Ulsterman

Before 1848 only one Jew was a regular officer in the Prussian army: the exceptional Major Meno Burg of the artillery. A royal edict barred jews from officer rank. Several, especially medical officers, received commissions in the 'liberal' 1870s. From 1885-1914 the German Jewish League actively campaigned for jews to be given reserve officer commissions and despite several Reichstag commissions, notably in 1908 and 1913, no Jews were given reserve commissions. Between 20,000-30,000 served as Einjahriger volunteers between 1875-1914. The political issue came to a head in May, 1912, when the Reichstag debated the case of Arthur Leiber, an Einjahrer who had been recommended for a commission by his regimental colonel, but denied by the War Department. The War Ministers' abysmal response was accorded by many to Be "not his finest hour" (Kaiser Wilhelm). Many anti-Semetic Prussian Reichstag Delegates openly stated that the jews should not be allowed officer status because of their inferior race and many senior Prussian officers openly agreed. In 1914 the Reich had @650,000 Jewish citizens-not including illegal Polish Jewish immigrants. The Bavarian and Austrian armies both gave commissions to Jews. During the war however, especially after 1915, many Jews received Lt dR. commissions, on a war-time basis. Several may even have been in Guards Regiments. I'd be surprised if they were in the cavalry though- The Austrians had a number of Jewish Generals as well as a Field Marshall. In 1943 the Gestapo and Vienna SA and a few HJ helpers rounded up the inhabitants of the Vienna Jewish Disabled Servicemens' Home (@ 300 vets) and sent them to Auschwitz where they were all murdered. I once knew a man whose family were sent to Thereisenstadt because he had been a Lt. d R. in the Bavarian army. He was given a rare Visa to the USA in 1937 because he had won the EK1-and it was noted on his Visa application. His family, except his daughter Gerda, who I still know quite well, were all gassed in 1943. The SA man who took their house in Marburg still lived there in 1987. I expect his family still has the house. Ann Franks' father was also a Lt.d R. and won the EK2.

wow!!!! That Hessen bar is SUPERB!!! If you ever want to trade let me know.

Also, not that I like this stuff, there's a nice 1930s Eire army officers' cap for 90 pounds on eBay. The first one I remember seeing since wallis and Wallis had one in 1978.

I note she sells a lot of normal stuff and buys romance novels;I am looking at the buckle. http://cgi.ebay.com/1921-1971-IRISH-WAR-OF...VQQcmdZViewItem

By the way-what do you think of the "1916" group on eBay?

there was a BDOS article about female nurses who got the 1914 EK2 a few years back. Gordon can also tell us more as he has made reference to a few and I believe Glenn J. may also know a few names. A few years ago Bare on eBay sold a split up series of nurses photos from 1940 that had a close up portrait of the "Oberstannbannnurse" -a very stout, hard-looking, matronly woman who reminds me of a Nun I knew at age 9, but who was sporting a 6 (!) medal ribbon bar, INCLUDING an HKx ! I balked at the winning price of $40. There are a number of references in vets magazines to "ladies who got the frontkampferkreuz". The records of the Asianbund may still exist, as I have seen references to the Colonial office records extensively in academic literature-includingan article 2 -3 years ago about "Gender and Rhetorical Being in German imperial Afrika"...about German women in the Camroon. I would also like to know if the DRK archives are all still there. Has anyone ever asked? Otherwise, how would we know about the mere 8,999 DRK2 medals out there?

That's my guess-remember what came BEFORE the HKx according to the 1939 regs-and what came after. Rick posted these a while back from an old reprinted catalogue.

So am I! I would also love to see that photo at the bottom of the tunic. I suspect it might be the companion snap of one I have.

Many thanks! i miss Tony. he was always cheerful on-line.

...so it is the second row?

Here's a snippit from the randomly grabbed Saxon vets' magazine for Spring, 1925 partially listing Verien awards (many 1871 and 1848 vets-yes, there were 2!- got these 'for merit'.

By the way, what is #6 in pic. #19? It appears like some sort of city medal or "Chamber of commerce" from a city medal.

I have been collecting vets association magazines for several years -since Tony Colson sent me a dozen a few years back. In reading these and the vets' association year books it is stated that some of these medals- were NOT-"everyone can buy one" cheap vanity pieces (notably the "Hamburg Feldehrenzeichn"), but awarded "for service and merit (which may have included sizable donations)" by the autonomous Lander Kreigsvereinen. Some of the medals on bar #1 were awarded for long service (as in 20 years membership+) or merit to a state veterans organization-and some were limited to under or about 100 a year. The magazines include annual award lists. They were not "purchase from the association" things like the modern "Order of the Battle of the Bulge". They were more in the character of the U.S. "VFW" and "American legion" medals put out in the 1920s-1930s.

Who is the medal named to? I know many Woofers-and odds are I can track him down.

It's almost certainly the medal of merit. The lady I bought this from got it from a clear out at the supply depot at Fort Devens near Boston, Mass. I also got a dozen WW2 vintage bars of all sorts, including VFW and Guard.

Yeah- you are right-no commemoratives...

nice picture!

You know, as horrible as the destruction is, that is a bit of history there-too unique to be anything else but replacements. obviously done not for profit, but to show service of some sort. A really interesting little group.

This officer was lucky to be alive after what he did....

Is it a signet ring?

well, #9 is that "European federation of Combat veterans"-a small society organized around the sale of a handsome medal. I have seen it worn by Hungarian, British, French and German veterans since 1975. Vive l' EEC.

To be honest I can not comprehend this bar with that Saxe Meinigen medal. There are always exceptions to the rule, but I can't for the life of me explain #2 and that medal-even if it was a kick-rump navy Luftschiff/Submarine/ engineer/gunner-pilot hero of some sort-and that is supposing that this is 'the top bar" of a two piece set. But it certainly look original by the fading, ribbons etc. Could it have been messed with? Also-(I can't find the thread but Rick R. posted the order of precedence from a 1939 catalogue reprint) isn't the precendence out of order? That' seems a minor issue in this instance though.

[quote name='Paul R' date='Apr 9 2007, 19:59 ' post='166039'] To think that by 1934, he would only have three!!!!!

I have doubts about this bar-mostly because of the last medal, but also because there-are-so-many-of-these-here. However, this bar makes sense if this man was a Gaufuhrer/Stabsfuhrer of a Stahlhelm or other Weimar vets formation. These uniformed Weimar vets leaders sometimes wore a profusion of "honorary' or other association awards, but seriously,it stretches credibility that this guy was a simultaneous member of the Saxon, Bavarian, Prussian and whatever other Landerbund is thrown in there. I think its a made "uberbar". Still, the sale price might be less than the parts individually-we will see.

So-with the chevron;15 years (+) service? This ribbon bar represents a hard working NCO who served from @ 1980/5-2000 or thereabouts?