Dave Danner

In a thread on Reuss last year, I had set forth the population of the various states of the German Empire in order from largest to smallest. This was based on 1905 data. Thanks to another source, I now have data from the Kaiserliches Statistisches Amt, Statistik des Deutschen Reichs, for 1914, the year World War I began. Hopefully, this will be of some use/interest in comparing things like the relative contributions of the various states, the relative rarity of awards, etc. K?nigreich Preu?en - 42,103,000K?nigreich Bayern - 7,128,000K?nigreich Sachsen - 4,986,000K?nigreich W?rttemberg - 2,531,000Gro?herzogtum Baden - 2,234,000Gro?herzogtum Hessen-Darmstadt - 1,333,000Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg - 1,099,000Gro?herzogtum Mecklenburg-Schwerin - 648,000Herzogtum Braunschweig - 500,000Gro?herzogtum Oldenburg - 516,000Gro?herzogtum Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach - 441,875Herzogtum Anhalt - 333,000Freie Hansestadt Bremen - 326,000Herzogtum Sachsen-Meiningen - 287,000Herzogtum Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha - 266,000Reu?ische F?rstent?mer - 231,000 (Reu? ?ltere Linie - 74,000; Reu? j?ngere Linie - 157,000)Herzogtum Sachsen-Altenburg - 222,000Schwarzburgische F?rstent?mer - 196,000 (Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt - 103,000; Schwarzburg-Sondershausen - 93,000)F?rstentum Lippe-Detmold - 154,000Freie und Hansestadt L?beck - 122,000Gro?herzogtum Mecklenburg-Strelitz - 108,000F?rstentum Waldeck - 63,000F?rstentum Schaumburg-Lippe - 48,000The main difference from the 1905 list is that Bremen passed Saxe-Meiningen in population in 1907. Given Bremen's much higher growth rate, it also likely passed Anhalt in 1916. Add in the Reichsland Elsa?-Lothringen, with a population of 1,920,000, and the 1914 population of the Reich was 67,795,875. Also useful may be a breakdown of the provinces of Prussia, given its size: Rheinprovinz - 7,577,000Provinz Brandenburg (mit Berlin) - 6,541,000Provinz Schlesien - 5,429,000Provinz Westfalen - 4,472,000Provinz Sachsen - 3,158,000Provinz Hannover - 3,068,000Provinz Hessen-Nassau - 2,323,000Provinz Posen - 2,176,000Provinz Ostpreu?en - 2,094,000Provinz Westpreu?en - 1,756,000Provinz Pommern - 1,738,000Provinz Schleswig-Holstein - 1,699,000Regierungsbezirk Hohenzollernsche Lande - 72,000

It is hard to make a clear comparison between the Niemann pieces and the Hartmann and G?ring examples based on the photos, since the Niemann photos are shot obliquely from the bottom, which throws off the dimensions and angles somewhat. However, one thing that does seem clear: in the Hartmann and G?ring examples there are 7 feathers from the tip of the left wing to the wreath. The Rudel piece from post #38 also has 7. In the Niemann and Wolfe-Hardin pieces it looks like 6.

As was previously noted in this thread, the MND-CS Medal may be unofficial, but it is being worn, including by no less than the commanding general of the division: I have seen other Polish medals like this that appear to be in the same category as American challenge coins - unofficial awards or tokens given by a unit - but which in the Polish case are mounted with suspension rings and ribbons.

Thanks! You can also see that my silver medal was apparently removed from a medal bar. One of the only Milit?rpasses I have is to an Oberj?ger in Reserve-J?ger-Bataillon Nr. 24, Johannes M?ller. He was born in 1882 in the village of Haufeld in Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach and inducted in 1915. He received the Iron Cross 2nd Class on 4 April 1918 and the General Honor Decoration in Bronze with Clasp and Swords on 9 July 1918. Those documents are missing (naturally) but I have the certificates for his Honor Cross for Combatants and Hungarian WW1 Commemorative Medal (both issued to him as a schoolteacher in Jena). So I am hoping someday to come across a medal bar with those awards, although the one thing I don't know is whether a "Volksschullehrer" (the title on the FKE doc) would have received a Third Reich Treudienst-Ehrenzeichen as well.

I don't have too much from South Africa, but I figure I can add what I have to what has been posted already by other forurm members here and here. Pro Patria Medal: General Service Medal: Citizen Forces Good Service Medal in Bronze: An interesting (to me, at least) ribbon bar with the Pro Patria Medal and three General Service Medals, one South African and two British:

I think it does. Does anyone have examples to show?

I just found another ribbon bar I had that I think was part of this group, except that the National Defense Medal in this case has the overseas bar, but not the Foreign Legion one.

Two earlier threads illustrated the principal decoration for officers of the Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (Gro?herzogtum Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach), the Order of the White Falcon: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=14487 http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=16099 The principal decoration for noncommissioned officers and enlisted soldiers of the Grand Duchy was the General Honor Decoration with Clasp and Swords, or Allgemeines Ehrenzeichen mit Bandschnalle und Schwertern. This was awarded in gold, silver and bronze. As in many German and European monarchies, rank determined which class one received, with gold for senior NCOs and Offizier-Stellvetreter, silver for junior NCOs (Vizefeldwebeln and Unteroffiziere), and bronze for lower enlisted soldiers. Having finally received the last one I was missing, the gold, I would like to illustrate some larger detailed images of the three classes. Click on the images below for larger pictures: Gold (stamped 800 silver on the reverse of the Bandschnalle): Silver: Bronze:

The 344th Machine Gun Battalion was part of the 179th Infantry Brigade of the 90th Infantry Division, a National Army formation, not a National Guard formation. It was originally formed in Texas and Oklahoma, though. World War I National Army divisions (76th and up) originally had regional orientations like National Guard divisions, to make induction and training of recruits and draftees easier, but manpower needs of the National Guard divisions resulted in changes, and the National Army divisions eventually became generic all-American formations. So the 90th Division lost its original specific Texas and Oklahoma nature, but kept the T and O in the patch. Similarly, the 76th was originally raised in New England, the 77th in New York, the 78th in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, the 82nd in the Southeast, etc. The National Army became the Organized Reserve after World War I. The 36th Division was the combined Texas/Oklahoma National Guard division. After World War I, Oklahoma's National Guard was increased and joined with other Southwestern states to form the 45th Division, and the 36th Division became an all-Texas formation in World War II. By sheer coincidence, that Google Books site I mentioned to you earlier, Chris, has the 90th Division's World War I divisional history: http://books.google.com/books?id=l1oDAAAAMAAJ

One other point of clarification: The Marine Corps does not have medical personnel of its own. Enlisted medical personnel in the Marine Corps are Navy corpsmen, and medical officers are Navy officers. So a Hospitalman - like a Bosun's Mate, a Machinist's Mate, etc. - are Navy petty officer ratings. They are not Marines at all. As David notes, the "E-" just refers to pay grades. An E-4 is a Specialist or Corporal in the Army, a Corporal in the Marine Corps, a Senior Airman in the Air Force, and a Petty Officer Third Class in the Navy. As noted above, Navy enlisted ranks are referred to by their rating, so a Petty Officer Third Class who is a Hospitalman is a Hospitalman Third Class.

Thanks! That is a beautiful piece. I think for me real gold will have to wait. Priorities now are the Military St. Henry Order and the other Iron Cross "equivalents" I don't have. These, unfortunately, include some of the harder-to-get ones. For junior officers, the EK "equivalents" I still need are the Waldeck Merit Cross with Swords, the Princely Schwarzburg Honor Cross with Swords and the L?beck Hanseatic Cross. For enlisted soldiers, I still need the L?beck Hanseatic Cross, the Silver Merit Medal with Swords of the Princely Hohenzollern House Order, and from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha the Silver Merit Medal of the Ducal Saxe-Ernestine House Order with Swords Clasp. Only the L?beck one is "relatively" easy to find, and I use relative in a relative sense. The pinback ones remain even further away. They aren't that common. They are more common than some of the other top bravery awards - the Pour le Merite, MMJO and MKFVO - and about as common as the Saxon MSHO.

2nd Battalion would have E, F, G and H Companies. 1st Battalion would be A through D. 3rd Battalion would be I, K, L and M (no J). The regiment also had HQ, MG and supply companies, but I don't know if these were lettered.

The text simply says "الجمهورية الجزائرية الديمقراطية الشعبية" or "People's Democratic Republic of Algeria". The crescent and star and the grains motifs are all part of the Algerian coat of arms. I don't see any specific Red Crescent Society connection. This is the current logo of the Algerian Red Crescent: It looks better on a white background: http://www.cra-dz.org/

This is the description of the order which I recently added on my website. If anyone has any good additions or corrections that should be made, it would be greatly appreciated.

This is another piece that just recently made its way into my home. It is in almost perfect condition, with no enamel damage. It is also really heavy - I don't have a scale, so I don't know exactly how much it weighs, but it is heavier than similarly sized badges like the Red Eagle 4th Class and the Hanseatic Crosses.

It is silver-gilt. From the style of the small crown on the reverse, the wreath, the swords, the suspension, and the eagle's head, I'd say ours were made by the same maker. Stijn David put a list of makers in the White Falcon thread a few weeks ago, but I have no idea which is which. Here is another type, from a Hermann Historica auction a while ago. Note especially the eagle's head, the wreath and the closed crown: Here is a commander's cross, also from a Hermann Historica auction. Note the reverse crown and wreath is closer to our examples, but the swords are different (wedge-shaped hilts) and the eagle is more detailed (which makes sense for a higher grade commander's cross): Those wedge-shaped sword hilts, by the way, do not seem to be very common. The only awards I have with them are from Reuss and the Bandspangen on my silver and bronze Allgemeinen Ehrenzeichen from Saxe-Weimar:

See, I told you I need more information on the MVO, especially the pre-World War I evolution of the various classes. Thanks for the additional information.

No, you were right, they were both classes of the order. The MVO is just confusing because of the pre-1905 lack of flames on the RK2, which became the 4th Class. So on the black and white photo, Jacky missed that the cross was enameled and wasn't an MVK. Simple mistake, no biggy. If Rick had bothered to explain why he deduced the picture was taken between 1891 and 1895, then maybe the confusion would have been avoided, but I guess magicians don't like to reveal how they perform their magic I'm not a magician, just a scholar. My goal is just to get the knowledge out there. I have spent a lot of time and effort over the past month updating my website, adding about 300 more images and a lot of text, including more descriptions of the various decorations. The Bavarian MVO is actually one that is giving me trouble as I can't figure our exactly what is the difference between the Grand Cross and the 1st Class.

Der General is correct. Before 1905, the lower two classes were the Ritterkreuz 1. Klasse and the Ritterkreuz 2. Klasse. The Ritterkreuz 2. Klasse did not have flames between the arms. Swords were not authorized until 1891. In 1905, the orders was revised and the Ritterkreuz 1. Klasse and Ritterkreuz 2. Klasse became the III. and IV. Klassen, respectively. Flames were added to the IV. Klasse then. Clasps were authorized for the Kriegsdenkm?nze 1870/71 in 1895. Their lack on the bar here, but the presence of swords on the MVO, is presumably how Rick got the 1891-1895 date range.

... Because this big white bird just landed on my front porch

The 1875 edition of the Handbuch ?ber den kgl. preussischen Hof und Staat, which is the only edition I have, lists the following 60 orders and decorations for then-Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia and Germany. Friedrich Wilhelm was the son of Kaiser Wilhelm I and husband to Princess Vicky of Great Britain, and thus Queen Victoria's son-in-law. He was the father of Wilhelm II. He was only briefly Kaiser, as Friedrich III, dying of throat cancer after a 99-day reign in 1888. Prussia - Schwarzer-Adler-Orden mit der KettePrussia - Orden pour le M?rite Gro?kreuz mit SternPrussia - Orden pour le M?rite mit Eichenlaub Prussia - Rother-Adler-Orden, Gro?kreuz mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern Prussia - Kronen-Orden I. Klasse (Crown Order 1st Class)Prussia - K?niglicher Hausorden von Hohenzollern, Stern der Gro?-Comthure mit SchwerternPrussia - K?niglicher Hausorden von Hohenzollern, Kreuz der Gro?-ComthurePrussia ? Gro?kreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes Prussia ? Dienstauszeichnungs-Kreuz Hohenzollern - F?rstlich Hohenzollernscher Hausorden Ehrenkreuz I. Klasse mit SchwerternHannover ? St.Georgs-OrdenHesse-Cassel ? Kurhessischer Hausorden vom goldenen L?wen Nassau ? Nassauscher Hausorden vom goldenen L?wen Anhalt - Gro?kreuz des Hausordens "Albrecht des B?ren" mit SchwerternBaden - Hausorden der Treue Baden - Gro?kreuz des Milit?r-Carl Friedrich-Verdienst-OrdensBaden - Gro?kreuz des Ordens vom Z?hringer L?wen Bavaria - Haus-Ritter-Orden vom heiligen Hubertus Bavaria - Gro?kreuz des Milit?r-Max-Joseph-OrdensBelgium - Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold Brazil ? Grand Cross of the Order of the Southern CrossBrunswick - Gro?kreuz des Hausordens Heinrich des L?wen Denmark - Order of the Elephant France - Grand Cross of the L?gion d'HonneurGreece - Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer Great Britain - Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter Hesse-Darmstadt - Gro?kreuz des Ludewigs-Orden Hesse-Darmstadt - Milit?r-Verdienst-KreuzItaly - Order of the Annunziata Italy - Grand Cross of the Military Order of SavoyItaly - Golden Bravery MedalKingdom of the Two Sicilies - Grand Cross of the Order of St. Ferdinand and of MeritSchaumburg-Lippe - Milit?r-Verdienst-MedailleSan Marino - Grand Officer of the Order of San MarinoMecklenburg Grand Duchies - Gro?kreuz des Hausordens der Wendischen Krone mit der Krone in Erz und der Ordenskette und in DiamantenMecklenburg-Schwerin - Milit?r-Verdienst-Kreuz 1. Klasse Mecklenburg-Strelitz - Verdienst-Kreuz f?r Auszeichnung im Kriege Mexico ? Grand Cross of the Orden Nacional de Nuestra Se?ora de GuadalupeNetherlands - Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion Austria-Hungary - Grand Cross of the Order of St. Stephan Austria-Hungary - Knight of the Military Order of Maria TheresaOldenburg - Gro?kreuz des Haus- und Verdienstordens von Herzog Peter Friedrich Ludwig mit der goldenen Krone, Schwertern und der Kette Persia - Order of the Portrait of the Shah with Diamonds Portugal ? United Military Order of Christ and Military Order of St. Benedict of Aviz (meaning he already had received the Military Order of Christ and the Military Order of Aviz Portugal - Grand Cross of the Order of the Tower and Sword with Swords Russia - Order of St. Andrew, etc.Russia - Order of St. George 2nd ClassSaxony - Orden der Rautenkrone Saxony - Gro?kreuz des Milit?r-St.Heinrichs-OrdensSaxe-Weimar-Eisenach - Gro?kreuz des Gro?herzoglich S?chsischen Hausordens der Wachsamkeit oder vom Wei?en Falken mit SchwerternSaxon Duchies - Gro?kreuz des Herzoglich Sachsen-Ernestinischen Hausordens Sweden - Order of the Seraphim Sweden - Order of Charles XIIINorway - Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olaf Siam - Grand Cross of the Order of the White Elephant Spain - Order of the Golden Fleece Ottoman Empire - Order of Osmania 1st ClassTunisia - Grand Cross of the Order of the House of HusseinW?rttemberg - Gro?kreuz des Ordens der W?rttembergischen Krone W?rttemberg - Gro?kreuz des Milit?r-Verdienst-OrdensAs with other Prussian ranklist entries, the list does not include campaign and commemorative medals. He should have had, among others, the following:Prussia - Hohenzollernsche Denkm?nze 1848/49Prussia - Kriegsdenkm?nze 1864Prussia - K?niggr?tz-Kreuz 1866Prussia - Kriegsdenkm?nze 1870/71Prussia - Kr?nugsmedaille 1861Prussia - goldene Hochzeitsmedaille 1879Hohenzollern - Medaille auf die Goldene Hochzeit 1884Hohenzollern - Erinnerungszeichen zur Silbernen Hochzeit 1866Great Britain - Jubilee Medal 1887Furthermore, this was an 1875 list. Other decorations likely came later. Note that there are several countries missing which routinely awarded orders to German princes, like Bulgaria. Many of these weren't around in 1875. In the wake of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78, Otto von Bismarck convened the Congress of Berlin, which led to independence for Romania, Serbia and Montenegro and autonomy for Bulgaria. No doubt the then-Crown Prince received something from these new countries in the decade or so from the congress to his death.

Just to confirm, from the 1867 convention with Prussia which integrated the Sachsen-Altenburg army into the Prussian Army, until the formation of IR 153 in 1897, the Altenburg contingent was the 2. Bataillon of 7. Th?ringischen Infanterie-Regiments Nr. 96. The 2. Bataillon was from Reuss and the F?silier-Bataillon was from Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. When IR 153 was formed, a Prussian battalion replaced the Altenburg battalion in IR 96, a a newly raised Altenburg battalion joined the old battalion and a Prussian battalion to form the new regiment.

IR 153 was formed in 1897. The Altenburgers were previously part of IR 96, I think.

Just "L", not "SL". The Kreigsverdienstkreuz of Lippe-Detmold, not Schaumburg-Lippe. IR 15 was a Westphalian regiment garrisoned in Minden, on the Weser to the north of Lippe-Detmold and just across the river from Schaumburg-Lippe. It wasn't directly connected to the two principalities, but indirectly, especially to Schaumburg-Lippe. It would make more sense were there an "R" on the cover, since RIR 15 was the reserve regiment for both IR 15 and IR 55. III./RIR 15 was raised in Detmold, the capital of Lippe.

Archduke Albrecht Friedrich, Duke of Teschen (Erzherzog Albrecht Friedrich von ?sterreich, Herzog von Teschen), was an Austrian field marshal and son of Archduke Karl (son of Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II and brother of the last Holy Roman Emperor Franz II, who became Emperor Franz I of Austria). Born 1817. Here is his entry from the 1894 edition of the Handbuch des allerh?chsten Hofes und des Hofstaates seiner k. und k. Apostolischen Majest?t. Since he died in 1895, this is probably relatively complete, although it only covers orders and decorations, not campaign, commemorative and other medals.