Claudio

Nothing like a spy... He served in the British army and was a battalion commander in the Western front... I forgot the name of the officer, but also his British officer uniform is on display at the Swedish Army Museum, in a temporary exhibition about "heroes"... Ciao, Claudio

Dear forumites, Let's the picture do the talking... I was blown away to see such an array of very exotic and rare awards for a "British" style court mounted medal bar... speachless! The name of the officer is known. Ciao, Claudio

Well, enough said that I also didn't like it from the beginning... What it disturbs me most is the fact that if I would sell or pass on such a piece I would stir a vesps' nest. Some dealers sell those things in a couple of minutes during the Friday's update... go and figure... That's a strange world. Ciao, Claudio

Hi Vince, I am posting the images, since I'd like also to hear some experts' comments on this one! Ciao, Claudio

Hi Andy, It's the Tirolean "Landesdenkmünze 1914-18", see http://www.omsa.org/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=1762 Ciao, Claudio

Hi Andreas! Congrats for your newly acquired beautiful medal bar! I saw it too on Ebay and wondered why the auction ended so abruptly... ;-) Ciao, Claudio

Hi Jani, The Friedrichsorden RK 2. Klasse mit Schwertern, according to my references, has been awarded about 5'111 times, the RK 1st class about 1'766 for comparison. It was quite a widely awarded order to Württemberg junior officers, often awarded also to officers of other German states who had a connection with Württemberg. Some of the most famous recipient were GFM Erwin Rommel, GenObst Heinz Guderian. Check also the very informative and great webpage of a very knowledgable GMIC member's, Dave Danner: http://home.att.net/~david.danner/militaria/wuerttemberg.htm. Are these bars coming up soon for sale on auction I might know?! Ciao, Claudio

Hi W! Nice Weimar era medal bar! The bar "Somme" is also correct if you check the history of the Feld.Art.Regt 7: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/1._Westf%C3%A4lisches_Feldartillerie-Regiment_Nr._7 Ciao, Claudio

Hi Rich! You are correct about the hinge... ;-) I just checked. I really do like your Iron Cross... and I totally agree with your comment about the Schinkel'sche kind of cross' shape! Thanks for showing! Ciao, Claudio

Hi Rich! The reverse of your cross looks quite different, though, also the hinge is completely different. Maybe you can show us also the obsverse of your cross. Ciao, Claudio

13er Ordensspange des Generalleutnants Rudolf Ulrich Schrader (*29.5.1890 - ?22.08.1945) ? Preu?en, Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse 1914 (OEK 1909), E/S ? Sachsen-Weimar, Orden vom Wei?en Falken, RK 2. Kl. mit Schwertern (OEK 2340) ? Lippe-Detmold, Kriegsverdienstkreuz am Band f?r K?mpfer 1914-18 (OEK 1190) ? Sachsen K?nigreich, Kriegs-Verdienstkreuz, 1915-1918 (OEK 2303) ? Deutsches Reich 1933-45, Ehrenkreuz f?r Frontk?mpfer (OEK 3803/1), Hersteller G & S, Godet & Sohn Berlin ? ?sterreich 1. Republik, 1. Weltkriegs-Erinnerungsmedaille ? Weimarer Republik, Schlesisches Bew?hrungsabzeichen 1921, 2. Kl. mit Schwertern (OEK 3301) ? Deutsches Reich 1933-45, WH-Dienstauszeichnung 1. Kl., 25 Jahre (OEK 3852) ? Deutsches Reich 1933-45, WH-Dienstauszeichnung 3. Kl., 12 Jahre (OEK 3854) ? Deutsches Reich 1933-45, Deutsches Olympia-Ehrenzeichen 2. Klasse (OEK 3572) ? Deutsches Reich 1933-45, Erinnerungsmedaille an den 13.03.38, Anschluss ?sterreich (OEK 3516) ? Deutsches Reich 1933-45, Erinnerungsmedaille an den 01.10.38, Anschluss Sudetenland mit Spange ?Prager Burg? (OEK 3517 & 3518) ? Ungarn, 1. Weltkriegs-Erinnerungsmedaille Generalleutnant Rudolf Ulrich Schrader (*Jena, 29th May 1890 - ? Suicide in Wiesbaden hospital as U.S. POW, 22nd August 1945) Units: 00.00.00-00-00.00 Telegraph Battalion 3 00.00.00-00.00.00 Telegraph Battalion 5 00.00.00-00.00.00 Reichswehr Ministry 01.10.35-31.03.38 Kommandeur der Nachrichtentruppe VII (HQ: M?nchen, subordinated: VII. Korps) 01.04.38-26.08.39 H?herer Nachrichtenoffizier 5 (HQ: Wien, subordinated: Army Group 5) 27.08.39-01.03.40 Commander, Army Signals School 02.03.40-01.03.41 Higher Signals Officer, Military Government, France 01.04.41-31.05.41 Higher Signals Officer, Army Group "C" 01.06.41-00.00.44 Higher Signals Officer, Army Group "North" 00.00.44-08.05.45 Higher Signals Officer, Army Group "D" Rank: 00.00.09 Abitur Officer Candidate 22.08.10 Commissioned (vorpatentiert to seniority 22.8.08 D9d) 25.02.15 Oberleutnant M25m 27.01.18 Hauptmann G3g, Reichsheer seniority same date #10 01.02.31 Major (21) 01.07.34 Oberstleutnant (Keilig, genaues RDA unbekannt) 01.08.36 Oberst (17), tr?gt Uniform: Nachrichtenabteilung 7 01.07.40 Generalmajor (Keilig, genaues RDA unbekannt) 01.07.42 Generalleutnant (4) Awards: 00.00.?? K?nigreich Preu?en, Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse 1914 00.00.?? K?nigreich Preu?en, Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse 1914 00.00.?? Gro?herzogtum Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach, Hausorden vom Wei?en Falken, Ritterkreuz 2. Klasse mit Schwertern 00.00.?? F?rstentum Lippe-Detmold, Kriegsverdienstkreuz 1914-1918 00.00.?? K?nigreich Sachsen, Kriegsverdienstkreuz 1915-1918 00.00.?? Deutches Reich 1933-45, Ehrenkreuz f?r Frontk?mpfer mit Schwertern 00.00.?? ?sterreich 1. Republik, Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Weltkrieg 00.00.?? Ungarn, Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Weltkrieg 00.00.?? Weimarer Republik, Schesischer Adler 2. Klasse mit Schwertern 00.00.36 Deutches Reich 1933-45, WH-Dienstauszeichnung 3. Stufe f?r 12 Dienstjahren 00.00.36 Deutches Reich 1933-45, WH-Dienstauszeichnung 1. Stufe f?r 25 Dienstjahren 00.00.37 Deutches Reich 1933-45, Deutsches Olympia-Ehrenzeichen 2. Klasse am Band 00.00.39 Deutches Reich 1933-45, Medaille Zur Erinnerung an den 13. M?rz 1938 (Anschluss ?sterreich) 00.00.39 Deutches Reich 1933-45, Medaille Zur Erinnerung an den 1. Okt. 1938 mit Spange ?Prager Burg? (Anschluss Sudetenland) 00.00.?? Deutches Reich 1933-45, 1939 Spange zumEisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse 1914 00.00.?? Deutches Reich 1933-45, 1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse 1914 00.00.42 Deutches Reich 1933-45, Medaille "Winterschlacht Im Osten 1941/42" 25.03.43 Deutches Reich 1933-45, Deutsches Kreuz in Silber 10.04.45 Deutches Reich 1933-45, Ritterkreuz des Kriegsverdienstkreuzes mit Schwertern Schrader receives the Knights Cross to the War Merit Cross with Swords, one of only 118 recipients to receive this decoration. 22nd August 1945 Schrader commits suicide while being held as a U.S. POW in Wiesbaden hospital - Milit?rsspital Wiesloch (Keilig). A technical officer like him was virtually guaranteed NOT to have committed war crimes, so avoiding prosecution cannot have motivated him. There does seem to be some controversy as to the actual events around his death. Generalleutnant Rudolf Ulrich Schrader is buried in the Military cemetery in Wiesloch-Friedhof Heil- u. Pflegeanstalt, Germany. He is buried in grave 75 (Endgrablage: Grab 75)

2nd one... ? Preu?en, Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse, 1914 (OEK 1909), E/S ? Deutsches Reich 1933-45, Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2. Klasse mit Schwertern (OEK 3836) ? Deutsches Reich 1933-45, Ehrenkreuz f?r Frontk?mpfer (OEK 3803/1), Hersteller N. & H. Noelle & Hueck GmbH, L?denscheid ? Deutsches Reich 1933-45, Treudienst-Ehrenzeichen, 2. Stufe f?r 25 Jahre (OEK 3524) ? Deutsches Reich 1933-45, Deutsches Olympia-Ehrenzeichen, 1936, Erinnerungsmedaille (OEK 3573) ? Finnland, Erinnerungsmedaille an den Befreiungskrieg, 1918

its Miniatures chain...

A couple of bars with the Olympia-Ehrenzeichen... 1st one... ? Preu?en, Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse 1914 (OEK 1909), E/S ? Hamburg, Hanseatenkreuz, 1915-18 (OEK 688), WM vs ? Kaiserreich ?sterreich-Ungarn, Milit?rverdienstkreuz 3. Klasse ? Deutsches Reich 1933-45, Ehrenkreuz f?r Frontk?mpfer mit Schwertern (OEK 3803/1) ? ?sterreich 1. Republik, 1. Weltkriegs-Erinnerungsmedaille ? Deutsches Reich 1933-45, Deutsches Olympia-Ehrenzeichen, Erinnerungsmedaille 1936-37 (OEK 3573), WM vs ? Deutsches Reich 1933-45, Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938, Anschluss Sudetenland (OEK 3517), Br ? Ungarn, 1. Weltkriegs-Erinnerungsmedaille

Picture of the reverse:

Dear forumites, I'd like to hear your comments on this IC and what do you know about the maker of this cross. I really appreciate your most appraciated inputs... ciao, Claudio Picture of the obverse:

Hi! The last ribbon looks like the Albanian Order of Skanderberg (under Italian occupation 1939-1943), it could be officer or commander grade... The other two orders with rosette are very likely Rumanian or Bulgarian orders. Practically the second row are represented all foreign orders which were awarded Gen.d.Art. Speth. Ciao, Claudio

Just for your interest and info... I found also the medal bar sold by Thies back in 2006 (31st Auction, art. no. 31). If the owner of the bar wants to purchase the missing ribbon bars in my possesion in order to keep this group together, please do not hesitate to contact me. Ciao, Claudio

Hi Paul, Very likely you already got my payment by paypal... Looking forward to receiving it! Ciao, Claudio

I also gladly like to have a copy... Thanks! Ciao, Claudio

Very interesting... who knows if one of these NCOs the one wearer of the medal bar in my collection is ( see: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=11870&hl=schwanz ). NCO had received his Sword's Order in 1909... Ciao, Claudio

Hi Dave! Very nice named group! Congratulations! The way the ribbons are folded reminds me something... can you show us the reverse of the medal and ribbon bars? Ciao, Claudio

There are also Meybauer Silesian eagles without enamel in gold... look here: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=8598&st=60 (posts nos. 66-68) and I also have one like this one on a medal bar. Ciao, Claudio

Thanks Hendrik and F922 for your contributions. I think you're both right; it must be the "ordre de la sant? publique". Here is the final description of the ribbons: ? Ordre national de la L?gion d?Honneur, Commandeur ? Croix de Guerre 1939 ? 1945 ? Croix de Guerre des Th??tres d'Op?rations Ext?rieurs (1921) ? M?daille des ?vades (1926) ? Croix du Combattant (1930) ? M?daille d?Outre-Mer / M?daille coloniale (1893-1962), Extr?me Orient ? M?daille comm?morative de la Guerre 1939-1945 (1946), France/Afrique/Lib?ration ? M?daille comm?morative de la Campagne d'Indochine (1953) ? Ordre de l??toile Noire, Commandeur (1889-1963) ? Ordre du Dragon d'Annam, Officier (1886-1950) ? Ordre des Palmes Acad?miques, Officier (1808/1955) ? Ordre de la Sant? Publique, Officier (1938-1963) ? Ordre du Million d?El?phant et du Parasol Blanc, Laos ? Ordre de l'?toile d'Anjouan, Commandeur (1874-1963) ? Ordre de Nichan Iftikhar, Tunisie (Ordre de la fiert?), Commandeur ? Ordre du m?rite civil Tha? (1950-1954), cr?? par le conseil de la f?d?ration Tha?, Commandeur Hopefully now it is correct. I am just wondering why he got the "M?daille des ?vades (1926)"... Ciao, Claudio

Hi Pierce, I like this bar; it's neatly put together, the ribbons nicely folded and the backing on the reverse looks good, although with some light moths' damage... this doesn't detract anything from the bar. Furthermore the Schlesicher Adler is a Paul Meybauer and the FEK (Hindenburg cross) a Godet & Sohn (G S) piece. Nice...although not traceable. Ciao, Claudio