filfoster

Several higher ranking SS generals had served in the police between the wars, prior to resuming their military service (Georg Keppler and Karl Maria Demelhuber, for example). Were SS and Police long service awards worn together on the medal and/or ribbon bar?

Several higher ranking SS generals had served in the police between the wars, prior to resuming their military service (Georg Keppler and Karl Maria Demelhuber, for example). Were SS and Police long service awards worn together on the medal and/or ribbon bar?

Valid point. Silver/gray color plating is to be expected. But I am fairly certain only Kürassier-Regt. Königin (Pommersches) Nr.2 had that bandeu on their Wappen.

War time issue?

That seems like the likeliest possibility, unless it's been 'assembled' post war. Have not seen painted ones before or discussed in refererences, but who knows?

Kurassierhelm with black paint?

Jaeger zu pferd EM with busted wappen?

The photos and portraits are not easy to 'read'. Did the first Kaiser, Wilhelm 1, wear the crossed batons insignia of a field marshal, or rather, the insignia of a senior general (Generaloberst) with the rank of a field marshal?

He is not listed in the online list of Prussian field marshals.

It would be great to have an even better photo of Ludendorff wearing the medal bar. Even though the photo above is good and can be enlarged to a pretty high resolution, it's not in color and the detail is still not good enough to conclusively indentify everything. Does anyone have anything better? The medal Solomon mentions would be a likely one to have been worn, as it was on the Kaiser's, next to the Lippe Schaumburg medal.

On the good quality photo I've seen, he didn't wear it, so I don't think he ever received it.

Maybe his "service" wasn't real enough to be taken into account...

Yes, the photos and painted portraits do not appear to show it. Does anyone know what medals he did wear prior to WW1?

Where do you all find all of these loose medal pendents? I am looking for some for a project I am working on and cannot seem to find them.

I found most on the German site Militaria-Agent, run by Ralf Ganzel. His supply is hit-or-miss and he does not 're-stock' often.

There is also another German site, Ordensmanufaktur, that I don't have the complete URL for, that can build medal and ribbon bars and has some individual medals. The Australian site, Quarterdeck also has them, but even though Gary is a good guy, the delivery is spotty to the USA.

Corrected the ribbons. Yes, the bow is a Russian style but I'm tired of working on this for now.

Here is my Ludendorff bar below a Hindenburg (I did not make that one). The ribbons for the Oldenburg Freidrich August cross and the Anhalt Friedrich cross were switched but have now been corrected. I will see if I can get a photo of the corrected one to post.

I have completed my copy of this bar and will try to post a picture soon.

I was thinking of FM von Leeb when I referred to von Bock above, as wearing regimental uniform in WW2. My bad.

The OP referenced pre-war dress uniforms, of which Glenn has provided some spendid examples.

I can't easily upload photos but the generals in my earlier post wore the regimental uniforms described, in field gray as 'service uniforms' as well as wearing gala or pre-war uniforms. Being the 'chef' or ala suite of a regiment was a very high honor and the generals showed their appreciation by wearing the uniforms often.

The Second World War generals did this as well. Von Rundstedt wore the regimental uniform of the 18th infantry regiment and Fedor von Bock also wore an artillery regimental uniform.

YES! Most standard WW1 histories show von Hindenburg wearing the Third Foot Guards regimental uniform with appropriate rank insignia; von Mackensen is most often photographed wearing the Hussar Leib Regiment uniform field gray version; the Kaiser is almost always wearing a regimental uniform, most often the First Foot Guards. Even Ludendorff wore the shoulder boards for the 39th Fusilier regiment in late war photos, after he had been named honorary chef of that regiment.

Thank you Glenn! This is what I needed. Once again, the GMIC comes through.

Many Prussian generals wore regimental uniforms, either as regimental 'chef' or 'ala suite'. Kaiser Wilhelm I most often wore the uniform of the First Foot Guards, with his appropriate rank insignia.

Question: Did these regimental uniforms incorporate the general's additional four buttons below the waist seam?

Is there a device on the knot of the Red Eagle ribbon bow?

So the Red Eagle would have been worn with the yellow and white ribbon, not the Iron Cross style ribbon?

The order now is:

1. EK 2

2. Prussian Merit Cross for War Aid

3. Red Eagle 3rd with crown and bow on the ribbon

4. 25 year Long service

5. Centenary medal

6. Saxon St. Henry

7. Mecklenburg Schwerin Military Merit Cross

8. Mecklenburg Strelitz Cross for Distinction in War

9. Oldenburg Friedrich August Cross

10. Hess General Honor Decoration for Bravery

11.Anhalt Friedrich Cross

12. Brunswick War Merit Cross

13. Saxe-Meiningen Cross for Merit in War

14. Lippe-Detmold War Honor Cross

15. Lippe-Schaumburg War Merit Cross

16. Hanseatic Cross Hamburg

17. Hanseatic Cross Bremen

18. Hanseatic Cross Lubeck

Thank you! I am trying to replicate this medal bar (using replica medals where I can) and this is essential information. I will try to post a picture of it when completed. I have all the medals except the Saxe-Meiningen Cross for Merit in War.

The Merit Cross for War Aid is a surprise, since it is a comparatively insignificant medal. I have a photo of Hindenburg's medal bar (yes, I copied that one too), and he also included it on his medal bar. Your explanation of the precedence makes perfect sense.

So the order is:

1. EK 2

2. Prussian Merit Cross for War Aid

3. Red Eagle 3rd with crown and swords

4. 25 year Long service

5. Centenary medal

6. Saxon St. Henry

7. Mecklenburg Schwerin Military Merit Cross

8. Mecklenburg Strelitz Cross for Distinction in War

9. Oldenburg Friedrich August Cross

10. Hess General Honor Decoration for Bravery

11.Anhalt Friedrich Cross

12. Brunswick War Merit Cross

13. Saxe-Meiningen Cross for Merit in War

14. Lippe-Detmold War Honor Cross

15. Lippe-Schaumburg War Merit Cross

16. Hanseatic Cross Hamburg

17. Hanseatic Cross Bremen

18. Hanseatic Cross Lubeck

A cross can clearly be seen before the Brunswick War Merit Cross. This looks like the Anhalt Friedrich Cross so the line up is now:

1. EK 2

2. Max Joseph knight

3. Red Eagle 3rd with crown and swords

4. 25 year Long service

5. Centenary medal

6. Saxon St. Henry

7. Mecklenburg Schwerin Military Merit Cross

8. Mecklenburg Strelitz Cross for Distinction in War

9. Oldenburg Friedrich August Cross

10. Hess General Honor Decoration for Bravery

11.Anhalt Friedrich Cross

12. Brunswick War Merit Cross

13. Saxe-Meiningen Cross for Merit in War

14. Lippe-Schaumburg War Merit Cross

15. Lippe-Detmold War Honor Cross

16. Hanseatic Cross Hamburg

17. Hanseatic Cross Bremen

18. Hanseatic Cross Lubeck

#8 and #9 above should be switched, and since no one else has piled on, I will propse to put the Saxon St. Henry right after the Centenary, moving those down to 9 and 10, so now we have:

1. EK 2

2. Max Joseph knight

3. Red Eagle 3rd with swords

4. 25 year Long service

5. Centenary medal

6. Saxon St. Henry

7. Mecklenburg Schwerin Military Merit Cross

8. Mecklenburg Strelitz Cross for Distinction in War

9. Oldenburg Friedrich August Cross

10. Hess General Honor Decoration for Bravery

11. Brunswick War Merit Cross

12. Saxe-Meiningen Cross for Merit in War

13. Lippe-Schaumburg War Merit Cross

14. Lippe-Detmold War Honor Cross

15. Hanseatic Cross Hamburg

16. Hanseatic Cross Bremen

17. Hanseatic Cross Lubeck

Thoughts? Corrections?

His early medal bars have many 'round' medals and few crosses, so I am guessing he wore it. Can anyone find a good photo?

This would indicate as a commissioned officer, he would have been authorized the non-combatant medal on a combatant ribbon:

http://antique-photos.com/en/awardsdatabase/german-empire/prussia/300-commemorative-medal-for-1870-1871-military-campaigns.html

Wilhelm II was made an officer in 1869, when he was 10 years old. He obviously did not actually serve in any military capacity but would he have been entitled to wear the War Commemorative Medal of 1870-71 non-combatant (steel) version by virtue of his commission and royal status? Did he wear it? The photos are difficult to decipher.

Andy, Thank you very much.