saxcob

Should look like this:

After having closely examined the original I would now tend to agree. The prussian eagle on the hats suggests that this picture was not taken before 1866.

My guess: Randtz F.-Ltnt

No doubt about that.

This seems to be a misunderstanding. Actually only 0.95% of the German population was Jewish (in 1912). 17,3 % of the Jewish population was found to serve in the German army.

I am afraid you are confusing it with the 25 years cross. Your type was introduced in 1913. Thus, there is no early version.

I was not aware of the rarity. There is aculally one currently for sale at a price of about 1.500 Euros. Thanks!

Yes, his name was Lodder. He was Dutch. Very interesting indeed. Please let me know should you advance in your respective research. I understand that the merit cross ("Vasatecknet") was only awarded to foreigners.

The Nassauers did carry their flags at Waterloo. The consequences could be seen until recently when somebody unfortunately felt the need to "restore" them...

Thanks! It is actually a familiy picture; one one the gentlemen is a direct ancestor. Yes, he might indeed have fought at Hougoumont. Since the contribution of the Nassauers had been somewhat neglected, we placed a plaque there in 2015 for the jubelee. SDA is the German version of the GMIC.

Looks like the Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Medal for Art and Science. Extremely rare. 21 awarded in Silver, 9 in Gold (previous type included).

I agree. However, the Nassauers had similiar suspensions (see pictures). It seems you have to sacrifice you scalp hair first ;-).

We can see a Prussian forrester of advanced aged in a group of his (former?) colleagues in the province of Hesse-Nassau. He wears a medal bar with two awards, the first one being with no doubt the Nassau Waterloo medal. The second is a mystery to me. The size hints to a Nassau life saving medal but it did not have a ribbon with stripses but an all red one. For illustration purposes only I also attach a similiar medal bar which lacks the second award.

The right one is the „golden“ cross but the gold plate is almost gone.

The medal bar of a servant to Queen Emma who literally served her until the end.