Claudio

Dear all, I found this on wikipedia... in 1978 they issued a commemorative medal for Georg III...

Thanks a lot Dave! Sorry for the troubles of searching this officer in Archives... I checked also the Kriegsmarine lists I have on file on my computer, but I didn't find any Meissenburgs... Very likely he was a Reichswehr employee or a Police officer. Who knows, maybe I get lucky and something else of Meissenburg's stuff will surface on the net (Ebay, Auctions, other collectors). I will keep an eye open, like I do for all other named groups of mine... :-) thanks again! ciao, Claudio

Yes Matthew, it's really a very nice medal, rarely seen on medal bars, especially of military personnel... It would be nice to know how many they were awarded, maybe just a couple of thousands. Here's another huge bar sold by HH last year for Eur 5'000.- + commission 66. Auktion (18.-19.10.2012) Los Nr. 3188 Ordensschnalle des fürstlichen Kammerdieners August Fleischer 20-teilige Ordensschnalle mit Preußen: Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse 1914, Deutsches Reich: Ehrenkreuz für Kriegsteilnehmer ohne Schwerter, Reuß: Goldene Verdienstmedaille des Ehrenkreuzes mit Krone und Schwertern, Reuß jüngere Linie: Erinnerungszeichen zum Silbernen Ehejubiläum 1909, Reuß: Goldene Verdienstmedaille des Ehrenkreuzes, Reuß jüngere Linie: Silberne Verdienstmedaille "Für treue Dienste" mit der Krone ab 1909, Reuß-Lobenstein-Ebersdorf: Bronzene (stark vergoldet!) Verdienstmedaille, Braunschweig: Verdienstkreuz 1. Klasse in silbervergoldeter Ausführung der Firma Siebrecht mit Sternchen, "S" und "900"-Punze, Sachsen: Albrechtskreuz mit separat geprägtem Kopf des Stifters im Medaillon, Preußen: Verdienstkreuz in Silber (am falschen Band), Sächsische Herzogtümer: Verdienstkreuz des Ernestinischen Hausordens mit separat geprägtem Kopf, Preußen: Kreuz des Allgemeinen Ehrenzeichens, Sachsen: Ehrenkreuz, Bulgarien: Verdienstkreuz (6. Klasse) des Zivilverdienstordens, Mecklenburg-Schwerin: Silbernes Verdienstkreuz des Ordens der Wendischen Krone, Meckelnburg-Schwerin: Silberne Verdienstmedaille ab 1872 mit Stempelschneider "W. KULLRICH F." im Medaillenrand, Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha: Verdienstmedaille in Gold des Sachsen-Ernestinischen Hausordens mit Bildnis Herzog Alfreds und Stempelschneider "LAUER", Schaumburg-Lippe: Goldene Verdienstmedaille ab 1893 mit der lippeschen Rose im Wappenschild, Mecklenburg-Schwerin: Silberne Medaille Friedrich Franz III. mit Zieröse für Zivilpersonen, Sachsen: Silberne Friedrich August-Medaille am Friedensband. Außergewöhnliche Ordensschnalle mit 20(!) Ehrenzeichen von 34,5 cm Länge. Besonders die Goldene Verdienstmedaille mit Krone und Schwertern (Position 3) des gemeinschaftlich verliehenen reußer Hausordens von großer Seltenheit. Bei der Lobenstein-Ebersdorfer Medaille (Position 7) handelt es sich vermutlich um eine von der jüngeren Linie Reuß übernommenen (fehlende "LXXII" unter der Namenschiffre) Auszeichnung für 25 Dienstjahre Hofbediensteter, wie sie bisher von der Literatur nicht gewürdigt wurde. Die nachfolgenden drei Lose aus gleichem Besitz.

@ Paul and Claudius: thanks for your nice comments! For the moderator; is it possible to change the tag from Reuss to Mecklenburg-Schwerin? Thanks!

Thanks Daniel to confirm it for me... ;-) I guess it will be quite difficult to get any information on this obscure officer after WWI... :-( But I guess he must have reached at least the rank of Major or Oberstleutnant, due to his 25 years of service, maybe in some Wehrbezirk. There are quite a lot of example of very well decorated WWI veterans who served in the administration and in the rear echelons at the front. It is possible that the police service it is counted in order to get an Heer LS award? I was unaware of that. Thanks for your inputs! ciao, Claudio

Merci Christoph! ... to tell the truth I don't know how it looks on the back, because I haven't got it, yet, and on the catalogue there isn't a picture of the back of the bar nor a description of it. From the way the ribbons have been folded, especially the threads on the base of the rings and its overlapping of the ribbon to cover them, I can tell almost for sure that is not Godet, although it's really well, professionally put together medal bar. It would be great if you could look it up on the Reichsheer Rangliste. @ Dave: what can I say? Wow... what a research and in a such short time! Maybe the clue was the only Braunschweig decoration with the 96th IR officers? Amazing... Do you think that the combination of the 3 Braunschweig, Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt decorations could be unique? Strangely the 25 years WH-LS awards should show quite a long career as professional/active officer after 1920... Thanks a lot for your corrections (Jubilee medal was wrongly described on the auction's catalogue) and for look it up in the WH-Personalakte, when you will have time... Thanks again to the both of you!

Dear forumites, I was pretty lucky to adquire the following huge medal bar (14 place!!!) medal bar: Preußen: Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse am Kämpferband, 1914-1924 (OEK 1909); 3. Reich: Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2. Klasse mit Schwertern (OEK 3835); Mecklenburg-Schwerin: Militärverdienstkreuz 2. Klasse am Band für Kämpfer, 1914 (OEK 1352); Reuß: Fürstlich Reussisches Ehrenkreuz 3. Klasse mit Schwertern (OEK 2005/1) S/G; Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt: Fürstlich schwarzburgisches Ehrenkreuz 3. Klasse mit Schwertern, 1870-1918 (OEK 2785) S/sv ; Hamburg: Hanseatenkreuz (OEK 688); Österreich: Militärverdienstkreuz 3. Klasse mit KD; 3. Reich: Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer mit Schwertern (OEK 3803/1) St br; Reuß ältere Linie: Erinnerungszeichen zum silbernen Ehejubiläum, 1909 (OEK 2057) S; Braunschweig: Orden Heinrich des Löwen, Ehrenzeichen 2. Klasse, 1908-1918 (OEK 634) Br; 3. Reich: DA 1. Klasse für 25 Dienstjahre, Kreuz (OEK 3852) E vg; 3. Reich: DA 3. Klasse für 12 Dienstjahre, Medaille (OEK 3854) E vg; 3. Reich: Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938 "Sudetenanschluss", 1938-1941 (OEK 3517); Ungarn: Erinnerungsmedaille 1914 – 1918 für Kämpfer I am pretty sure that the officer would have to have been a Reussischer citizen, since he has 2 decorations from that minute state in Central East Germany on his bar (nos. 4 and 9) and to get no. 9 I believe that he had to be resident there. I certainly saw uninterruptible service in the Army from the beginning of WWI until WW2, since he had both LS awards for 25 years of service. Nevertheless I am afraid that the original medal bar's wearer cannot identified, because of the Reuss ordenlisten's loss/destruction during WW2. Thank you in advance for looking into the matter... I surely appreciate all kind of educated comments on the bar and its combination. ciao, Claudio

Very nice Christoph... The pictures are great! Could he be because of his name of Jewish ancestry?

Ok... I see... but I guess "my" MKFO can be dated around 1870, since there are no timely data on the different maker variants of this order... Thanks anyway! C

@ Dave: the group was sold with the name, but without any research documents. Very likely the previous material owner came up with it. It's always a shame that during the process of auctioning an item, most information get lost. Thanks for looking into this matter! :-) C

Here are the other pieces of the group... notice the really interesting commemorative medal in its box and the delicate beautiful miniature of the EK2 1870 on a trapezoidal miniature ribbon.

Dear forumites, Here's another quite complete group of the late Oberstleutnant Hopfe of the 3. Thüringisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 71. Description of the decorations on the medal bar: Preußen, Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse 1870 am Kämpferband (OEK 1904), E gs/S Preußen, Roter Adler Orden 4. Klasse 1879-1918 (OEK 1704) S Preußen, Kriegsdenkmünze 1870/71 für Kämpfer (OEK1941/1) GBr und 3 Gefechtsspangen zur KDM „Paris“, „Sedan“ und „Beaumont“ (OEK 1941/24/10/8) Me vg Preußen, Erinnerungskreuz „Königgrätz“ 1866-1867 (OEK 1938) GBr Preußen, Zentenarmedaille 1897 (OEK 1965/1) GBr Schwarzburg-Sonderhausen, Fürstlich Schwarzburgisches Ehrenkreuz, Kreuz 3. Klasse mit Schwertern 1870-1918 (OEK 2785) S/Sv This amazing group come with its original and specifically made authentic dark bordeaux colour case and it consists of the medal bar to be worn on the civilian tuxedo (Frackspange), the miniature chain (Miniaturkette), the ribbon lapel bow (Knopflochschnalle), a miniature of the (1/2 sized/Prinzengrösse) EK 2 Kl. 1870 and a nicely stuck commemorative medal of the regiment (50th jubilee of the regiments' foundation) in its small round box. I can deduce from RAO4 (last type) that this order was bestow on him quite late, maybe around the time he got this tuxedo bar assembled with the addition of the 25 years jubilee of the Franco-Prussian war, therefore my guess it was awarded after 1895, around the turn of the century. No dates or documents available with this group. All in all a very nice and complete group. Now I am looking for details of Hopfe's military career (someone has the book on this very regiment? Christophe? ;-) ) and personal data (date of birth and death) in order to archive and save it for the future generations. Thank you all in advance for taking the time to look at this lovely group and for any additional information you can provide. Best regards, Claudio

Merci Christophe... No, no hallmarks on the BV3, but someone has identified this piece to be "Der Ritter aus der Französische Fertigung ist nicht von 1900. / Ich würde so um 1820 - 1830 tippen. / Der Bandring ist typisch für die Zeit", therefore a quite early piece... ciao, Claudio

Danke Rudi!

That's great Glenn... Thanks a lot!!!! :-) now we have a face and even a visual confirmation that Sommer really wore that very medal bar!!! ;-) Thank you again!!!!

Oberst Werner Mölder RK des EK mit Eichenlaub, Schwerter und Brillanten (*18.03.1913 - †22.11.1941) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werner_Mölders It was really weird... we were at his tombstone on Sunday 17.03. just one day before his day of death... what a coincidence!!! Somebody had already placed a flower wreath on his tomb... very moving! He's still very much remembered by his family...

Some details...

Dear forumites, I'd like to introduce to you my new entry: a fantastic 9 place medal bar of the late Generalleutnant Sommer, Kdt. of the 39th Division in Colmar. Here's a detailed description of the bar: Preußen, Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse 1870 am Kämpferband (OEK 1904) mit Eichenblattspange 1895 „25“ (OEK 1905), E/S Preußen, Medaille für Rettung aus Lebensgefahr (OEK 1863) Baden, Militärischer Karl-Friedrich-Verdienstorden, RK Gold (OEK 113) Preußen, Kriegsdenkmünze 1870/71 mit 2 Gefechtsspangen „Strassburg“ und „An der Lisaine“ (OEK 1941/1 + OEK 1941/23 und 20) Preußen, Centenarmedaille 1897 (OEK 1965/1), Gbr Baden, Felddienst-Auszeichnung (OEK 278 + 294 + 296) Baden, Goldene Regierungsjubiliäumsmedaille 1902 (OEK 220), Br Sächsische Herzogtümer, Herzoglich Sachsen-Ernestinischer Hausorden 1. Modell (1833-1864) Buchstabe E für Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha Inländer mit Eichenkranz, Ritterkreuz (OEK 2450), Gold Unfortunately I don't have any details of Genltn Sommer's of his career or the dates of bestowal of his awards with the exception that his RK zum MKFVO was awarded to him on January 8, 1871 and that he was Adjudant in Generalstab during the Franco-Prussian war. To be able to find a picture of this General, it would be just great!!! I would be more than grateful if somebody could share more information on this high officer. Thanks for looking into this matter and please feel free to post your comments or questions about this medal bar. ciao, Claudio

Hi Chris! I am glad that you like this thread... according to wikipedia http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermann_von_Eichhorn is Generalfeldmarschall Emil Gottfried Hermann von Eichhorn also buried in the Invalidenfriedhof in Berlin, but I have to confess I haven't seen it... not even the tombstone of the Red Baron Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen... (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manfred_von_Richthofen). I focused myself on the most decorative tombstones, I am afraid! :-(

von Witzleben, F.A. Generalleutnant und Divisionkommandeur von Witzleben, Ernst Job Wilhelm *20.07.1783 - †09.07.1837 Königlich preußischer Generalleutnant und Generaladjutant, Staats- und Kriegsminister. http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Job_von_Witzleben_(Generalleutnant)

Tombstone of Hans Karl von Winterfeldt (*04.04.1707 - †08.09.1757), Prussian Lieutenant General and close friend of Frederik II "The Great" http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Karl_von_Winterfeldt

Tombstone of Johannes Friedrich "Hans" von Seeckt, born 22.04.1866, died 27.12.1936, commanding General of the newly build Reichsheer and the forefather of the German Wehrmacht. To me he was the epitome of the perfect Prussian officer, discipline and sense of duty and fidelity. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_von_Seeckt

Monumental tombstone of Gerhard Johann David von Scharnhorst, born 12.11.1755, died 28.06.1813 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerhard_von_Scharnhorst Königlich preußischer Generalleutnant und Generalquartiermeister der Armee

This one is not dedicated to a military personality or hero, but nonetheless a beautiful tombstone with a delicate and at the same time massive sculpture of Eduard Julius Ludwig Nolte (1859 –1908) Generaldirektor der „Neuen Gas AG“

Werner Freiherr von Fritsch, Generaloberst, Oberbefehlaber des Heeres (1935-38) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werner_von_Fritsch Main website of the family von Fritsch (heraldry): http://main.vonfritsch.de/index.php/geschichte-mainmenu-55?start=2