speedytop

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

Hi Chuck, "... from what i have read original award pieces were painted, and had no enamel." I do not believe that, what is the primary source? Uwe

"It is interesting also sport awards were made in Sweden from silver." Yes, and you can see the year of production, M8 = 1938 and R8 = 1943. Uwe

8a: Ist über Erhaltung von Waffen und Gerat am 2.11.44 belehrt worden Leutnant und Kompanie Fuhrer 8b: 5 Klarscheiben 2 Verbandpäckchen 1 F. Filter 1 Gasplane mit Tasche nicht erhalten: Kappen mit Halter, Entgiftungsm(ittel) 6.11.44 Gasraumprobe: 22.9.44 12 17.9.44 Putzzeuggeld von RM 5,- gezahlt The 3 deleted items > it is always meant gestr(ichen) = deleted: gestr. SanUffz (signature) Uwe

The Golden Fleece in variations 1. Austria, participant medal for a walking event 2. Germany, honor badge of a carnival association Uwe

Some Karneval (carnival): Uwe

I think, that it is a Dr.Hayne Uwe

Hi, I think, that it is a silver grade badge, but it is not a Legion Condor badge. Uwe

Hi Dom, the rank Meister der VP is the forelast of the NCO's. The uniform is dark blue with light grey rank insignia; rarer than the normal VP uniform. Uwe

Hello Dom, He was a Meister, not Mister The centers of the penal system were run by the VoPo District Offices. On 2 of the 4 documents you can see the headline "Deutsche Volkspolizei", on the other "Verwaltung Strafvollzug". On all documents he is, in a different spelling, a "Meister der Volkspolizei": VP.-Mstr., Mstr., Mstr. d.VP., VP. Mstr., VP-Meister. Interesting is, that on the document from 1956 he is Meister without the "VP", and the same officers, in 1955 VP-Rat, signed in 1956 as Rat, without the VP too. KR Uwe