Ulsterman

Order of Malta/Johanniter. Do a search as a couple of threads here came up over the past couple of years on the German version of this group. see here: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=3103...anniter+knights

Great article....except for the last sentence. I am absolutely certain that the people on the CMOH Review Board, one at least of whom posts here, do not have that sentiment about the Clinton administration or anyone elses for that matter.

Fantastic!!! :jumping: More! Morre! Where is CD?

Looks like somebody stuffed 4 medals on a three medal bar.

Recovering? If you talk to him soon please send my (our) best wishes. Thanks-

I think someone stuck a Wehrmacht eagle where it should not be to pretty it up.

Merridales' book("Ivan's War") two years ago was a start and 'The Destruction of Army Group Center" @ 13 years ago was a surprise publishing hit. Orlando Figes books are excellent, but paint a broad background to the era. It takes an Ambrose to take military history to the next level of popularity. There is some REAL world class, writing talent on this board (for example) and it could be used to edify the entire world as to the historical value of many events. I hate to think it may come into being as a Festshrift one day though. Three years ago I was asked to give a 45 minute lecture about medals to an introductory western history class at a university in Boston. It was mostly done I think so my old college roommate didn't have to lecture that day. I chose three medals: An EK1, the Soviet order of Labor and a Kings medal for Service in the Cause of Freedom. Each has a story to tell. The EK1 given to Hitler was an indirect catalyst of the Third Reich. At his rank, its prestige and what it symbolized, the "frontkampfer"-vs- ""Dolchstoss" mentality (which he blamed upon "Reds and Jews" propelled his career. The Labour of Glory medal I had for a fishing Captain who operated a Superboat off the Arctic shelves in the 1970s. Want to know why tuna fish and Cod cost more than tofu? That medal is the reason. The Kings Medal was awarded to a socialite/DAR lady from New York who was a minor figure in the Bundles For Britain association. However, her real claim to fame was her Democratic Party activism in the late 1930s and 1940s and funneling campaign contributions via Canada to targeted New York Congressional races. (Mostly) Republican political Isolationists were targeted by British Agents of Influence and their allies/friends throughout the war years. American radicals and leftists were also targets. The MI6 files on US activities are still sealed and will probably remain so throughout my lifetime, but many of the activists are quite happy to talk about who, what, when and where Churchill's agents were active in the USA. It's the last great untold story of intelligence gathering and usage in WW2.Recently a book on Roald Dahl has come out that goes into greater detail on this subject.There are a few other minor books on the subject. Those personal ties continue today, 70 years on. An English translation of the available Russian medal books (Glory /Heroes biographies etc.) would increase collecting popularity in the West. Over the past few years I have changed my mind as to whether this is a hobby. It is a nexus of military history and art. I now view it as a highly idiosyncratic form of art collecting at the upper strata. In some cases, that means a mania. In these economic climes the rarer pieces will continue to sell, the common ones will not. Prices will adjust accordingly. For many medal owners, like US house owners, that adjustment will be a hard shock ("my silver wound badge is only worth $50! No way"). I reckon this recession will last between 2 and 3 years. Next year, in the Summer, is when real fire sales begin to occur. If you have cash then and are economically secure, you will do "well". OMSA maintains a stolen registry database. It is a start.

very nice: I would have chosen that prototype. I expect they did not go for it because of the enamel work/cost?

ah-my error then. Where is Bob these days?

My favorite is second ribbon bar with Finnish awards! Its sad to never get known what was on the last place. Odds are 3in 4 it was a Hungarian WW1 award and 1 in 4 either an Austrian or Bulgarian one. Award certificates show the Hungarian awards probably equaled the other two countries combined and more. Its ' got to be foreign as its on the end and odds are-one of the common commemoratives.

Bob Lempke would like it. His Dad was in that unit . They had flamethrower troops drawn from that battalion and according to Bob, were a hard core Freikorps unit.

Amazing photo! Look at that sword. A navy officer in WW1 perhaps?

yes-thank you!! AND THAT BADGE- it is wonderful!!

Good Lord: I agree 100% with Ed. One aside, Soviet awards from non-Russian states are and should still be available in the West, albeit at higher prices. While the revanchist Russians claim these, eventually a very expensive court case will occur and the Russians will lose, as extra-national cultural claims are still void under international law (chattel that was awarded to a Ukrainian citizen is the cultural patrimony of the Ukraine and not Russia). Meanwhile, satellite socialist items should see an increase in value and collectability. We are already seeing this here in Bulgarian, Hungarian (ESP. Hungarian) ,Yugoslav and Albanian items. I eagerly await a decent book on Polish and Czech awards. One of the things that respected collectors can do is to use their collections as tools to illustrate and educate. A Russia which has its history valued abroad by a vocal and respected "fan base" will be bemused, but ultimately friendly and perhaps, will ultimately allow it archives to be reopened. Every time one of us "fogies" waxes eloquent about the GPW and Soviet sacrifices, in a public forum, illustrating it with a medal, it can not but help to improve relations between the two spheres. Collectors, by their odd hobby, sometimes can go where others are never allowed. I am amazed at what veterans have told and done for me because I "that medal collecting guy". Gordon Williamson is another case in point and Ed is obviously another. Ed, I am willing to bet money that your numismatic fascination has led you down corridors of cultural and political access denied or even undreamed of by other Asian subcontinental historians and journalists.

Good Lord! Fantastic medal. Have you ever seen any documents for type One? Thanks for showing it to us. :love:

Excellent!! I love these badges. Do you have a copy of the Kivalo Dolgazo book at all?

I'll toss one in too.... ;)

Can't argue with what Ed said there- However, 2.2 is a 1965+ era bar. They did not make the paper label inserts until the late 1960s. I know because I called the company and asked them about six months ago. I was on a roll last Summer, heady with unlimited calling minutes on my new AT+T cell phone, trying to establish when the US military started using "ultra thin" ribbons. I spoke with a very nice elderly lady on her last week at work who'd been doing ribbons for over 40 years and started at the PX tailors as a Air Force wife at Landstuhl. Ribbon trivia. By the way, Philippines troops and the Wake and Midway garrisons did not get the American theater ribbon. Neither did permanently stationed troops (mostly navy) in Australia and India. They may have been entitled to it, but I know this directly from the horses mouth (my monthly WW2 vets meeting at the Senior Center that i attend religiously. I am the youngest guy there by five decades or so. By the way, I reckon that about 30% of all US ribbons are out of order at any given time since the 1960s. Whenever I point out oop issues, most guys look at me like I am an overly fastidious twit, which I suppose I am.

Interesting bar. Unusual he didn't get a Hungarian or Austrian commemorative medal.

I believe I read that there are some sorts of lists of Finnish medals to Germans out there somewhere...

The Marine Corps has a different enlisted GC medal...ergo....navy @ 1978 I'd guess.

should not the PrsKHK be before the HK?

Beautiful!! Do you have any docs that went with them at all? Can you tell us more about the Becks' lives? I would like to know more. It is very interesting.

ooops! Darn! I wish I'd snarfed that FDJ book!