Dave Danner

The Major Bauer who received the HOH3X in mid-1917 would appear to be the IR 98 officer. He was promoted to Oberstleutnant on 18.4.1918. His last assignment was command of RIR 236, and his picture in the RIR 236 regimental history appears to show him with the HOH3X buttonhole ribbon. I have no idea what unit he was with in 1917, as he did not come to RIR 236 until some time in 1918. He commanded I./LIR 30 on mobilization and was wounded on 8.12.1914. Bauer, Max Karl Ferdinand Hermann *27.11.1868 in Fraustadt †08.06.1945 in ? (bestattet in Baden Baden)

Meyer, Georg Karl Paul *18.6.1888 in Münchenbernsdorf, Neustadt an der Orla, Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach He is not in the 1928 Mitglieder-Verzeichnis of the Offizier-Vereinigung des ehemaligen Magdeburgischen Pionier-Bataillons Nr. 4.

Here is a Militär-Dienstzeitbescheinigung for Bavarian HOH3X recipient Lt.d.L. Karl Bader, later a Luftwaffe Oberstleutnant. No dates, but since he's Bavarian maybe there's a Kriegsrangliste on Ancestry. Luftwaffe files being the mostly worthless messes they are, there's nothing on any World War II service or other decorations, though he would have had at least the WLDA4.

Maj.d.R.a.D. Karl Schönberg, who was awarded the HOH3X on 11.7.1917, is another example of annoying and inconsistent German spelling. He spelled his own name as Schönberg, and his brothers - Oberstleutnant Otto Schönberg and Maj.d.R.a.D. Franz Schönberg - also used that spelling, but Karl's name is "Schoenberg" in Prussian Army sources (Ranglisten, Militärwochenblatt). Schoenberg, Karl Friedrich Otto *7.3.1862 in Langgoslin, Obornik Gutsbesitzer in Wasmerslage, Osterburg 17.10.1883 Sekondelieutenant d.R. des IR 46 15.07.1893 Premierlieutenant d.R. 15.06.1899 Hauptmann d.R. 18.08.1913 der Abschied bewilligt 28.08.1914 Kommandeur des III./RIR 227 (bis 26.12.1915) 24.10.1914 verwundet 27.01.1915 Charakter als Major d.R.a.D. 26.12.1915 zum II. Ersatz-Bataillon des FR 36 11.02.1916 Kommandeur des III./IR 153 04.10.1917 verwundet Known decorations: HOH3X, EK1&2, LD1, EH2bX, VAs A brief description from the RIR 227 Regimentsgeschichte: Photo from the IR 153 Regimentsgeschichte: Photo from the RIR 227 Regimentsgeschichte:

The Napoleonic wars had exposed how weak the numerous small and divided Thuringian states were. There was a desire for greater unity among the Ernestine duchies after 1815, though the rivalries among the actual ruling dukes worked against this goal. Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach, formed from two other Ernestine duchies, had been raised to a Grand Duchy in 1815 and established its own Hausorden der Wachsamkeit that year. The other duchies formed a commission a few years later to establish their own common order. Money was probably a factor, but the desire to make a statement of unity was also a stated goal. Not much progress was made until the extinction of the House of Sachsen-Gotha-Altenburg in 1825, which led to a reorganization of the duchies, brokered by the King of Saxony. It still took a few more years, but the new Duke of Sachsen-Altenburg, who had been Duke of Sachsen-Hildburghausen until 1826, started a renewed pushed for the combined order as a symbol of this goal of unity. It still took a few more years to negotiate the statutes and design the order.

Paul Dietz (1827-1898) married Berta Bayer in 1849. He was ennobled as "Dietz von Bayer" on 17.12.1884. Paul and Berta had three children: Elisabeth (1850-), Konrad (1854-) and Erich (1859-). Elisabeth married Otto Freiherr von Hodenberg (1844-1902) and had 3 children. Erich was childless. Konrad had one son, Friedrich, born in 1887. None of the names I can associate directly with the family - Dietz v. Bayer, Frhr. v. Hodenberg, Iffland (Elisabeth's son-in-law), v. Collas (Friedrich's wife), Boßdorf (Friedrich's son-in-law), and Hartmann (Friedrich's daughter-in-law) - match my LDH and SLH lists. So my best guess is your heir inherited it from someone related through a later maternal line. Erich Dietz von Bayer (*1921) was killed in action in 1945; I have no idea if he had children and whom they would have married. Same for Erika Boßdorf geb. Dietz v. Bayer (1920-1951). It's possible Friedrich had other children after Erika and Erich, but I haven't found them.

Rath's is the top entry. The second obituary is for Franz v. Netzer.

It wouldn't be Dietz von Bayer. Both Konrad and Erich were highly decorated former active officers. Konrad received the SLH2, but neither had a Detmold award.

Another teacher: Hauschild, Hermann Wilhelm Karl *6.11.1885 in Brüssow, Greifswald gef. 4.7.1918 bei Morlancourt Volksschullehrer in Stettin 7.8.1915 Lt.d.R. (Stettin) im Brigade-Ersatz-Bataillon Nr. 7 Führer der 6. Kompanie des Reserve-Infanterie-Regiments Nr. 232 The regimental history of RIR 232 says Hauschild was with that regiment since the beginning of the Serbian campaign in October 1915. I'm not sure how he went from a Pomeranian unit to a Prussian Saxon one (II./RIR 232's parent formation was FR 36), but I suppose this was not uncommon. He received the HOH3X on 31.1.1918.

The Oberleutnant der Reserve Wiedemann in RIR 99 who received the HOH3X on 30.9.1918 should be the officer from IR 136; I./RIR 99 was formed by IR 136 and there were no other infantry Leutnants d.R. in the 1914 Rangliste. Wiedemann, Heinrich Wilhelm *29.11.1881 in Buxtehude, Jork 1.4.1908 Realschuloberlehrer in Wilhelmsburg 1.4.1909 Oberlehrer an der Humboldtschule in Linden 1.4.1912 Realgymn.Oberlehrer in Grunewald 1.4.1923 pensioniert 1.4.1907-1.4.1908 Einjährig-Freiwilliger 27.1.1912 Leutnant der Reserve (Hannover, später III Berlin) des IR 136 3.5.1917 Oberleutnant der Reserve

Another late-war award which I do not believe made it into the Staatsanzeiger or Militär-Wochenblatt: Hauptmann, later Generalmajor, Heinrich-Otto v. Nordheim. Nordheim was from FAR 9 and had been in the field with that regiment and with RFAR 65, but when he received the HOH3X, he was a Hauptmann and Batterie-Führer in FAR 61. This also accounts for the HT, since FAR 61 was Großherzoglich Hessisch. 22.12.1914 1914 Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse 22.08.1916 Ghzgl. Hessisches Allgemeines Ehrenzeichen "Für Tapferkeit" 27.01.1917 1914 Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse 09.08.1918 Verwundetenabzeichen in schwarz 13.10.1918 Kgl. Preußischer Hausorden von Hohenzollern, Ritterkreuz mit Schwertern 18.01.1935 Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer 02.10.1936 Wehrmacht (Heer) Dienstauszeichnung 4. bis 3. Klasse 01.10.1939 1939 Spange zum Eisernen Kreuze 2. Klasse 25.11.1939 1939 Spange zum Eisernen Kreuze 1. Klasse 16.12.1942 Krimschild Since he received the Krimschild, there's a chance he also received a Romanian decoration, but non-German decorations are not typically listed in WW2 Personalakten/Beurteilungen and I have not come across his name yet in Romania's Monitorul Oficial. And we get a picture and signature to boot.

Matthias Josef Timmermann was born on 20.7.1887 in either Kettenis or Hauset, hamlets in the Eupen region (now in Belgium). He was "leicht verwundet" in 1915 and "schwer verwundet" in 1916, both with IR 25, and "schwer verwundet" in 1918 with IR 84. He was a Volksschullehrer in Stolberg. According to his gravestone in Aachen, Wimmar Hennes lived from 1892 to 1981. An IR 25 casualty list gives his birthplace as Cöln-Kalk. The Aachen address books give his occupation as Handelsvertreter. The gravestone and all the address books give the spelling as Wimmar; only the casualty list has Wimmer.

Besides the HOH3X, Otto Frommann from RFAR 29 received the EH3bX and the BZ3bX. He lived in Coburg and served in a Baden regiment, so he's a good example of the different ways one could receive a state award. His BZ3bX (13.2.15) was erroneously listed as Fromann with one "m" in the Baden orders list.

I have him with the REKj3X, but I think my information was secondhand from Christophe. From the battalion history: 26.03.17-14.04.17 Kompanieoffizier, 1./RJB 13 15.07.17-02.09.17 Bataillons-Adjutant 02.09.17 krank, ins Lazarett 18.05.18-05.07.18 Ordonnanz-Offizier beim Stabe RJB 13 05.07.18-12.09.18 Bataillons-Adjutant 16.10.18-10.12.18 Nachrichten-Offizier beim Stabe RJB 13

It depends on how much detail you have. Enlisted Stammrollen are by company, so if you know which company or companies he was in, the Renner might help, since you'd be dealing with far fewer people with that name. Some Baden Stammrollen are also online.

Enlisted Kriegsstammrollen, not officer Kriegsranglisten. Officer Personalakten are available in the Landesarchiv in Stuttgart.

From the Württ. Militär-Verordnungsblatt: 10.11.1916 Charakter als Major der Reserve a.D., z.Zt. bei der Militärischen Postüberwachungsstelle des XVIII. Armeekorps 25.02.1917 Erlaubnis zum Tragen der Uniform der Reserveoffiziere des GR 119 20.12.1916 Wilhelmskreuz mit Schwertern

One more example. Without having the unit to confirm the name, I doubt I would have read this as Pfeffer.

Krebs, Friedrich Wilhelm Erich *19. Juli 1870 in Brandenburg a.d.H. †9. Januar 1934 in Berlin 02.08.1914 ins Feld als Major und Adjutant des VI. Armeekorps 31.01.1915 behufs Verwendung als Bataillons-Kommandeur zum Oberbefehlshaber Ost versetzt xx.02.1915 Kommandeur des II. Bataillons des Reserve-Infanterie-Regiments Nr. 118 17.09.1916 Kommandeur des Infanterie-Regiments Nr. 28 21.09.1916 zu den Offizieren von der Armee versetzt 26.11.1916 Kommandeur des Reserve-Infanterie-Regiments Nr. 27 15.07.1918 Oberstleutnant 04.09.1918 schwer verwundet xx.02.1919 dem Generalkommando des V. Armeekorps zur Verfügung gestellt 01.03.1918 zur Kriegsgeschichtlichen Abteilung des Großen Generalstabes kommandiert xx.07.1919 Führer der stellv. 17. Infanterie-Brigade bzw. Auflösungsstabes 17 11.07.1919 gleichzeitig mit der Wahrnehmung der Geschäfte des Kommandanten von Glogau beauftragt (bis Mitte Februar 1920) xx.10.1919 Leiter des Abwicklungsamtes des V. Armeekorps (bis Ende Dezember 1920) 09.04.1920 mit dem Charakter als Oberst verabschiedet Orden "pour le Mérite"

One more example:

Esch, Hans Otto Gustav Artur Martin von der *11.11.1862 in Stettin †14.09.1934 in Stuttgart 22.03.1913 Kommandeur des Infanterie-Regiments Nr. 93 08.12.1913 Kommandeur des Grenadier-Regiments Nr. 119 06.12.1914 Führer der 69. Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade xx.12.1914 leicht verwundet 18.12.1914 zu den Offizieren von der Armee versetzt 27.03.1915 Beauftragter des Oberbefehlshabers Ost bei der Zivil-Verwaltung in Russisch Polen 24.08.1915 Chef des Generalstabes des Gouvernements Warschau 24.11.1916 Kommandeur der 7. Infanterie-Division 04.11.1918 zu den Offizieren von der Armee versetzt 26.04.1919 zur Dispostion gestellt 18.02.1913 Oberst 24.07.1915 Generalmajor 07.08.1919 Charakter als Generalleutnant z.D. Highest rank reached: Generalleutnant Orden "pour le Mérite"

Now you all had me wondering who made my only BMV4XKr. I think it is a Hemmerle, but my eyes fail me.

Wolfgang was the IIb of Heeresgruppe Nord in 1944. His RDA as Maj.d.R. was 1.5.42.

16.10.1914 EK2 09.03.1916 BZ3bX 10.04.1916 EK1 14.03.1918 LK 17.09.1918 WF3aX 27.09.1918 BMV4X 01.03.1919 Verwundetenabzeichen in mattweiß 18.12.1929 Rettungsmedaille am Bande 24.06.1933 Johanniterorden, Rechtsritter 30.12.1934 Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer 02.10.1936 WHDA1

I know of no award off the top of my head which was restricted to only citizens of a certain state. Generally, the main criteria were citizenship of the state, service in that state's military units, or service in a unit otherwise connected to the state (such as where the state's ruler was Chef or Inhaber). As the war went on, actual practice was also relaxed - someone who might have been rejected in 1915 might have been approved in 1918. For Braunschweig in particular, non-citizens of all ranks in IR 92, HR 17 and 2./FAR 46 would routinely be considered for awards, since those were Braunschweig formations. Officer and selected other ranks in HR 3 and the Bavarian 1. Schweres Reiter-Regiment, the regiments to which Ernst August was à la suite, would also be routinely considered. Command and staff officers of units and commands to which a sufficient number of Braunschweigers were attached would also be considered. On the flip side, it should be noted that citizenship in a state was often necessary, but not always sufficient. If you were a citizen of a state, but had spent most of your adult/working life outside the state, it was common for an award recommendation to be rejected. If your reasons for living elsewhere were outside your control, such as for professional soldiers and civil servants, that was not held against you, though.