speedytop

Demir, I don't think, that this is the mark of a producer, Schmidthäussler or Schneider, because I think, that the producer of this medal is Steinhauer & Lück. ES or E.S. can stand for a seller. Uwe

Gordon, Urkundenmappe or short Mappe KR Uwe

lew, this General der Infanterie had other Turkish decorations: Order of Osmania 1. class and the Imtiyaz medals in gold and silver with swords in the original case. Once more, in my opinion and as I can see, there was nothing changed or added later. Believe it or leave it. Demir, It is my firm conviction, that the B.B.&Co made TWM must be assigned to the first category (1. Official). Uwe

I am very sure that this General der Infanterie received his TWM in this envelope. In the complete stock there are exclusively only the awards given to him, nothing has been added to it, neither then nor now. Uwe

Not much, because such items exist in large amounts. What count here is a named document with an original signature. Important DDR documents very often have only faksimile signatures. You can find such a folder with a matching document e.g. for less than 10 Euro. Here is a document, that could fit to your folder. With a faksimile signature as always, for 25 or 40 years of membership (they counted the years before the DDR in communist or socialist organizations). I have 40 of these documents in my collection, from 25 years up to 70 years, 20 of them with SED folder, no original signature. The blank sheets are nearly worthless, only cents. Uwe

With "map" is meant the red folder with the SED emblem. Uwe

Hi Jimmbo, I think, that the map and the blank sheet(s) do not necessarily belong together. The map is normally for party (SED) documents, for instance 25 or more years membership in the SED, and also for several other SED documents. The blank sheet was used for many different purposes, e.g. sports certificates. Uwe

Hi Simius Rex: "Classifying something as a copy or a replica is the kiss of death. To us, it is the same thing as saying "fake."" And that is in my opinion complete nonsense. Please have a look in all English dictionaries, and one finds the same distinction there as in the German language: Fake, produced to be offered as an original in order to deceive. Copy, produced with identifiable differences from the originals in order to serve as a replacement. The incorrect use of the word "copy" of some collectors does not change the real meaning. Hi lew, "... if any foreign made TWMs were ordered and handed out by the Turkish and foreign governments, they should be considered official award TWMs." That is also my opinion, see my earlier comment: "For me, this clearly includes the enameled medals from B.B.&Co, handed out to several German soldiers, before the end of the war." This is the original set für a very high decorated Prussian General (PlM mit Eichenlaub, Schwarzer Adlerorden, Verdienstorden der Preußischen Krone mit Schwertern, and many other highest decorations): Uwe

Hi Blackcowboy, when a decoration is not an original, then it largely doesn't matter to me what it is called. It remains for me, as an old collector, the basic distinction between original, copy and fake/forgery. What was not officially made in the award period is either a fake, made to deceive the buyer, or it is a copy, distinguishable from the original, and that in very different qualitiy by different makers. And it is for me not important, for whom it was made. And I don't care whether the copy is called a reproduction, replica, replacement, duplicate, jeweler's copy, post-war copy or anything else. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version) Uwe

Hi, Blackcowboy: "1. contemporary award pieces: Made by the Turkish Mint in Istanbul and officially presented to the decorated persons, but also when foreign manufacturers made this badge of honor on behalf of the Ottoman Empire and it was presented to authorized recipients. Contemporary means for me until the end of the war." For me, this clearly includes the enameled medals from B.B.&Co, handed out to several German soldiers, before the end of the war. Lew: "It'd be very strange and wrong to call something that almost all high ranking German/Austrian officers worn back in the days, a replica, copy or forgery." A copy/replica remains a copy/replica, even if a field marshal wears it. This does not depend on the rank, but primarily on the production after the official award period. Uwe

It is more interesting, that the signature of Mielke is original, that is not often! Uwe

Hi Juergen, all the other decorations you can see on the two pages are 1957er versions, but not the Lappland shield. They were made for everyone who paid for them, not just veterans. Uwe

Hi Jurgen, why do you write "I guess 1957 made by Steinhauer & Lueck"? This is not an original shield, and it can be made by Steinhauer & Lück, beginning in the early 50s. But there is nothing to combine with the 1957er decorations, since a 1957er version of this shield does not exist. Uwe

Medal for the siege of Zaragoza 1808/1908 Royal and military order of Saint Hermenegildo Uwe

Hi, there are so many impressive miniature decorations, that I have problems, to include simple medals. Medal for Bilbao 1874 Order of Military Merit Sufriemiento por la Patria

Hi Dave, "... er hat sich auf Leistungspatrouillen ... hervorgetan." Uwe

This is better? Uwe

Liebste! (Loved one, Dearest or Sweeetheart) Besten Dank für gesandte Kußkarte. Zum 15. d(iesen) M(onats) komme ich zurück. Auf Wiedersehn! Dein tr(euer) XXX An example for a "Kußkarte": Kußkarte Uwe

Hi Graf, for the 57er minis it was described, how they have to look; like the 57er originals. However, the Bulgarian decorations and the AFRICA cufftitle are on a 57er mini chain, but they are not 57er decorations.

Hi Lubo, thank you for the information. Calling these badges as I. to IV. class is common in several German shops and on German internet sites. Uwe

Hi, I want to add the II. class for officers, here for an unknown german officer; in excellent condition. Uwe

Hi, I think, that the name is Lilli von Bussotti Uwe

Hi, "Ein Vater, der Frontkämpfer gewesen ist und zwei Söhne im Weltkriege verloren hat, kann nach seiner freien Wahl entweder das Frontkämpferehrenkreuz oder das Elternkreuz, aber nur eins von beiden beantragen." [A father] can apply for either the Front Combatant Cross of Honour or the Parental Cross, but only one of them, according to his free choice. Uwe

Hi Chuck, I had some discussions with Demir about this question, and I said him, others and now to you, that I do not accept this statement. The Turkish authorities, who awarded the General the Imtyaz medals in gold and silver and the Order of the Ottoman 1st Class, would not give a high ranked Prussian General a laquered decoration for his outstanding military successes. And if they had, this lacquered medal would also be in the collection. The General did not mind keeping a simple case of the Lübeck Hanseatic Cross (the other two Hanseatic Crosses were awarded to him with special cases). There is no lacquered TWM in his estate, thus he only received the enamelled version. And he obviously did not buy anything later, so I rate the enamelled TWM as the one he was awarded. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version) Uwe

Chuck, I had the opportunity to review and evaluate the estates of some well-known Prussian generals of a noble family. There was nothing bought after the war, all exclusively original awards. A "General der Infanterie", awarded with many high German and foreign decorations, owner of the Black Eagle Order and the Pour le Merite with oak leaves, had also received high Turkish orders. The Imtyaz medals in gold and silver, the Order of the Ottoman 1st Class and the TWM in the original award bag, manufacturer B.B.&Co. An enameled badge. Therefore, it is clear to me (and others) that not only lacquered badges were awarded in WWI. Uwe