimes home made looking bars that would today be called fakes or "put together " (in reference to the bar in post #2 link).

Regards,

Sam

[Guest Rick Research]

Exactly! If I did not have in front of me Herr Sampich's photo, I'd say his combination of awards makes no sense.

Uh... it does make no sense... but there he was, wearing it!

[sambolini]

Uh... it does make no sense... but there he was, wearing it!

[Eric Stahlhut]

[Eric Stahlhut]

[wschmidt]

The medal bar grade Prussian LKV Cross could be betowed on no more than 1 out of 10 members of any local veterans group. Although banned for WEAR after 1934, these continued being awarded at least as late as 1942.

The white enamelled pinback cross is the Prussian Landeskriegerverein Cross 1st Class. This could be awarded to no more than 1 member in 100 of a local group.

Hello Rick,

I don't understand: 1 out of 10 and 1 member in 100. How was chosen the people decorated?

Regads,

Schmidt

[Guest Rick Research]

By merit, but limited to that proportion. I don't know who did the selection--the local group itself or at province level?--or how they divided these up if, say, there were only 63 members of an Ortsverein.

[Eric Stahlhut]

here's an oddity--- a gold finished example of what seems to be a 2nd class with a horizontal pin!

has anyone ever seen one of these before?

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_05_2013/post-4736-0-86293300-1369081838.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_05_2013/post-4736-0-06034700-1369081863.jpg

the area where the jump ring would have been removed--if it ever had one at all

Edited May 20, 2013 by Eric Stahlhut

[scottplen]

To revive an old thread by Rick ! 
I have this bar coming ! 
I like the ugly cross mounted ! Not often found on bars ! 
a proud Prussian warrior from WWI