Kriegsmarine Admiral

Ok, so it's the Komturkreuz 2. Klasse? It seems odd that both the 1916 and 1918 Rangliste made the error, they list Komturkreuz 1. Klasse.

Thanks Dave, can you please share the source for the WF2bX?

Thanks Dave! Is there a possibility the Rangliste wasn't wrong about the WF2aX, but that he simply didn't mount the breast star on this particular photo? And you agree the second Hanseatenkreuz is the one from Bremen? You think it is the China-Denkmünze in Stahl based on the photo? Couldn't it be the Bronze version?

Here is the list of all the possible candidates, all were either Admirale or Char. Admirale and alive on 12 June 1938 when the photo was taken: Gustav Bachmann (1860-1943) Carl von Coerper (1854-1942) Ernst Fritze (1850-1941) Gerhard Gerdes (1861-1941) Hermann Jacobsen (1859-1943) Reinhard Koch (1861-1939) Günther von Krosigk (1860-1938) Wilhelm von Lans (1861-1947) Georg Alexander von Müller (1854-1940) Max Rollmann (1857-1942) Ehrhardt Schmidt (1863-1946) Friedrich Schultz (1865-1945) Wilhelm Souchon (1864-1946) I am pretty sure it isn't Günther von Krosigk because he died 4 days after (16 June 1938) the photo above was taken. We are looking for an Admiral that had a moustache (and beard?), so I think that rules out Georg Alexander von Müller. It's also definitely not Erhardt Schmidt or Wilhelm Souchon. Schmidt was stocky and it doesn't resemble Souchon. Von Usedom died in 1925, not him.

Hipper died in 1932, the photo was taken in 1938. Thanks anyways.

Who is this Admiral? Photo taken at the inauguration of the U-boat Memorial in Möltenort at Kiel, 12 June 1938. Thanks!

Thank you Nicolas, a very nice bar.

Thank you Antonio!

I found this better photo of Ditten. The medal bar is visible nicely. Can we now confirm 100% the last two medals are Erinnerungsmedaille des "Finnischen Freiheitskrieges" 1918 mit Spange and Finnische Tapferkeitsmedaille in Silber?

Ok, thank you. To be clear, the classes of the 1931-1938 type were: Grand Cross (4th Class), 3rd Class, 2nd Class, 1st Class and Silver Cross? Correct? So the 2nd Class had the Silver Breast Star like on your photo above. Do you have any ideas about #3 on the first photo? Is it possible it's the Spanish Order of Military Merit? We can see from his ribbon bar he had it.

Antonio, so you think the #1 on the first photo and the breast star on the second photo are the Spanish Order of Naval Merit 2nd Class? But which type? 1931—1939? If yes, did that class have the breast star in that period? So, you have no idea about #3 on the first photo?

On the first photo, Number 2 is the Breast Star of the Croatian Order of the Crown of King Zvonimir 1st Class with Oak Leaves. What is your opinion: On the class of Number 1? And what is the Breast Star Number 3? What is the class of the Breast Star on the second photo of Lietzmann I posted?

There is no date, but we know that Lietzmann was the Standing Naval-Attaché for Spain from 24 March 1936 until November 1936 (so he was the Naval-Attaché for a short period of time before the Civil War broke out in July). You theory is very plausible, but I don't understand why Franco would award Lietzmann with the same class of the award (Grand Cross) if he already received it from the Royal Family. To me the #1 Breast Star from the first photo still looks smaller than the Grand Cross breast star and in my opinion it is the 3rd Class of the Spanish Naval Order. It wouldn't make sense #3 is the Order of Military Merit because it looks like the Grand Cross breast star, so the #1 he is wearing would be the only Spanish Order of Naval Merit he is wearing, and like I said above, to me it looks like #1 is the 3rd Class and not the Grand Cross (4th Class).

I agree, but look at this other photo of Lietzmann below. The Breast Star is clearly the Grand Cross of the Spanish Order of Naval Merit in my opinion. It has the wider and bigger points then the #1 on the photo above (which is supposed to be the 3rd Class of the Spanish Order of Naval Merit, and not the Grand Cross given it's smaller size, compare the points of the star). And the size of #3 Breast Star (and the points) is identical to the Breast Star on this photo below.

Hello JapanX, thanks for your reply. Do you have any source for this claim (that Lietzmann was awarded the 3rd class)? I am still trying to confirm if he was awarded the 3rd (Commander) or 2nd (Grand Officer) Class. Lots of people suggested these 2 classes, one person even said it is the 4th class. I want to confirm the exact class. Is it possible to confirm the exact class just from the ribbon bar? Many thanks

Hello, Lietzmann can be seen wearing 3 Breast Stars on the photo. The one below the Iron Cross 1st Class (marked with #2) is the Breast Star of the Croatian Order of the Crown of King Zvonimir 1st Class with Star and Oak Leaves. The one right of the Iron Cross 1st Class (marked with #1) is the Spanish Order of Naval Merit (possibly the 3rd class that had a smaller breast star than the 4th class (Grand Cross)). Is this correct? The Breast Star on his right side of the chest (marked with #3) is unknown. I think it could also be the Spanish Order of Naval Merit, but this time the 4th class (Grand Cross) that had a bigger Breast Star than the 3rd Class. Can anyone confirm this? Or is it a different award? The curious thing is why would he wear both classes of the same award (Spanish Order of Naval Merit) and not just the highest class, i.e. the Grand Cross? Lietzmann's ribbon bar also suggests he was awarded the Spanish Order of Military Merit, but the exact class is unknown. Could one of the Breast Stars be that award?

Do you know if Admiral Otto Schultze was awarded the George VI Coronation Medal? By the way, here is Konteradmiral Erwin Waßner's medal bar. I believe today it resides in a museum in Den Haag in the Netherlands (where he died). This photo also confirms the last medal on his medal bar on the black and white photo is indeed the 1935 King George V Silver Jubilee Medal like I assumed.

So the Grand Cross, 3rd Class and 2nd Class all had the Breast Stars (1936-1970 period)?

Thank you guys. I thought it could be the 3rd Class because the Breast Star seems smaller than the Breast Star of the Grand Cross Class. But I guess it's the Grand Cross because of the sash? To my knowledge, the Grand Cross had the Golden Breast Star, the 3rd Class also a Golden Breast Star (but smaller size than the Grand Cross) and the 2nd Class had the Silver Breast Star. Or did I understand it wrong? The link Antonio posted shows that only the Grand Cross and the 3rd Class had the Breast Stars. What about the 2nd Class?

Hello, what class of the Order of Naval Merit is this? Thanks!

Thank you! That does say 30 January 1943? The quality is not the best for me to see.

Does anyone know when exactly was Dönitz awarded the Gemeinsames Flugzeugführer- und Beobachterabzeichen in Gold mit Brillanten. I found the date 30 January 1943, could this be the correct date? Thanks

I thought the Grand Cross and Grand Officer have a golden star and the Commander the silver star? I would say Kolbe is wearing the breast star of the Grand Officer class. Firstly, the sash of the Grand Cross is missing. And we can see he is wearing his parade uniform because it's most likely a state visit to Portugal. Secondly, the english wiki (I know wikipedia is not always reliable) says: "Colonels, Brigadiers, Navy Captains and Rear Admirals: Grand Officer" which would fit with Kolbe's rank on the photo (Konteradmiral=Rear Admiral).

Yes, I can see a cross in the center. The one from the Order of Aviz. What about the class?

What about the Portugese Military Order of Aviz?