Exotic Foreign Awards Reichsheer 02

Due to a peculiar chromatic shift in some old fashioned photographic prints of this period--much more common earlier-- SOME shades that are actually dark appear light and vice versa. After his Iron Cross 2nd Class, major Bensen is actually wearing a dark blue ribbon for his XXV Years Service CRoss and a light yellow ribbon for his 1897 Wilhelm I Centenary Medal. These are quite commonly "negatived" this way-- you get used to effects like this after long study of old photos.

Third are the distinctive curved scimitars used on WW1 Turkish Orders. Even though it is impossible to distinguish red and green on this style print, by consulting Reichsheer Rank Lists we find...

that the Major is actually wearing a "medal bar grade" ribbon to represent the Kleindekoration of a Commander grade medjidie Order 3rd Class with Sabers that should be worn at the neck. Wearing Kleindekoration "reduced form" awards was quite common in the Austro-Hungarian forces, but was never formalized in the German military. Simply put-- he's making it up.

Next is the distinctive oblong "1332" (= Muslim calendar year Turkey entered the war) bar over smaller crossed sabers worn on both Imtiaz and Liakat meMedals awarded for frontline action in WW1. This happens to be a Liakat in Silver.

Last is the ribbon for the Turkish War Medal star, commonly called the "Iron Half Moon" by Germans and "Gallipoli Star" by the British. The bar on this ribbon was one of eight authorized to indicate the sector of the war where this decoration was earned. The photograph iss clear enough to see that this one is Chanak Kale" for the Dardenelles and so is, coincidentally, for Gallipoli.