Kriegsmarine Admiral

Anyone?

Please help me ID the awards on his medal bar. They got me a little confused.

Here are his entries from the 1914, 1918 and 1922 Rangliste:

Based on this, I made a list of his awards:

-Eisernes Kreuz (1914) 1. Klasse
-Eisernes Kreuz (1914) 2. Klasse
-Königlich Preußische Kaiser Wilhelm-Centenarmedaille 1897
-Königlich Preußischer Roter Adler-Orden 4. Klasse
-Königlich Preußischer Kronen-Orden 3. Klasse
-Königlich Preußisches Dienstauszeichnungskreuz
-Großherzoglich Oldenburgisches Friedrich August-Kreuz 1. Klasse
-Großherzoglich Oldenburgisches Friedrich August-Kreuz 2. Klasse

Now for the medal bar:

- Eisernes Kreuz (1914) 2. Klasse

- Königlich Preußischer Roter Adler-Orden 4. Klasse

- Königlich Preußischer Kronen-Orden 3. Klasse

- This medal looks too dark to be the Preußisches Dienstauszeichnungskreuz. The ribbon also doesn't fit. Is it the Oldenburgisches Friedrich August-Kreuz 2. Klasse then ??? If so, why didn't the mount the Dienstauszeichnungskreuz?

- Königlich Preußische Kaiser Wilhelm-Centenarmedaille 1897

- ??? What medal is this? Perhaps something foreign?

The other possibility is that the 4th medal is the Preußisches Dienstauszeichnungskreuz and the last one is the Oldenburgisches Friedrich August-Kreuz 2. Klasse. I don't know if the OFA2 was supposed to go before or after the Centenarmedaille on the medal bar?

Does anyone have Captain George Albert's (a.k.a. army historian) e-mail? I am trying to contact him.

Thanks

24 minutes ago, demir said:

He has Order of Medjidi 1 st Class and Liyakat metal (1st one from right)

Thank you Demir!

So the Breast Star of the Order of Medjidi doesn't have the Swords?

And do you think the class of the Liyakat medal is Silver?

Is that Char. Konteradmiral William Kutter on the colorised photo you posted?

4 hours ago, P.F. said:

Regarding the Colonial Medals- his service record should give you an indication of what types of medals these were.

There is no exact info in his service record about colonial service.

That's why I asked if you agree with my guesses and classes of the colonial medals based on photographic evidence only.

Thank you guys!

Pierce, so you agree with all 3 of my guesses for the colonial medals and also the classes of the Southwest Africa and China medals?

Hello. On this great photo that belongs to "Komtur", we can see that Char. Konteradmiral Hugo Emsmann had 2 Ottoman awards.

We can see the Ottoman War Medal.

What interests me more is the medal above it. It looks to be the Medal of Merit of the Red Crescent (turkish: Hilâl-i Ahmer Madalyasi) (Ottoman equivalent of the Red Cross). Is that correct?

A simple google search provided me with the information that this medal was awarded in 3 classes: Bronze, Silver and Gold.

Is it possible, from this photo, to determine which class it is? 

I would be very thankful for any assistance provided.

I found this nice photo of Friedrich von Kühlwetter displaying his awards. The photo caption says it was taken on his 25th wedding anniversary. He was married in 1893, so that means the photo was taken in 1918. Source for the photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Friedrich_Felix_Maria_Hubert_v._Kühlwetter_(20.11.1865_-_09.01.1931).jpg

He was retired since January 1912, but during WW1 he was re-activated as z.D.-Offizier and served as Judge at the Prize Court in Kiel (03 August 1914-18 August 1914), then held several commands in Turkey until March 1915 when he was Commanded to the Imperial Admiralty Staff (00 March 1915-08 November 1916).

His commands in Turkey:

- Placed at the Disposal of the Special Mission for the Ottoman Empire (19 August 1914-30 August 1914)
- German Commander on the Bosphorus (with the rank of Ottoman Generalmajor), at the same time Chief of Staff with the Commander in Chief of the Straits (31 August 1914-23 December 1914)
- Placed at the Disposal of the Inspector General of Coastal Artillery and Mine Affairs of the Special Command Unit Turkey (24 December 1914-10 January 1915)
- Chief of Staff of the Special Command Unit in Turkey (11 January 1915-00 March 1915)

He is not listed in the 1916 or 1918 Rangliste, and his entry in the 1911 Rangliste only lists three awards:

- Königlich Preußischer Roter Adler-Orden 3. Klasse mit der Schleife
- Königlich Preußisches Dienstauszeichnungskreuz
- Königlich Bayerischer Orden vom Heiligen Michael 4. Klasse (mit der silbernen Krone) (the silbernen Krone is visible on the photo, above the second to last medal that I pressume is the St. Michael Orden?)

The excel "seeoffiziere Gesamtliste" reveals two additional awards:

- Königlich Preußischer Kronen-Orden 2. Klasse (27. 02. 1917)
- Kaiserlich Türkische Silberne Medaille zur Erinnerung an den Besuch Kaiser Wilhelms II. 1889 in Konstantinopel

As he obviously had more awards, I ask for help in identifying the rest of his awards:

Around the neck

- Königlich Preußischer Kronen-Orden 2. Klasse

Medal bar

- Eisernes Kreuz (1914) 2. Klasse

- Königlich Preußischer Roter Adler-Orden 3. Klasse mit der Schleife

- Königlich Preußisches Dienstauszeichnungskreuz

What follows are 4 round-shaped medals, my guess is that the first 3 are colonial medals (please tell me if you agree with my guesses, and especially the classes of these medals!)

- Kolonial-Denkmünze ???

- Südwestafrika-Denkmünze in Bronze ???

- China-Denkmünze in Stahl ???

- Königlich Preußische Kaiser Wilhelm-Centenarmedaille 1897 ???

- Fürstlich Schaumburg-Lippisches Kreuz für treue Dienste ??? (cross-shaped medal that very much looks like the Lippisches Kreuz für treue Dienste, does anyone agree?)

- Königlich Bayerischer Orden vom Heiligen Michael 4. Klasse mit der silbernen Krone ???

- Kaiserlich Türkische Liakat-Medaille ??? (the size of the medal indicates it's the Liakat Medaille. is that correct? what would be the class? I suppose Silber. No sword device is visible)

Breast star

- Kaiserlich Türkischer Medschidié-Orden ??? (is the Medschidié correct? what is the class? also, are there swords on the breast star?)

It seems he didn't mount the Kaiserlich Türkische Silberne Medaille zur Erinnerung an den Besuch Kaiser Wilhelms II. 1889 in Konstantinopel.

Thanks for any help!

23 hours ago, Daniel Krause said:

Hello friends,

 

It seems there was a need for Tamara ribbons in germany in the 20ies and 30ies.

 

This is from the stock of a well known German outfitter.

27mm, 15mm and 9mm Tamara ribbons. 

 

Funny enough, Mr. G. sorted these among "Russia",

 

Best,

Daniel

Hi Daniel, could you please answer on the private message I sent you on 11 May...

Can anyone confirm Hasso von Bredow was awarded the Lübeck Hanseatenkreuz on 21 August 1915? If he was, does anyone know which ribbon on his ribbon bar (on the photos posted above) is the Lübeck Hanseatenkreuz?

Also, please help me ID other awards from his ribbon bars...

Source for the Lübeck Hanseatenkreuz and the date is his entry in the excel "seeoffiziere Gesamtliste", see below.

Thanks

I found this thread very helpful. My main interest are German Admirals and there are a few from Bavaria that could have been eligible for the 1905 or 1911 Jubilee Medal. 

On another thread about Char. Konteradmiral Waldemar Hirth Dave said: "I am not sure if Navy officers received the 1905 jubilee medal. It was the Jubilee Medal for the Bavarian Army, and the Bavarian regulations published in 1905 do not mention the Navy at all. That said, the 1911 regulations do not mention the Navy either, though they do mention the Schutztruppe. I also have not been able to find any authorizing regulations in the Marine-Verordnungsblatt."

That said, I was hoping if someone might know if navy officers were eligible for the 1905 Jubilee Medal, or just the 1911 medal?

The Excel table named "seeoffiziere Gesamtliste" I was given on this forum lists the abbreviation "BLM3J 05" for a handful of naval officers. I was told "BLM3J" represents the Bronzene Prinzregent Luitpold-Medaille am Band der Jubiläumsmedaille from 1911. The odd thing is the addition of "05" in the abbreviation. The only thing that comes to mind is that this represents the year 1905, when the Jubilee Medal for the Bavarian Army was issued. There is no abbreviation "BLM3J 11" in this excel table. Another thing that adds to the confusion is the award date written for the "BLM3J 05" in this table. Every award date written for admirals is in the year 1912 or 1913 (with the exception of Vizeadmiral von Spee). So this would mean it can't be the Jubilee medal from 1905.

Here I have a list of all the admirals from Bavaria, in command of ships connected with Bavaria or admirals listed with "BLM3J 05" in the excel table (listed with their final ranks and award dates of the "BLM3J 05"):

- Admiralarzt Dr. med. Karl Eyerich: "BLM3J 05" (12 April 1913) (Bavarian native)

- Konteradmiral Hans Feldbaush: "BLM3J 05" (12 April 1913) (Bavarian native)

- Char. Marineobergeneralarzt Dr. med. Josef Freymadl: "BLM3J 05" (12 April 1913) (Bavarian native)

- Char. Konteradmiral Albert Gayer: "BLM3J 05" (12 April 1913) (born in Mannheim, that's not in Bavaria? no other connections with Bavaria in terms of ships or commands held)

- Char. Admiral Gerhard Gerdes: "BLM3J 05" (6 May 1912) (born in Fedderwarden, Ostfriesland. On 6 May 1912 Director of the Weapons-Department, Imperial Naval Office)

- Konteradmiral Max Hahn: "BLM3J 05" (13 June 1912) (Commandant of the Battleship "Wittelsbach" in 1912)

- Admiral Franz Ritter von Hipper: "BLM3J 05" (12 April 1913) (Bavarian native)

- Char. Konteradmiral Otto Kranzbühler: "BLM3J 05" (11 January 1913) (Bavarian native)

- Vizeadmiral Ernst Ritter von Mann Edler von Tiechler: "BLM3J 05" (12 April 1913) (Bavarian native)

- Generaladmiral Wilhelm Marschall: "BLM3J 05" (13 May 1913) (Bavarian native)

- Admiraloberstabsarzt Prof. Dr. Med. Sigmund Moosauer: "BLM3J 05" (12 April 1913) (Bavarian native)

- Admiral Georg Alexander von Müller: "BLM3J 05" (12 March 1913) (At the time Chief of the Imperial Naval Cabinet)

- Char. Marinegeneralstabsarzt Dr. med. Friedrich Pinggera: "BLM3J 05" (12 April 1913) (Bavarian native)

- Vizeadmiral Herwarth Schmidt von Schwind: "BLM3J 05" (12 April 1913) (born in Eschberg, Saar. At the time Director of the Naval School in Kiel)

- Char. Vizeadmiral Karl Seiferling: "BLM3J 05" (12 April 1913) (Bavarian native)

- Vizeadmiral Kurt Slevogt: "BLM3J 05" (12 April 1913) (Bavarian native)

- Vizeadmiral Maximilian Graf von Spee: "BLM3J 05" (10 November 1908) (Commandant of the Battleship "Wittelsbach" in 1908)

- Großadmiral Alfred von Tirpitz: "BLM3J 05" (12 March 1912) (State Secretary of the Imperial Naval Office)

In addition (not listed in the excel table):

- Char. Konteradmiral Waldemar Hirth: Bavarian Jubilee Medal (1905 or 1911) from photographic evidence (born in Shanghai, China, died in München. Unknown if he is a Bavarian native. Entered service in the Navy in 1903, eligible for both 1905 and 1911 Jubilee medals)

- Char. Konteradmiral Heinrich Gebhardt: photographic evidence of possibly both the Jubilee Medal (1905 or 1911) and Bavarian Wedding Anniversary Commemorative Medal (Bavarian native) (Entered the Navy in 1904)

- Char. Admiralarzt Dr. med. Emil Krauss: Bavarian Prince Regent Luitpold Medal in Bronze (1911) (Bavarian native. Entered the Navy in 1910)

- Ministerialdirigent Friedrich Schaller: Bavarian Prince Regent Luitpold Medal in Bronze  (1911) (Bavarian native. Entered the Navy in 1906)

- Konteradmiral Heinrich Wagner: Bavarian Prince Regent Luitpold Medal in Bronze  (1911) (Bavarian native. Entered the Royal Bavarian Army with the 21st Bavarian Infantry-Regiment in 1906. Transferred to Naval Service as a Seekadett on the School-Ship 'Stein' in 1907)

- Admiraloberstabsarzt Prof. Dr. Med. Alfred Fikentscher: Bavarian Prince Regent Luitpold Medal in Bronze (1911) (Bavarian native. Entered the Army as a One-Year-Volunteer with the Infantry-Leib-Regiment of the Royal Bavarian Army (01 April 1910))

Were One Year Volunteers in the Bavarian Army eligible for the Jubilee medals?

Please help me determine if all the admirals listed here were eligible for the Jubilee medal from 1905 or Prince Regent Luitpold Medal from 1911.

Thanks

On 21/05/2020 at 22:39, arb said:

The 1870 Marine Rangliste shows the "Hohenzollernsche Denkmünze" among his awards and decorations.  I believe that is the one you are asking about.

 

Can you please check if Char. Konteradmiral Heinrich Köhler (born 1824) was also awarded this medal? And what other decorations are listed for him in the 1870 Marine Rangliste?

Many thanks

Thank you guys!

Thank you very much Lukasz!

Just a little correction:

3 is Oldenburg - Haus- und Verdienstorden des Herzogs Peter Friedrich Ludwig - Großkomtur

4 is  Rußland - St. Stanislas-Orden

It seems you mixed them up.

23 minutes ago, arb said:

The 1870 Marine Rangliste shows the "Hohenzollernsche Denkmünze" among his awards and decorations.  I believe that is the one you are asking about.

 

Thank you very much! This is the first time I heard of this medal.

Please help me ID the second to last medal on his medal bar.

- Königlich Preußischer Roter Adler-Orden 4. Klasse mit Schwertern

- Königlich Preußischer Kronen-Orden 3. Klasse

- Königlich Preußisches Dienstauszeichnungskreuz

- Königlich Preußische Kriegsdenkmünze für die Feldzüge 1870–71 für Kämpfer

- Königlich Preußische Kriegsdenkmünze 1864 für Kämpfer

- ??? (round medal with a light ribbon)

- Ritterkreuz des k.u.k. Österreichischen Leopold-Ordens mit der Kriegsdekoration

Thanks!

Very nice!

Thank you laurentius!

Can aynone confirm the two circled awards are the Königlich Preußischer Kronen-Orden 2. Klasse mit dem Stern?

The list of his awards I have:

-Königlich Preußischer Roter Adler-Orden 2. Klasse mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern am Ringe (10. 09. 1879) (1st award around the neck)
-Königlich Preußische Kriegsdenkmünze 1864 für Kämpfer (4th medal on the medal bar)
-Königlich Preußische Kriegsdenkmünze für die Feldzüge 1870–71 für Kämpfer (3rd medal on the medal bar)
-Königlich Preußischer Roter Adler-Orden III. Klasse mit der Schleife und Schwertern am Ringe (not worn on the photo)
-Königlich Preußischer Roter Adler-Orden IV. Klasse mit Schwertern (1st medal on the medal bar)
-Königlich Preußisches Dienstauszeichnungskreuz (2nd medal on the medal bar)
-Kommandeurkreuz II. Klasse des Königlich Schwedischen Schwertordens (3rd award around the neck)
-Großkreuz des k.u.k. Österreichischen Franz-Joseph-Ordens (not visible on the photo, possibly positioned below the Stern der Kronen Orden 2. Klasse)

Thanks!

Can you please tell me the classes of the Order of Osmaniye and Order of the Medjidie he is wearing on the photo? And are they both with Swords?

Kettner served as Commandant of the Light Cruiser „Breslau“, from 16 August 1914 „Breslau-Midilli“ (01 October 1913-23 January 1915).

He was also Chief of Staff of the Special Command Unit Turkey (Sonderkommando Türkei) (28 September 1917-03 November 1918).

Thanks!

12 minutes ago, 1812 Overture said:

I need a photo without a number, can you send it?

See here: https://gmic.co.uk/topic/76325-char-konteradmiral-curt-kalau-vom-hofe/

3 minutes ago, Komtur said:

See here.

Thanks. So are they the same thing or?

Does anyone know the difference between the Preußisches Gedenkabzeichen für Flügeladjutanten and the Flügel-Adjutant Erinnerungszeichen? Or are they the same thing?

Does anyone have a photo of the Preußisches Gedenkabzeichen für Flügeladjutanten?

Thanks

Hello, does anyone have any more info about the German Prisenhöfe [Prize Courts] during WW2? What were their tasks? And where could I find more info about them (online, books)? Can aynone please explain in more detail what did the Prisenhöfe do? They were courts. I know it's something about international maritime laws and the seizure of ships and it's cargo in international waters. But the information avaliable online is not that extensive. I only found short articles about Prize Courts in general on the Wikipedia and Britannica.

I also found the list of all the Prisenhöfe and the officers that were active there: https://www.axishistory.com/list-all-categories/201-germany-kriegsmarine/kriegsmarine-unsorted/7999-prisenhoefe

I also know about a book called "Völkerrecht und deutsche Prisenrechtsprechung im Zweiten Weltkrieg". Did anyone ever come across this book? Would you recommend this book for a further research of this subject? Are there any other books about German Prisenhöfe during World War 2, preferably in english? My German is not so good.

Thanks!