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    Stogieman

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    Posts posted by Stogieman

    1. These Veteran's Crosses from the "Anything Goes" 1920's were all banned when the Honor Cross was instituted in 1934/35. There are few exceptions notably the Baltic Cross & Silesian Eagle.

      These types of awards are quite desirable, hard to find in decent condition and sought after heavily by the niche of collectors who like them!! The awrd documents and ribbon bars are pretty nice looking as well! Here's some mounted on a ribbon bar:

    2. I will start a list of common abreviations that we take for granted when talking about many of these pieces. I'm sure "The Evil One" will add to it!

      Common Terms

      RK = Ritterkreuz (Knight's Cross)

      mK = mit Krone (with crown) anglicized as wC, wK

      mS = mit Schwerter (with Swords) Often anglicized to wX

      X = Schwerter (Swords)

      XaR = Swords on Ring (some Orders had this appendage)

      1.Kl. = First Class

      2.Kl. = Second Class Both of these will often be stated as RK1, RK2, etc.

      mKD = mit Kriegsdekoration (Austro-Hungarian on many awards)

      Prussia

      HOH = Prussian version Hohenzollern House Order (3 class usually, with X or not)

      EK = Eisernes Kreuz (Iron Cross) sub-abbreviations: EK1, EK2

      EK2w = Iron Cross on the "white-black" noncombatant ribbon

      (P)KO = Preussen Kronen Orden (Prussian Crown Order)

      (P)RAO = Preussen Roter Adler Orden (Prussian Red Eagle Order)

      KDM = Kriegs Denkmünze (War Medal-- must specific which one)

      DA = Dienstauszeichnungen (Long Service award, class specified by number which varied for years over time as in 1= 21/15, 2 = 15/12, 3 = always 9 years. Could be medals or brooches and so specified)

      LD = Landwehrdienstauszeichnung (1 for XX years 2 for the broocch/medal. Prussian/Reichs is normally assumed, preceded by B for Bavarian, S for Saxon, or W for Württemberg versions: SLD2, WLD1 etc)

      ® = Lifesaving Medal on Ribbon (identical glyph used in Rank Lists)

      VK/PrKHDK = Prussian War Effort Cross (take your pick!!)

      GMVK = Gold Military Merit Cross

      MEZ = Military Decoration: 1 (silver cross) 2 (silver medal) on both version EK ribbon

      PrAEz = General Decoration (usually the silver medal on RAO ribbon)

      Baden

      BV = Militär Karl Friedrich Verdienst Order (with class number-- 3 = Knight)

      BZ = Zähringen Lion Order (number and letter for class-- 3a = Knight 1st, 3b = Knight 2nd Class, 4 = Merit Cross etc)

      BsV = Merit Medal in silver often with designation for on the MKFVO ribbon

      BKV = War Merit Cross

      BK = Cross for Voluntary War Aid

      Bavaria

      BMMJO = Military Max Josef Order (3 = Knight Class)

      BMV = Militär Verdienst Order (Classes 4, 3, O, 2 up etc)

      BMVK = Militär Verdienst Kreuz (Classes 1, 2, 3 with or without Crowns and Xs)

      BL = Ludwig Cross

      BDA = as Prussia, above

      BLD = as Prussia, above

      with relevant number for class, viz. BMV4X, BMVK3XmKr

      Saxony

      SH = Militär Saint Heinrich Order (3 = Knight Class)

      SA = Albert Order (Classes as SA3aXmKr, SA3bX etc)

      SV = Verdienst Order (SV3aX etc)

      SFAM = Friedrich August Medaille (S = Silber, B = Bronze so SFAM-S etc)

      SKz = Sachsen Ehren Kreuz (Saxon Honor Cross)

      SK = War Merit Cross

      Württemberg

      WM = their Militär Verdienst Orden (3 = Knight)

      WF = Friedrichs Orden

      as in WF3aX = Knight 1st Class with swords

      as in WF3b = Knight 2nd Class (peacetime)

      WK = Wüttemberg Krone Orden

      WKrz = Wilhelmskreuz (with X or without)

      WgM/WsM = Bravery/formerly "military Merit" Medals in gold /silver

      WR/®= LifesavingMedal: NON-Wtbg Lists/Wtbg Lists (wherein the Prussian was PRM not ® )

      Hanseatic Cities

      BH = Bremen Hanseatic Cross

      HH = Hamburg Hanseatic Cross

      LüH = Lübeck Hanseatic Cross

      Hessen-Darmstadt

      HP = House Order with class numbers

      HT = Hessian Bravery Medal aka General Decoration "for...." (multiple purpose reverses specify: bravery, long service, lifesaving)

      HS = Hessian Military Medical Cross

      HK = the untranslatable pinback 1917+ "Warrior Decoration in Iron"

      Hohenzollern

      HE = Princely Honor Cross (house order) all grades with class designations with ot without Xs

      Mecklenburg-Schwerin

      MG = Griffin Order with class numbers

      MMV = Friedrich Franz Cross (1 = 1st Class, 2 = 2nd Class)

      Mecklenburg-Strelitz

      MStK = Cross for Distinction in War (1= rare 1st class, 2= usual 2nd class)

      Oldenburg

      OV = House Order with class numbers

      OK = Friedrich August Cross (1 or 2 Class, 2a = with "vor dem Feinde Spange) sometimes, God forgive us, we use "OFAK" which was the NAVY abbreviation for this, while the ARMY used "OK."

      Brunswick

      BrH = House Order with class numbers

      BrK = Ernst August crosses (1 class, 2a 2nd with "horse" device, 2 class)

      Anhalt

      AB = House Order of Albert the Bear with class number

      AK = WW1 Friedrich Cross

      Lippe-Detmold

      LH = -Detmold version of the House Order with class numbers

      LKr = WW1 War Merit Cross

      Schaumburg-Lippe

      SLH = Schaumburg- version of the House Order with class numbers

      SLK = Cross for Loyal Service (their "EK" despite the "long service" sounding name)

      Saxe-Weimar

      GSF = White Falcon Order with class numbers, Xs etc though "SWF" also used and I prefer that

      GSWA = General Decoration: 1 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze with and without Xs (NOT "SWAfrica Medal"!!!!!)

      Thüringian "Ernestine" Duchies

      EH = Saxe-Ernestine House Order, common to the hyphenated Saxe-Duchies of -Altenburg, -Coburg, and -Meiningen. The actual GERMAN abbreviation was "HSEH" but even we must Draw The Too Obscure Line someplace!!!

      SMK = WW1 Saxe-Meiningen War Merit Cross (for officers, the "crowned B" medal )

      SMM = WW1 Saxe-Meiningen War Merit Medal (for enlisted men)

      AT = WW1 Altenburg Bravery Medal

      Reuss

      RE/RäE = House Order with distinction in older (RäE) and younger (RjE) lines, class numbers with or w/o Xs

      RgM/RsM = medals of above (no "line" distinction) with or w/o Xs

      Schwarzburg

      SEK = House Order (the "Honor Cross") with class numbers and w or w/o Xs

      SKM = Silver War Merit Medal

      Waldeck

      WV = House Order (the "Honor Cross") with class numbers and with or without Xs

      WgVM/WsVM = gold and silver medals to above, dittos

      Austria-Hungary

      ÖM3K = Military Merit Cross 3rd Class with War Decoration

      ÖT = Bravery Medals, with g old, s ilver (1 and 2 classes), b ronze class designated like "ÖbT"

      Ö VK = Merit Crosses with class designations, with and without crowns as in ÖgVK, ÖsVKmKr etc

      Bulgaria

      BT = Bravery Order/Cross with class designations

      BA = St. Alexander Order with class designations

      BO = Military Merit Order (peace or war had Xs)

      Turkey

      TH = Turkish War Medal star aka Gallipoli Star aka Iron Half Moon

      TL = Liakat Medals (1 = Gold, 2 = silver)

      TI = Imtiaz Medals (1 & 2 as above)

      TM = Medjidie Order (number for class)

      TO = Osmanie Order (number for class)

      TR = Lifesaving Medal

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