Dave Danner

Schaumburg-Lippe's silver Verdienstmedaille existed from 1869 to 1918 in various forms. Here is an example on Uwe Bretzendorfer's site: http://www.bretzendorfer.com/obilder/05824vs.jpg http://www.bretzendorfer.com/obilder/05824rs.jpg Lippe-Detmold also had various silver Verdienstmedaillen. There might be an image of examples in the Lippe thread: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=12427 These were the basic civil merit awards of the two principalities.

Infantry regiments with a Reuss connection are identified on my Reuss page. I need to add Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 467 and possibly Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 389 to that list, though. IR 467 was raised throughout Thuringia, apparently in the 38. Division parts of the XI. Korpsbereich, which covered mainly Prussian Saxony, Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach, Sachsen-Meiningen, Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha, and the Reu? and Schwarzburg principalities. IR 389's connection was tenuous; it was a thoroughly mixed unit made of companies from various areas and drawing recruits from the more populous Rhineland region. One of the companies that formed it was Reuss' 7./RIR 32.

IR 411 was formed on 10 June 1916 by the stellv. Generalkommando of X. Armeekorps as the "Infanterie-Regiment bzw. K?stenschutz-Regiment Oldenburg". It was numbered IR 411 on 6 July 1916. Its replacement unit (as well as demobilization unit) was 2. Hannoversches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 77. I. Bataillon of IR 411 was formed from companies of 1.Ers.Btl./IR 77, the Ers.Btl. of Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 73 (a mixed Hannover and Braunschweig regiment), and the Ers.Btl. of RIR 74 (a mixed Hannover and Oldenburg unit). II. Bataillon of IR 411 was formed from companies of Ers.Btl./IR 164 (Hannover), 1.Ers.Btl./IR 78 (Ostfriesland), 1.Ers.Btl./IR 91 (Oldenburg), and 2.Ers.Btl./IR 78 (Ostfriesland). III. Bataillon of IR 411 was formed from companies of Ers.Btl./RIR 79 (Hannover and Oldenburg), Ers.Btl./RIR 92 (Hannover), and 2.Ers.Btl./IR 92 (Braunschweig). No Reuss connection that I can see. The regiment was all from the X. Korpsbereich, which was basically the Prussian province (and former kingdom) of Hannover, the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg and the Duchy of Braunschweig.

I don't know. Probably because if you were out of the military, you had to pay for them yourself. Or maybe the person didn't feel it necessary to jazz up the bar any more.

That description sounds like only that of Volume I, as it ends at Sedan. You'd need both volumes. I haven't seen them, so I don't know how detailed they are.

I only wish this one had battle bars to narrow it down further. Based on the combination of a D?ppeler Sturmkreuz from 1864 and an Erinnerungskreuz "K?niggr?tz" from 1866, it should be limited it to the following units: Stab, I. Bataillon and II. Bataillon / 3. Garde-Regiment zu Fuss I. Bataillon and II. Bataillon / Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 3 I. Bataillon, II. Bataillon, and 12. Kompanie / Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 4 J?ger-Bataillon Nr. 7 1. Garde-Feldartillerie-Regiment and possibly someone from Ulanen-Regiment Nr. 11 (elements of that regiment also qualified for the Alsen-Kreuz)

I'm not sure about regular books with detailed orbats. If you can access Google Books (I know continental Europeans can't, but I'm not sure about Britain), the English translation of August Niemann's military history of the war is here: http://books.google.com/books?id=9Y4GAAAAQAAJ

Rick has posted a sticky with the battle bars by corps here: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=3794 The combination of bars on the first medal bar, along with the Bavarian 1866, points to a member of II. Bavarian Army Corps. I don't think you can narrow it further. Was the Centenary Medal given to all Bavarian veterans? On the second, Belfort would seem to indicate one of the reserve divisions that served there. The 25 year oaks, but no Centenary Medal, would place the bar between 1895 and 1897. The last is a bit odd. Strassburg credit went to the Baden Feld-Division, the Garde-Landwehr-Division, and the 1. Reserve-Division. There is no Baden Felddienstauszeichnung, and none of the Baden regiments fought at Bapaume. So it is likely form either the Garde-Landwehr-Division or the 1. Reserve-Division. Unfortunately, the Ruhmeshalle unserer alten Armee doesn't give 1870/71 campaign credits for reserve or Landwehr units, and the account of Bapaume in Niemann's history of the war doesn't mention these units. Maybe some other source on Bapaume might have a more detailed order of battle.

Not the best picture, but Alfons Ritter von Bram in 1921 or so:

Not quite. Everything is correct except that all classes except the 6th Class (Silver Cross, сребърен кръст) could be awarded with the laurel wreath (лавров венец). Also, just to confuse things, the 1st Class was the Grand Cross (Голям кръст) until 1933, when a higher grade, also called the Grand Cross but using a different word for "grand" (Велик кръст), was added above the other grades. Голям's main meaning is "big" or "large", but it also may mean "grand" or "great", as in голям любов ("grand passion") or голямa София ("greater Sofia"). Велик is a stronger word, and always means "great" or "grand", such as Велики княз ("Grand Duke") or Великата отечествена война ("the Great Patriotic War"). Also, there is one other distinction. The 1st through 3rd Classes, and after 1933 the Велик кръст, could also be awarded with diamonds (с брилянти). These would be the classes: Велик кръст - Grand Cross (after 1933) Голям кръст (I степен) - Grand Cross Голям офицерски кръст (II степен) - Grand Officer's Cross Командирски кръст (III степен) - Commander's Cross Офицерски кръст (IV степен) - Officer's Cross Кавалерски кръст (V степен) - Knight's Cross Сребърен кръст (VI степен) - Silver Cross There shouldn't be. But as Rick noted, awards to Germans and other foreigners sometimes didn't follow the rules.

Sorry to bring back up an old thread, but I was searching around regarding MMJO recipients and came across it. Are you certain of this ID? Alfons Ritter von Bram's prewar awards were the BMV4, the Jubilee Medal, the MG3, the RAO4 and the Bavarian DA-Kreuz 2. Klasse. In Bavarian abbreviations, the MG3 is the Ehrenkreuz of the Greifen-Orden. This was the pinback cross. I don't think it would show up on the ribbon bar, would it? This combination seems more like that of Major Heinrich H?rnis, in 1914 the commander of II./21.Infanterie Regiment Gro?herzog Friedrich Franz IV. von Mecklenburg-Schwerin. His awards were the BMV4, the Jubilee Medal, the MG4mKr, the RAO4 and the Bavarian DA-Kreuz 2. Klasse. MG4mKr was the Ritterkreuz mit Krone. This would be a ribbon bar award, although I don't know if a crown device would be customary. Major H?rnis was killed in action on 7 October 1914, and does not appear to have had any more awards. So his prewar bar would have been unchanged. Thoughts?

You're right. I misspoke, as I was consolidating remarks I had made a while ago on WAF and left out the context, which was the lower classes, not the higher ones. Of the lower three classes in the breakdown I gave, only the IV and V Classes could be awarded with the wreath, not the VI Class. And of those classes, when the IV and V Classes were awarded with the wreath, they had to be on the war ribbon. I wasn't talking about the higher classes at the time and should have been clearer on that. They could be awarded with the wreath and white enamel ring without changing the ribbon. The ribbon is wrong on that type. As stated, for the IV and V Classes, when awarded with the wreath they had to be on the war ribbon and they had to have the white enamel. Here is the relevant text and my translation from Petrov: Петата и шестата степен на ордена се дават и без корона, а по време на война последните три степени се раздават и с лентата на военния орден ?За храброст?. освен това с изключение на последната степен орденът се раздава и за бойни отличия по време на война, украсен с лавров венец. В тези случаи без изключение IV и V степен се даряват само на лентата на ордена ?За храброст?, а пръстенът около медальона на аверса и реверса е винаги от бял емайл. "The fifth and sixth classes of the order could be awarded without crown, and in time of war the lowest three classes could also be conferred with the ribbon of the Military Order ?For Bravery?. Furthermore with the exception of the lowest class, the order could also be conferred for combat distinction in time of war, adorned with a laurel wreath. In such case without exception the 4th and 5th classes were only given on the ribbon of the order ?For Bravery?, and the ring around the medallion on the obverse and reverse was always of white enamel." So for all classes from Grand Cross to 5th Class, if there was a wreath, the enamel was white. And for the 4th and 5th Class, if there was a wreath, not only was the enamel white, but the ribbon had to be the Bravery Order ribbon. The 6th Class could be awarded on the Bravery Order ribbon, but not with the wreath, and of course it had no enamel. Sorry for the confusion. Of course, for more confusion, I have a 3rd Class (Commander's Cross) on the war ribbon (here), which does not appear to be authorized. It was awarded to a German, though, so like Rick says, awards to non-Bulgarians sometimes didn't follow the rules.

There is another good picture of Major General (vez?r?rnagy *) Oszl?nyi here: http://www.akm.externet.hu/rendjel/adatok/kmtr.htm *: I believe vez?r?rnagy literally means major general, but like the German rank of Generalmajor, it would actually be equivalent to a U.S. brigadier general.

Hungarians place the family name first. Korn?l is his given name, the Hungarian version of Cornelius. Oszl?nyi is his family name. Oszl?nyi commanded the 9th Light Division from 15 November 1942 to 10 August 1943 in the Battle of Stalingrad and subsequent fighting in Ukraine, and the 10th Infantry Division from 15 June 1944 to 5 December 1944.

Rick's is a proper wartime award for military merit. The war decoration, despite its name, did not distinguish a wartime award from a peacetime award, as was Austrian custom. The war decoration distinguished a combat award from a non-combat award. The ribbon of the Military Order for Bravery was used as a war ribbon, both for combat and non-combat awards. The statutes state that when awarded with the war decoration, the order must be on the war ribbon, but apparently allow for wartime awards without the wreath to either be on the war ribbon or the statute ribbon. It isn't clear (to me at least) when a wartime award would be on the statute ribbon, perhaps for homefront staff-type stuff or for long service. I think you are right that Scott's example ought to have a wreath, since the statutes state that when awarded with the war decoration, the ring on the center medallion is changed to white enamel. Since only the IV and V Classes could be awarded with the wreath, and only the V and VI classes could be awarded with or without crown, these are the possible variations of the lower grades of the National Order "For Military Merit": IV. Class with crown and war decoration, on the ribbon of the Military Order for BraveryIV. Class with crown, on the ribbon of the Military Order for BraveryIV. Class with crown, on the statute ribbon (like this)V. Class with crown and war decoration, on the ribbon of the Military Order for BraveryV. Class with crown, on the ribbon of the Military Order for Bravery (Rick's example in Post #4)V. Class with crown, on the statute ribbon V. Class without crown, with war decoration, on the ribbon of the Military Order for Bravery (your example in Post #2)V. Class without crown, on the ribbon of the Military Order for BraveryV. Class without crown, on the statute ribbonVI. Class with crown, on the ribbon of the Military Order for BraveryVI. Class with crown, on the statute ribbon VI. Class without crown, on the ribbon of the Military Order for BraveryVI. Class without crown, on the statute ribbon

Scratch part of what I said. The second unidentified medal is the Austrian Kriegsmedaille. The first unidentified medal is the Austrian large gold Zivil-Verdienstmedaille. Page 9 below says he received it in 1848 from Graf Radetzky himself. The same page says he was ennobled by the Grand Duke of Baden in 1882. Here are the links to the biography (actually a necrology written by his son). They are in PNG format. I couldn't put them all into one document. http://home.att.net/~dave.danner/militaria/beck_0.png http://home.att.net/~dave.danner/militaria/beck_1.png http://home.att.net/~dave.danner/militaria/beck_2.png http://home.att.net/~dave.danner/militaria/beck_3.png http://home.att.net/~dave.danner/militaria/beck_4.png http://home.att.net/~dave.danner/militaria/beck_5.png http://home.att.net/~dave.danner/militaria/beck_6.png http://home.att.net/~dave.danner/militaria/beck_7.png http://home.att.net/~dave.danner/militaria/beck_8.png http://home.att.net/~dave.danner/militaria/beck_9.png http://home.att.net/~dave.danner/militaria/beck_10.png

Here is the ranklist entry from the 1876 Baden Hof- und Staatshandbuch showing the Nassau order, among others:

So it is an H. Rose variant. The pin is different, too. Here is the pin on mine:

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. The last decoration on the bar is the Ducal Nassau Military and Civil Merit Order of Adolph of Nassau, Knight 1st Class with Swords.

Beck was Generalarzt of the XIV. Armeekorps in 1876. The BZ2bX was awarded in 1871. Beck was born on 27 October 1821 in Freiburg im Breisgau (where my family is from). He died on 10 September 1894 in Freiburg im Breisgau. By then, he had been elevated to the nobility, so he was Dr. med. Bernhard von Beck. He was also a Gro?herzoglich Badischer Geheimer Rat 1. Klasse and a K?niglich Preussischer Generalarzt I. Klasse a.D. mit dem Rang als Generalmajor. The first unidentified medal is the Austrian Kriegsmedaille. Beck served as a military surgeon with the Austrian Army in the 1848 and 1849 Italians campaigns. The FDA should have the Spangen for 1866 and for 1870-71. I have a 10-page biography of Dr. von Beck if you want it.

Godet also made them for Mecklenburg. I think the Godets have a single piece center medallion.

The griffin should be a separate piece on a Rose example:

That does not appear to be an H. Rose example. I can't read the mark, but here is a Rose example:

Do you have the date for Dr. Frank? I must have missed him. The only other non-German I have is the Ritterkreuz 1. Klasse to the Dutch Dr. J.E. de Voogt on 27 May 1871.

Paintings show it as a solid color ribbon. On 14 April 1896, Franz Joseph I named the German Crown Prince a lieutenant in the 7th Hussars (k. und k. Husaren-Regiment Wilhelm II. Deutscher Kaiser und K?nig von Preu?en Nr. 7). He still held this position in 1898 so he should have received the Signum Memoriae on the all-red military ribbon. 1899 schematismus of 7.HR attached. According to it he had the bronze version.