Glenn J

Hi Jon, it can be a bit hit and miss. Regimental histories often contain the "Kriegsrangliste" of the regiment detailing the participating officers and usually if a regiment has an "Offizier-Stammliste" that will also usually mention participation during a conflict. However, with regard to one of your examples above, Hans von Plessen; although he was an active officer at the time of the 1864 campaign, he did not see combat. Although his Wikipedia entry would leave one to believe "he participated" in the 1864 war against Denmark, he was actually serving with the replacement battalion of Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 4 in the Rhineland during that campaign. Consequently you will not find a "Kriegsdenkmünze" for 1864 on any of his portraits. As an aside, the Bavarians are much more accommodating; they listed just about everything in their Militär-Handbuch. Regards Glenn

Jon, the basic problem is, that campaign medals were not listed in the Prussian army Ranglisten. This would include those issued for 1864, 1866, 1870-71, China and German South West Africa. Additionally commemorative medals such as the 1897 and jubilee medals are also not listed. The Deutsche Ordens-Almanach can throw some light on these awards (assuming the recipient paid to have all his awards listed). Regards Glenn

Hi Arho, I tend to agree that it is indeed Jakob Hitzler. It would pre-date his 1 January 1902 award of the BMV4a. He is shown in the 1871 Militär-Handbuch as an Offizier-Aspirant (Junker) in the 7. Infanterie-Regiment. However, there is another possiblity: Oberstleutnant Benno Brünn, Landwehr-Bezirkskommandeur of Kaiserslautern around the same time and who had exactly the same decorations and wore the number 6 on the epaulettes. Oberst Brünn was a Junker in 2. Jäger-Bataillon in 1871. Regards Glenn

Hi Arho, difficult to be certain without awards but I am going to take a guess at the then Major Albert Schenk of 6. Infanterie-Regiment around 1897/98. Pictured here as a Generalmajor about 10 years later. Regards Glenn

Hi Charles, I actually think he did not receive the EK1. He is not listed in either the 1st or 2nd editions of "Die Ritter des Eisernen Kreuzes" which were published in December 1914 and February 1915 respectively. Regards Glenn

Hi ArHo, nice easy one ? char. Oberstleutnant Johann Ritter und Edler von Schmädel, commanding Landwehrbezirk Straubing around 1901. Regards Glenn

Morning chaps, well, I am no tailor so cannot comment on the relative size of the tunic in question. What I can say is that Generaloberst von Prittwitz was the ONLY officer of that rank entitled to wear the uniform of Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 6, being appointed à la suite to the regiment on 9 May 1911. Generaloberst since 6 June 1913. Regards Glenn

arho, my pleasure and I look forward to seeing the other gentlemen in your album. Regards Glenn

Morning, Born 30 August 1858 at Sulzbach. DA2: 30.09.01 BMV4b: 05.03.02 RAO4: 17.06.02 WF4: 17.06.02 BZ5E: 17.06.02 JM: 12.3.05 BMV4a: 14.12.05 KLK: 07.01.16 EK2: 04.09.16 25.01.15: char. Oberstleutnant Following mobilisation he was appointed as the commander of the replacement battalion of 11. Infanterie-Regiment. The awards date the photo therefore between the rash of awards on 17 June 1902 and his promotion to Major on 15 October 1902. Incidentally as a Bavarian non-veteran of the Franco-German War, he was not automatically entitled to the award of the Prussian centenary medal of 1897. Regards Glenn

ArHo, Hauptmann Thomas Birzer of 6. Infanterie-Regiment in 1902. He received all these orders prior to his 15 October promotion to Major but after the publication of the 1901 Militär-Handbuch when he still only had the DA (LSC 24). He is shown in the 1903 MHB as a Major in 17. Infanterie-Regiment with all these orders. Regards Glenn,

Hi, #1 is a Luftwaffe Beamte of the elevated career with the equivalent rank of an Oberleutnant. #2 is a Beamtenstellvertreter (im Feldwebelrang) Regards Glenn

Hi, I can find nothing to suggest that Dr. Carl (Karl) Fischer of Ulm with the BVK was a later medical officer. He is not to be found as a medical officer of the Beurlaubtenstandes and disappears from the Reichs Medizinal-Kalendar after 1891. He apparently qualified in 1867. Regards Glenn

Joe, sorry, that was a typo. He appears in 1930 not 1939. He is not in any of the Wehrmachtbeamte Ranglisten I have: 1938, 1939 or 1942. Regards Glenn

Joe, of the three, I have found only August Freund still listed as an Oberinspektor (Beamte bei den Wirtschafts- und Rechnungsämtern) as late as 1930 (WRA Löbau). He is listed as an Inspektor at WRA Löbau in 1922 and as an Oberinspektor at WRA Leipzig in 1927). From Siekmann's Taschenkalender 1922, 1927, 1939. Regards Glenn

Nicolas, Emil Mohr pictured as an Oberstabsveterinär (Major) before his 22 July 1919 brevet promotion (charakterisierung) as a Generaloberveterinär) Regards Glenn

Hello Daniel and Andy, Julius Bramerel. Regards Glenn

From 1881 Regards Glenn

Hi, he received the swords to his already held peacetime Crown Order 2nd Class and additionally the Star of the Second Class with Swords. Basically "with swords to" Regards Glenn

Hi, he was a former cadet, so his age at entry was not out of the ordinary. Regards Glenn

Hello, Hans Dedo Freiherr von Milkau, born 1858 at Skassa near Großenhain. Entered the Saxon army in 1874 and was promoted to Portepee-Fägnrich in 1. Husaren-Regiment Nr. 18 on 10. April 1876. Sekonde-Lieutenant: 21.9. 77 E Premier-Lieutenant: 26.10.83 A Rittmeister: 20.5.90 Major: 28.6.99 E 1899: Adjutant of 3. Division Nr. 22 1902: Major on the staff of 1. Husaren-Regiment Nr. 18 23.4.1904: Commander of 1. Ulanen-Regiment Nr. 17 Oberstleutnant: 15.4.04 A Oberst: 25.3.07 D 14.7.09: Officer of the Army 20.10.09: Provisional commander of 2. Kavallerie-Brigade Nr. 24 24.9.10: Retired with character of Generalmajor Died 24.12.1913 Regards Glenn

Geoff, as can be seen from this extract from the 19 February 1820 edition of the "Militair-Wochenblatt", awards of deceased holders of the Iron Cross were further awarded to deserving recipients. So for example as shown here, the award of the deceased Sek.-Lt. von Wischetzki went to Sek.-Lt. Weiland, that of Sek.-Lt. Promnitz to Sek.-Lt.von Below and that of Rittmeister von Kriegsheim to Major von Zieten. Regards Glenn

The description of this individual has been troubling me for some time. I am at a loss to understand how a Paymaster candidate (who would hold the rank of an active NCO) would wear the shoulder boards of an official of the pay groups A8 through A10. I have been through all the editions of the Allgemeine Heeresmitteilungen which described the insignia of rank and their subsequent alterations and I can find no reference to a candidate wearing this combination of insignia. As described on page 38 of the AHM 1935 (Rw. Minister, 20.3.35 V5 IIIa), the insignia as worn by solders who were appointed as paymaster candidates (Zahlmeisteranwärter) wore a speciality badge on the lower right sleeve with the letter V. (See also Angolia/Schlicht volume 2 page 26). An order of 21 January 1942 (Ob.d.H., 21.1.42 - 25 g 14 - VA/Ag VI/V 1/Gr I (A) stated that the Zahlmeisteranwärter now wore the uniform of an official at the entry point for that career with the rank insignia of a Zahlmeister. To differentiate the candidate between those officials already holding the rank of either a substantive or non-substantive Zahlmeister, the candidate wore 1 cm wide lace strip across the base of the shoulder board in green. Is this chap then perhaps an official with the equivalence of senior NCO rank who has just "upgraded" his collar patches as a personal preference? If such an order as alluded to in the thread: "One is a senior NCO / Paymaster candidate. When he finished his probationary candidacy he'll upgrade the boards. Note, also that senior NCO's who were officer candidates were authorized to wear Officers type collar tabs and chin cords on their visor caps.", exists, I would certainly be most grateful for details. Regards Glenn

Hi Graham, I don't think he could be General Barger. The General was not promoted to Generalmajor until 24 December 1935, some two and a half years after the reintroduction of the former k.u.k. style uniform. Eduard Barger is pictured here still as a colonel in the newly reintroduced uniform whereas the General officer at the beginning of this thread is wearing the older pattern Bundesheer uniform. Regards Glenn

Charles, maybe I was unclear; per regulations the 1910 tunic for Flügeladjutants should NOT have breast pockets. However, I should not imagine anyone lost any sleep about such a transgression! Regards Glenn

Hi Charles, that is an M15 Bluse. The field grey Waffenrock for Flügeladjutanten did not necessarily have breast pockets; in fact as per regulations did not have them. Regards Glenn