Kriegsmarine Admiral

Thank you Daniel!

For Char. Konteradmiral Andreas Fischer I found an award under the abbreviation BRJM. What does it mean?

Unknown #5 Does anyone recognize this full Admiral? He is wearing the Großkreuz des Königlich Ungarischen Verdienstordens. I think the photo was taken in 1938/1939.

Hello guys, here is a photo of Emsmann from "Deutschlands Admirale 1849-1945" Band 1. Below it is his entry in the 1909 Kaiserliche Marine Rangliste. Since he was active during WW1 as "Offizier zur Disposition in aktiven Dienststellung" it is odd that he isn't listed in the 1916 and 1918 Rangliste under that section. I have two question regarding his awards: 1. Does anyone know the class of his Turkish Medal of Merit of the Red Crescent visible on Komtur's photo above the Gallipoli Star? The Medal of the Red Crescent came in 3 classes: Bronze, Silver and Gold. 2. On the ribbon bar posted by Gensui we can see he also had the China Medal. Most likely for his service during the Boxer Rebellion with the SMS Cormoran. Would the class of this medal for him be Bronze (for combatants) or Steel (for non-combatants)? Thanks!

Thank you very much guys for the help! You are correct Daniel, he was awarded the Commander's Cross of the Order of the Star of Romania with Swords on Bravery Band of Military Virtue on 7 November 1941. He didn't mount this award on the ribbon bar. Also, his Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty 1st Class with Swords (10 December 1941) is also missing from the ribbon bar.

Thank you. Do you agree that the other ribbons are as I wrote above? Slowakisches Kriegsiegerkreuz (can you guess the class?), Medalla de la Campaña Española (1936–1939), Erinnerungsmedaille für die Verteidigung der Slowakei?

Hello, I would appreciate if anyone could help me identify the awards from the ribbon bar of Leopold Bürkner. My ID of the ribbons so far: First row: - Eisernes Kreuz (1914) 2. Klasse (hidden) - Kriegsverdienstkreuz (1939) 2. Klasse mit Schwertern (most likely) - Herzoglich Anhaltisches Friedrich-Kreuz - Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer - Wehrmacht Dienstauszeichnung 1. Klasse - Wehrmacht Dienstauszeichnung 3. Klasse - Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938 mit Spange "Prager Burg" - Medaille zur Erinnerung an die Heimkehr des Memellandes - Slowakisches Kriegsiegerkreuz (I was told it may be the 3. Klasse, is that correct?) Second row: - Königlich Bulgarischen Militär-Verdienstorden (could the class be Kommandeurkreuz?) - Offizierskreuz des Königlichen Ordens der Krone von Italien (awarded to Bürkner on 02 August 1935) - Offizierskreuz des Königlich Spanisch-Marrokanischen Mehdauia-Ordens (or is it also a Kommandeurkreuz?) - Medalla de la Campaña Española (1936–1939) ??? (Bürkner took part in the Spanish Civil War and was also awarded the Spanienkreuz in Silber mit Schwertern) - Königlich Spanischer Militär-Verdienstorden mit Rot Verliehen OR Erinnerungsmedaille für die Verteidigung der Slowakei (based on the fact the last ribbon in the first row is the Slowakisches Kriegsiegerkreuz) OR perhaps neither but something else ??? - ??? - Kommandeurkreuz des Königlich Ungarischen Verdienstordens ??? (awarded to Bürkner on 10 August 1938) - ??? (black ribbon?) - Königlich Spanischer Orden für Verdienste zur See mit Weiß Verliehen ??? Please share your opinions regarding the questions bolded in black in brackets and also where 3 "?" appear. Thanks

Thank you Claudio, but your photo shows Admiralarzt Willy Mücke, not Hugo Caanitz. Photo of Caanitz attached below.

Thank you guys! I wasn't sure if it was the EK1, the award looked bigger somehow.

- Eisernes Kreuz (1914) 2. Klasse - Hamburgisches Hanseatenkreuz - Großherzoglich Oldenburgisches Friedrich August-Kreuz 2. Klasse mit Spange “Vor dem Feinde” - Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer - ??? Does anyone recognize the last ribbon? At first glance, the last ribbon looks like the k.u.k. Österreichisches Militär-Verdienstkreuz 3. Klasse mit der Kriegsdekoration. But that award is not listed for Maertens in any of the Rangliste. Other ribbon with a similar device, Kaiserlich Türkischer Eiserner Halbmond is also not listed. And I don't think it's the Ehrenzeichen des Deutschen Roten Kreuzes either. Perhaps someone will have an idea. It could be a foreign award with this kind of circle device. Member of the forum "P.F." suggested something from South America from the 1920/1930s. There is also an possibility it's indeed the Österreichisches Militär-Verdienstkreuz 3. Klasse mit der Kriegsdekoration that was somehow left out of the Rangliste for Maertens. Any help is appreciated.

Hello, I don't know if there are any experts on the Ehrenzeichen des Deutschen Roten Kreuzes on this forum, but I will try anyways. I hoped someone might be able to help my two colleagues and me with this dilemma. On the first photo below you can see the ribbon bar of Admiralarzt Dr.med. Hugo Caanitz. The two colleagues and me both agreed the last ribbon is the Ehrenzeichen des Deutschen Roten Kreuzes. However, we can't agree on the Class. I know it's hard to determine the Class just from the ribbon, but perhaps someone will have an idea. The 1st colleague colleague thinks the Class is 1. Klasse. The 2nd colleague also thinks it's the 1. Klasse. His explanation: "I see your dilemma with the class, but I would be inclined to opt for the first class, given his rank. 2nd class would be too low for a Konteradmiral- of course, you need to work out what rank he was when awarded the Red Cross. Note too, the pin-back can be represented on the ribbon bar as well as the first class, etc. But I see from the photo he is not wearing the pin back." Unfortunately we don't know what rank Caanitz was when he was awarded the Ehrenzeichen des Deutschen Roten Kreuzes. I think it's the 2. Klasse. According to this article on the german wikipedia https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ehrenzeichen_des_Deutschen_Roten_Kreuzes, the 1. Klasse was worn around the neck. Caanitz isn't wearing the award around the neck, only on his ribbon bar. On the other hand, the 2. Klasse was worn as a medal with the ribbon on the medal/ribbon bar. This would fit with Caanitz' case. The Class between the 1. and 2. Klasse is the Verdienstkreuz, which was worn as a pinback cross next to other badges. As you can see on the photo, Caanitz is not wearing the Verdienstkreuz on his uniform. That's why our dilemma is between the 1. and 2. Klasse. I think it's the 2. Klasse simply because the 1. Klasse seems to be too high for someone of Caanitz's rank (Admiralarzt=Konteradmiral). Some time ago, the 1st colleague and me determined that Alfred Fikentscher (at that time most likely Admiralstabsarzt=Vizeadmiral) was wearing the Verdienstkreuz des Ehrenzeichens des Deutschen Roten Kreuzes, based on one photo from "alamy" where he was wearing the pinback cross next to his EK 1. That class (Verdienstkreuz) is lower than the 1. Klasse, so that's why I think the 2. Klasse makes most sense for Caanitz, based on his rank. My point is, Fikentscher at that time was one of the more senior Medical officers of the Kriegsmarine, and even he wasn't yet awarded the 1. Klasse, so why would Caanitz have been awarded such a high Class as an Admiralarzt, rank lower than Fikentscher's. If anyone can help with this I would be very grateful. On the second photo below you can see the table of the Classes of the Ehrenzeichen des Deutschen Roten Kreuzes. In my opinion the Grosskreuz class would include both the neck order and the star. Thanks

Hello, does anyone recognize this award (circled red)? At first I thought it is the Iron Cross 1st Class, because of the ribbon of the 2nd Class he is wearing on the buttonhole. But after closer inspection it doesn't look like the Iron Cross. Thanks

I have a few questions about this officer's career and awards. You can look at his career here: https://www.oocities.org/~orion47/WEHRMACHT/KRIEGSMARINE/Konteradmirals/STEENBOCK_JOHANNES.html He retired in 1919 and wasn't activated again until 1935. But for some reason he isn't listed in the 1918 Rangliste. Why is that? At that time period his rank was Marineingenieuraspirant (are officers of that rank not listed in the 1918 Rangliste?). On the only known photo of him he is wearing a ribbon bar. Unfortunately I can't take a good photo of it from the book "Deutschlands Admirale" because the quality is pretty bad and the ribbon bar is barely visible. But these are the ribbons I can make out: - EK 2. Klasse (I can't be sure if this is the 1914 or 1939 EK 2., and I can't check the Class because he is not listed in any of the Rangliste. If anyone has additional info please comment) - Kriegsverdienstkreuz (1939) 2. Klasse mit Schwertern - then a dark, one colour ribbon that blends in with the colour of the uniform (no idea what it might be) - ribbon with white edges (I assume this is the Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer) - there is at least 1 more ribbon after the Ehrenkreuz, my guess would be the Wehrmacht Dienstauszeichnung 4. Klasse (for 4 years of service) (Steenbock was in active service from 01.10.1913 until 31.03.1919 = 5 full years, and he was reactivated to active service on 01.04.1935, giving him just 9 full years of service until August 1939, which was not enough for the 3. Class of the Wehrmacht DA, which was awarded for 12 years of service) My questions regarding the awards: 1. Does anyone know if his EK 2. is the 1914 or 1939 version? During WW1 he served on board the Liner "Oldenburg" (03 January 1914-30 September 1916). That ship was present at the Battle of Jutland. It is quite possible that during this period he would be eligible for the EK 2. 2. Is it more likely his Ehrenkreuz is for Frontkämpfer (Combatants) or Kriegsteilnehmer (Non-Combatants)? Again, the service on the "Oldenburg" should indicate it's the version for Frontkämpfer. The rest of WW1 he spent in the Engineer and Deck Officer School and Submarine School. 3. Do you agree he would only be eligible for the 4. Class of the Wehrmacht DA, based on the information I provided above? Thanks for any help.

Thank you Daniel. I was unable to find out because that order is listed as "HSH" in the Rangliste.

For what award does the abbreviation "EH2b" stand for? Thanks

Thank you very much Dave. I don't quite understand the part about RAO4 and KO3. Why did he have to return the awards to the State? To me that doesn't make sense. Could you explain this practice in more detail? The 1st class of the Turkish award should be the Medal in Gold. Thank for that information about the Orden der Eisernen Krone 2. Klasse mit der Kriegsdekoration. The 2nd Class was worn around the neck, that means he didn't mount it on the photos above. He only mounted the Militär-Verdienstkreuz 3. Klasse mit der Kriegsdekoration on the medal bar. So the Olympia-Ehrenzeichen 2. Klasse was awarded posthumously? Because he died on 04.01.1937

I need some help with Behncke's awards. Here is the list I have so far (sources are the 1914 and 1918 Rangliste and photographic evidence): -Pour le Mérite am 04.12.1917 als Vizeadmiral und Chef des III. Geschwaders -Königlich Preußischer Roter Adler-Orden II. Klasse mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern -Eisernes Kreuz (1914) I. Klasse -Eisernes Kreuz (1914) II. Klasse -Königlich Preußische Kaiser Wilhelm-Centenarmedaille 1897 -Südwestafrika-Denkmünze (Class unknown) -Königlich Preußischer Roter Adler-Orden III. Klasse mit Schleife und mit der Krone -Königlich Preußischer Roter Adler-Orden IV. Klasse -Königlich Preußischer Kronen-Orden II. Klasse -Königlich Preußischer Kronen-Orden III. Klasse -Königlich Preußisches Dienstauszeichnungskreuz -Königlich Bayerischer Militärverdienstorden II. Klasse mit Schwertern -Lübeckisches Hanseatenkreuz -Großherzoglich Oldenburgisches Friedrich August-Kreuz I. Klasse -Großherzoglich Oldenburgisches Friedrich August-Kreuz II. Klasse -Komturkreuz II. Klasse des Königlich Sächsischen Albrechts-Ordens mit Schwertern -Marineverwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz (1918) -k.u.k. Österreichisches Militär-Verdienstkreuz III. Klasse mit der Kriegsdekoration -Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer I have 3 photos where his medal bar is visible. If someone has the 2nd and 3rd photo in better quality, or any other photos of Behncke where his medal/ribbon bar is visible, please post them. Here is my ID of the medal bar: - Eisernes Kreuz (1914) 2. Klasse - Königlich Preußischer Roter Adler-Orden 3. Klasse mit Schleife und mit der Krone - Königlich Preußisches Dienstauszeichnungskreuz - Südwestafrika-Denkmünze (Class unknown) (look at the ribbon) ??? - Another round medal beneath the Südwestafrika-Denkmünze on the first photo ??? - Großherzoglich Oldenburgisches Friedrich August-Kreuz 2. Klasse - Lübeckisches Hanseatenkreuz - k.u.k. Österreichisches Militär-Verdienstkreuz III. Klasse mit der Kriegsdekoration - Kaiserlich Türkische Liakat or Imtiyaz Medaille mit Säbeln ??? 1. Does anyone know which class of the Südwestafrika-Denkmünze did he receive (Bronze or Stahl). Of course if you agree it's the Südwestafrika-Denkmünze in the first place. 2. What could the other round medal beneath the Südwestafrika-Denkmünze be? Perhaps the Kaiser Wilhelm-Centenarmedaille? 3. What is the last medal, Liakat or Imtiyaz. And what class? If someone has any additional info I would appreciate it very much. Thanks.

So how would the full award be called exactly? Prussian Order of the Crown 2nd Class with Swords and Star with Swords?

Can someone help with this abbreviation of the Kronen-Orden? Pr. Kronen-O. 2. Kl., Schwerter u. Stern m.Schw. z. "Prussian Order of the Crown 2nd Class with Swords and Star ..." What does the part "m.Schw. z." mean? The recipient of this award was Char. Vizeadmiral Alfred Begas upon his retirement. Thanks

Thank you Dave. But what about Hirth's case? What is the last medal on his medal bar then? And do you know if he was a Bavarian native?

I'm sorry, I don't understand. Who is Liut Pod? If you are referring to the Bayerische Jubiläumsmedaille (1905) and Bayerische Prinz-Regent-Luitpold-Medaille in Bronze am Bande der Jubiläums-Medaille (1911) I know they look the same. Still, the one Hirth has can be determined by looking at his carrer, he joined the Navy in 1903. That would mean he would be awarded the 1905 medal, if he was a Bavarian native. But I don't know if he was. So you agree it's the Bayerische Jubiläumsmedaille in the last place on his medal bar?

Anyone? Please help.

I just found this nice photo of Hirth. We can see his medal bar, 4 medals: - Eisernes Kreuz (1914) 2. Klasse - Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer - Königlich Preußisches Dienstauszeichnungskreuz - ??? Does anyone recognize the last medal? Pierce told me it could be the Bayerische Jubiläumsmedaille given it's dimensions. This could easily be confirmed if we knew that Hirth was a Bavarian native. However, he was born in Shanghai, China and I couldn't find any more info regarding his life. He did die in München, so that might be a clue. If anyone agrees it is the Bayerische Jubiläumsmedaille, is it the one from 1905 or the Königlich Bayerische Prinz-Regent-Luitpold-Medaille in Bronze am Bande der Jubiläums-Medaille from 1911? Hirth entered service in the Navy in 1903, so I think it could be the 1905 Bayerische Jubiläumsmedaille? Thanks

Thanks Tifes and Ian. Ian, did you ID the Austro-Hungarian awards from the photos or do you have some other source?

Another photo of Begić! 1 Grand Cross of the Croatian Order of the Crown of King Zvonimir with Star and Swords 2 ??? 3 ??? 4 Grand Cross of the Romanian Order of the Crown ??? 5 ???