Claudio

Picture 11, one of the few (2) originally worn medal bars. As you might already now, all the other medal bars where put together as example with original decorations for exhibit purposes.

Picture 10

Picture 9

Picture 8

Picture 7, Now some close-ups of the medals (sorry for the bad quality of the photographs)

Picture 6, not really part of the exhibition of Mr. O'Connor, but very interesting...

For more info about this plane (Taube) and his inventor:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etrich_Taube

Picture 5

Picture 4, some figures in original uniforms...

Picture 3

Picture 2

Picture 1

A picture of the deceased Mr. O'Connor.

Dear forumites,

In order to inform also those who doesn't have the possibility to travel to Germany, I'd like to show you some pictures taken at the above-mentioned museum. The exhibit was great; that's how it should be done by every serious collector; to find a possibility to expose a collection like this in a public museum. Unfortunately not always is that possible and sometimes also museums are not willing to expose collections of deceased military history enthusiasts. However it seems that Mr. O'Connor could find a museum and stipulate an agreement that his collection can be exhibited permanently in such a great, modern looking museum.

There are roughly about 20 original Pour le Mérite crosses... So, if you want to study them in detail you know now where to go!

I would like to thank Mike (RAO) for taking the time to show me this museums and lots of other interesting things in Berlin and Potsdam.

Enjoy the pictures...

P.S.: Website of the Deutsches Technikmuseum in Berlin

Like Sascha already rightly said I think too, that the last ribbon is for the Turkish Half-Moon decoration. In fact, in many cases, such decoration was also worn by Germans on the medal bar without the star, but just like that. I saw such medal bars, but I can't enclose a picture here, since these are not in my collection.

C

Hi

Claudio, again a very nice ribbon bar.

The last two ribbons are Finnish. But about the finnish ribbon, the swords are different than here.

Christophe

Hi Christophe,

I know that the swords on the Finnish cross of liberty looks like that, but you can also immagine that these devices were not easily found in Germany and this officer could have gone for a simplified German version.

Claudio

back...

Dear fellow ribbon bar fetish!

Here's a picture coming from my brother's collection... Do you like it? I don't like the placement of the Badisches Band... what could that have been? A VM in Silber? But in this case would have it been only awarded to EM or it is possible that he was promoted to Lt dR during the WW1?

The ribbons seem to be equally aged and also the needle construction seem to be good, apart of a "homemade" repair on the back with the fabric covering the ribbons.

I really appreciate your kind comments!

ciao,

Claudio

Claudio, I have written to this archive and requested a record. The fee was not much. I had a friend pay by bank transfer and I received the record.

Paul

Hi Paul!

Thanks for your help! I was on the archive's website, but I didn't see that it was possible to order a file by mail, just to schedule an appointment to have the file ready for consulation.

Let me know how much it will cost... I gladly pay for the inconvenience! (also paypal!).

Ciao,

Claudio

Claudio,

Your new 2 BIIIG ones are really AMAZING!!!

Who was he? No prince, no General, a "simple" Captain at a Cadet School!

Karl von Flotow, born 1873, in 1914 Capt at Kadettenhaus Karlsruhe, Major a.D. after WW1.

Had RAO4, KO4, Joh, HEK3, AB3b, MG3, OV3b, EH3a, SLH3, DD3, RumK4, SE4, SMV1 before the war, no idea what he did in WW1 and if he got more awards.

Greetings

Daniel

Lieber Daniel,

Thanks for your kind reply... actually another GMIC member informed me about this officer, but I didn't have the chance to update this thread. Sorry for not telling this before; I hope you didn't loose to much time with the research. Thank you very much, anyway!

It's really incredible that such a mere captain of the army had such an array of orders... It could be that this Kadettenhaus received a lot of visits of Foreign VIP or from other German states...

C

reverse... I think this cross has be repaired (hinge), but a long time ago. There is a micro tiny silver mark under the catch "800", barely visible.

Better pictures...

Dear forumites,

I own the ribbon bar of the above-mentioned officer. I found on the website of the State Archives of Baden-Württemberg in Stuttgart, that they have a file on this very officer:

Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg

I know that it's really a long shot and a great favour to ask, but I would really appreciate anybody living in Stuttgart or near it, if he is already going to pay a visit to these archives, maybe there's a chance to make some photocopies of the relevant files (like Kriegsrangliste, even better pictures of this officer, etc.). I would gladly cover the costs (shipping, photocopies, time, ...).

I would be great to put a face to this a whole story and face to a such small but "great" ribbon bar...

Thank you for your time!

Ciao,

Claudio

P.S.:

Research of Richard Lundstrom:

Oberstleutnant aD Wollaib of KW Feldartillerie 13 (ending the war in command of the regiment)

Career:

01.10.1890 Entered Württemberg Army as Fahnenjunker

11.12.1891 Leutnant

22.07.1900 Oberleutnant

11.09.1907 Hauptmann

27.01.1915 J5i Major

Charakterisiert Oberstleutnant aD

Awards:

? EK2 1914

12.07.1915 ÖM3K KW FAR 13

23.07.1915 HT, same rank and unit (there are the Wtbg Personal Nachrichten publication dates)

16.10.1915 WM3 replacing a WK3X awarded on 21.05.1915; Major, same rank and unit

20.02.1917 WK3XmL fort the second time (see above): same rank and unit

13.06.1918 HOH3X, same rank and unit

? WF3a

? W DA-XXV

That is one of the worst attempt to copy a SS-Uniform... he has 3 Wi0, 2 KVK2Kl. and 2 EK2/39 ribbons... not to speak of the eagles that look more like chicken or voltures... nice the collar boards... look a chepo fake from Paki. :banger:

I hate these movies... I rather be obliged to watch a Polish war movie subtitled in Swedish (I did it... "Katyn" )

Claudio

Sascha! You are "da MAN"!!!!! You made my day!

That is great... it really matches almost completely. The last abreviation is for a Foreign order, but which one? SS2b (Spanish -don't think-, Swedish, ...?).

Liebeskind sounds to me like a famility name with jewish ancestry... like the famous American Architect in NY (his parents came to the USA from Poland, Posen). But maybe there were many Liebeskind with different families' roots.

C

Dear forumites,

I'd like to hear your opinion on this cross, not about its originality, which is out of question, but about the possible maker. Could it be made by Paul Meybauer? The Needle on the back seems like to be of this maker... It is only marked silver "800" under the catch, barely visible.

Thank you very much in advance for your most appreciated comments.

Ciao,

Claudio