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    Imperial Austrian Awards


    Nick

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    Hi,

    k.k Oberleutnant Otmar Wolfan whose parent regiment was k.k. Reitendes Sch?tzenregiment Nr. 2

    The 1918 k.k. Landwehr Rangliste shows him as the holder of both a Silver and Bronze Military Merit Medal (Signum Laudis).

    Oberleutnant: 1 May 1917

    Even the then Austro-Hungarian authorities could not get the nomenclature right. Wolfan was not a k.u.k. Oberleutnant but a k.k. Oberleutnant - a member of the Austrian Landwehr and not the common army biggrin.gif

    Regards

    Glenn

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    • 5 months later...

    ... and adding a few more. Starting off with the War Cross for Civil Merit, 3rd class. Some nice but tiny hallmarks on both the needle and the reverse. Can't identify them all but there seems to be a couple of "FR" and "A" marks. I have no idea what those stand for.

    [attachmentid=22298] [attachmentid=22299] [attachmentid=22300]

    Edited by Hendrik
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    Hi hendrik, nice items.

    The bars for subsequent awards for bravery-medals and Military Merit Medals (Signum Laudis) were made of Silver. The bars for officers bravery-medals and Signum Laudis were normally made of silver (hallmarks), the bars for the non-officers were silver-plated or made of silvercolured material.

    Military Merit Crosses and the orders of the iron crown IIIrd class and the Leopolds Knights cross had always GOLD Bars (gold plated).

    @Hendrik if swords were awarded the have been fixed directly on the bar. so the Merit Medal you showed is a kind of forgers. someone took the double bar and put it on aribbon with swords. the correct bar with swords is shown on the picture i add.

    Golden Bars were also possible for the Goldenes Verdienstkreuz mit Krone (GVKrmK) . But ONLY for this Rank. If a NCO or medic or officer received an Golden Verdienstkreuz did action that would bring a second award of the GVKrmK he was awarded the crown. Same with Silbernes Verdienstkreuz or Silbernes Verdienstkreuz mit der Krone.

    regards

    Haynau

    PS: the marks on the kriegskreuz f?r zivilverdienste stand IMHO for A = Hauptm?nzamt, FR = Rothe

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    The bars for officers bravery-medals and Signum Laudis were normally made of silver (hallmarks), the bars for the non-officers were silver-plated or made of silvercolured material.

    if swords were awarded the have been fixed directly on the bar.

    the marks on the kriegskreuz f?r zivilverdienste stand IMHO for A = Hauptm?nzamt, FR = Rothe

    Many thanks for your interesting remarks !!! :beer:

    I went and checked those bars for hallmarks but there were any, so they would have been NCO's medals. And I'm happy to know the meaning of those hallmarks now :P

    I was under the impression that bars with the crossed swords fixed on the bar were only used for the Military Merit Cross (as in your picture) and plain bars for the other awards with a possible swords device on the ribbon. From your input I gather that is incorrect. Thanks for setting me straight on that ! Do I understand it correctly then that the Bravery Medal was never awarded with crossed swords (as they were awarded for bravery in action, there would have been no real need for them) ?

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    Many thanks for your interesting remarks !!! :beer:

    ....Do I understand it correctly then that the Bravery Medal was never awarded with crossed swords (as they were awarded for bravery in action, there would have been no real need for them) ?

    Exactly that was the reason. :beer:

    haynau

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    Yes, no swords for bravery medals. Interesting though that the Signum Laudis, even when on a "war ribbon" will often have swords mounted on the ribbon. I have even seen swords mounted through repeat bars, all on the "war ribbon". This oddity is present in both full-sized trifolds and on ribbon bar mini devices!

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    Yes, no swords for bravery medals. Interesting though that the Signum Laudis, even when on a "war ribbon" will often have swords mounted on the ribbon. I have even seen swords mounted through repeat bars, all on the "war ribbon". This oddity is present in both full-sized trifolds and on ribbon bar mini devices!

    Dou you really think it is an oddity? For me it makes sense. all signum laudis awarded for service during wartime were on the war ribbon (kriegsband). the attached swords show in one look if the medal was awarded for service or service in frontline. same with the milit?rverdienstkreuz that was awarded with wardecoration during WW1.

    haynau

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    gentlemen,

    some contribution to this theme.

    Knightscross Franz-Josefs-Orden in gilded bronze and Miniaturechain and Decoration to wear on a frockcoat or swallowtail. both hallmarked and made in 750/1000-Gold (18 carat). Markers Mark: Vincenz Mayer und S?hne. purchased in scotland.

    haynau

    Edited by haynau
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