Claudio

Hauptmann von der Hellen IR91 Personal adjutant of GFM von Hindenburg (there's a small picture of him on Beyreiss book about Oldenburg's orders and medals, wearing his medal bar). Here's the description of his decorations: Preussen: eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse, 1914; Preussen: RK des Königlichen Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern (ritzmarke „s & W”, silberstempel und „937“); Oldenburg: RK 2. Klasse des Haus- und Verdienstordens von Herzog Peter Friedrich Ludwig mit Krone und Schwertern; Oldenburg: Friedrich-August-Kreuz 2. Klasse mit Bandspange „vor dem Feinde”; Bayern: Militär-Verdienstorden 4. Klasse mit Schwertern; Sachsen: RK 1. Klasse des Albrecht-Ordens mit Schwertern (Stempel „s”); Braunschweig: Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2. Klasse; Lippe-Detmold: Kriegsverdienstkreuz am Kämpferband; 3. Reich: Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer; Preussen: Kronen-Orden 4. Klasse; Preussen: DA-Kreuz für 25 Dienstjahre der Offiziere; Oldenburg: RK 2. Klasse des Haus- und Verdienstordens von Herzog Peter friedrich Ludwig also shown here Unfortunately no date for the HHOX... Enjoy! Claudio

Dear all, Here I’m posting a couple of pictures I have taken in the castle Veste in Coburg. The medal bar is of Ernst II Herzog von Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha. I think also the breast stars shown with the PlM should be his, but I’m not sure. There were at least two other displays which I haven’t taken the pictures. Very likely there were also the orders & breast stars of Ernst I . Ernst I didn’t wear the PlM, like Ernst II did, very likely because he participated to all German wars and major political events from 1840ies until 1870 (he got the PlM in 1849). https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_II,_Duke_of_Saxe-Coburg_and_Gotha Enjoy the pictures. cordially C

Yeah, it seems so... ? too much competition with named groups and medal bars. Besides German Imperial helmets have been always interesting for me...

Thanks a lot Andy! You made my day... ???? Yes, indeed interesting... I saw him googling on the net. I thought he might have be his son and now we are... ?????? There’s an Award entitled to his name, too! “Der Preis dient der Förderung exzellenter Leistungen dieser Nachwuchskräfte auf den Gebieten Fernsehen, Film und elektronische Medien.”

At first I also thought this, but to me it seemed a too high nobility grade for such helmet... I haven’t found any Fürsten in the Leib-Regiment. Could this helmet also be for cavalry?

Dear Forumites, I recently acquired a very nice Reserve's Pickelhaube with black eagle star and without Vaterlandsbandeau for Garde Kraftfahr-Bataillon (like also Garde-Pionier-Bataillon) of a subaltern officer apparently named Urtel (see inside the leather sweatband). It's a really nice untouched helmet in almost unused conditions. Since this surname "URTEL" is rather uncommon in Germany, maybe the research on this officer could be easier I thought. An entry of this officer can be found also in the Rangliste of 1913 on page 796. I also just found that a German auction house sold a document group of a driver with a signed original signature in his Militär-Führerschein of this elusive officer, then in 1915 commanding officer of Personenkraftwagenpark in Metz (back then still under German Empire in the Lorraine), see also picture of the group. Can somebody add anything interesting to this officer, like date of birth and death, first name/s and his later career if he had any? Thank you very much in advance for your most appreciated inputs and comments. Claudio

For this helmet I though one of the von Prankh (Adelgeschlecht) could have pre-owned and worn this helmet. I noticed that a couple of them (see Bavarian branch of their family) served in the Leib-Regiment. The crown look like the one of a Landgraf or or Graf... What do you think? Claudio

Thank you so much, Glenn!!! ?? I thought that the Hanseatenkreuz not from Bremen but from Hamburg was... much more common and plus how could have been explained Major Trautmann's link to the much smaller Hansa free city of Bremen... Another identification and another name put to a face... Thanks again also from my brother's side, Glenn! ?

That’s why he must be him... ????

Hi Glenn! you might have found him... it looks like him, from the face and the medal bar... ???????

You meant Hanseatenkreuz Bremen... not Lufthansa...

Thanks Daniel! ?? I thought about that, but as you rightly said it wasn’t really painted very well... cheers Claudio

IMHO the third medal, although foreign, is a bravery medal... what else could that be with a red-white ribbon and a large gold-like medal? Maybe this one https://www.ehrenzeichen-orden.de/deutsche-staaten/st-georgs-medaille-jubilaumsmedaille-1889.html? However in order to be in the exclusive Bavarian order of St. George, you had to prove that your lineage is noble since 8 generations... ? In that case I think this officer he would have his "Familenwappen" (coat of arms) painted on the upper corner, wouldn't he?

Dear forumites, My brother lately acquired a very nice high officer's portrait in oil colours under glass (therefore the reflection on the picture, sorry!). which still has the original frame. As you can see this high officer is wearing a EK1 1914 and a medal bar composed by the following orders and medals: Kingdom of Bavaria, BMVO3 mit Krone und Schwerter Kingdom of Prussia, EK2 1914 KuK Austria-Hungary (?), goldene Tapferkeitsmedaille (?) Free City of Hamburg (?), Hanseatenkreuz Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, war cross 2nd class Kingdom of Saxony, AO1X Kingdom of Bavaria, DA 25 Jahre Kingdom of Prussia, Zentenarmedaille KuK Austria-Hungary, MVK3 Is an identification of this highly decorated officer possible? Thank you in advance for your most appreciated inputs and comments. Cordially, Claudio

Dear forumites I would like to show you a “Leiber” (K.B. Inf. Leib-Regt) Officer spiked helmet, purchased some years ago, with a crowned chypher “P” (Herzog/ducal crown https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herzogskrone or Landgraf/count crown https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landgrafenkrone https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Can the original wearer of this spiked helmet be researched? I guess there weren’t many officers with such high aristocratic title in that regiment... I noticed some notable aristocratic names beginning with P in that regiment, but I’m not so sure. Thank you in advance for your valuable comments and inputs. Best regards, Claudio

Very nice indeed! ????

Hi David, Here’s the website: https://www.medals.pl cheers Claudio My mistake.,, you are right! ;)

Hi Chris, Since I cannot send you the image by PM, I'm posting here an image how it could have looked like. Is that correct? Cordially C

Thanks a lot Andy! That’s quite a lot of information... back in those times people died much younger... not even 41!

Thanks! ?

I also read Major in Garde ??? (Grenadier) Militär Attaché in Bern, Schweiz.

Dear forumites, I got this Garde Grenadier Officer with spike helmet's photo on a online auction in Switzerland for pea-nuts (CHF 3.- including shipping). I read Heinrich Graf zu Rantzau (I am not sure though), 1870-1912. I noticed that this family was noble and there were many personalities bearing the family name from 1500 onwards. Could you provide more info on this subject? Thanks a lot in advance. Cordially, Claudio

Here a couple of examples...

Thanks Chris, thanks Glenn, I also think is rather Silver than Gold... The Gold ones are for Generals à la Suite, Generalarzt and Artillery & Jäger Generals. I have seen on my books Bavarian Cavalry General helmets also in Silver. BR Claudio

Dear Forumites, A question to the most knowledgeable: Kronprinz Rupprecht when he was wearing his General Helmet, the Helmet plates/emblems and chin-scale were in Golden or in Silver colour? Here a couple of black and white pictures... I couldn't find any colour painting or photos of him with his Bavarian General Helmet. Thanks in advance for your most appreciated comments. Cordially, Claudio