Dave Danner

Pfuhlstein, Alexander von * 17.12.1899 in Danzig † 20.12.1976 in Bad Homburg vor der Höhe Probably best known as commander of the Division Brandenburg. Wikipedia: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_von_Pfuhlstein Lexikon der Wehrmacht: http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/P/PfuhlsteinAlexanderv.htm The following are from various evaluations in the file of a Brandenburg officer. There is also an example of a letter by Pfuhlstein on the emedals website here.

Another example from his Personalakte:

From his Personalakte:

Drekmann also commanded Infanterie-Regiment 34 from 23.4.42-22.2.43 (renamed Füsilier-Regiment 34 on 9.11.42). Before taking command of the 161.ID, he was Führer of the 306.ID from 1.7.43-17.7.43 and of the 39.ID from 18.7.43-27.8.43. Updated with a better version of the file photo and another early 1920s example:

From his Personalakte, a 1922 example. Reasonably consistent over a 21 year gap. EDIT: Updated with a better quality version. Also a 1944 example added below.

1923 example from his Personalakte:

Two signatures from his personnel file. Shows the slight but still noticeable differences in signatures probably signed a few minutes apart at most.

I don't have a signature, but for some more detail on his wartime assignments, here is Brendel's 1944 annual evaluation report:

Arnim, Otto Albert Wilhelm Magnus v. * 27.12.1863 in Petznick, Templin † 05.12.1945 in Oldenburg 21.04.1911 Kommandeur, 1. Garde-Ulanen-Regiment 02.11.1914 Führer, 2. Garde-Kavallerie-Brigade 13.03.1918-20.01.1919 Kommandeur, 12. Reserve-Division 30.05.1918-03.06.1918 Führer, 28. Infanterie-Division 22.01.1914 Oberst 18.08.1917 Generalmajor

Albrecht, Paul Engelbert Joseph 22.01.1856-11.07.1940 18.04.1903 Kommandeur, Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 75 18.02.1908 Kommandeur, 19. Infanterie-Brigade 07.08.1908 z.D. gestellt xx.xx.1914 Kommandeur, 110. Ersatz-Brigade bzw. 94. Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade 05.09.1914 Kommandeur, 28. Landwehr-Infanterie-Brigade xx.xx.1915 Kommandeur, 22. Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade xx.xx.191x Kommandeur, 70. Landwehr-Infanterie-Brigade Albrecht is not listed in Wegner under commanders of the 70.LIB. 18.04.1903 Oberst 27.01.1908 Generalmajor

Andreas, for the WM3, there should be a green-enameled wreath, and for the WgM, there should be a gilt wreath. These Auflagen were sometimes missing, so it could be one of these, but more likely the WsM.

It was the 5th Radfahrer Batallion: Radfahrer-Bataillon Nr. 5 Kdr.: Hptm.d.R. Hugo v. Wilamowitz-Moellendorff Adj.: Kgl. bayer. Lt.d.R. Heinrich Weinstock It was a combined unit, with Radfahrer elements from Jäger-Bataillon Nr. 14, Jäger-Bataillon Nr. 6 and Radfahr-Kompanie Nr. 54, along with the Bayerische Kraftwagen-Maschinengewehr-Kompanie. Joseph Misgeld, * 9.12.1895 in Ringenberg, was commissioned a Leutnant in Jäger-Bataillon Nr. 14 on 10.5.1915. Oberst von Brandenstein was Otto Hans Karl August Freiherr von Brandenstein, * 21.10.1865 in Hohenstein, † 8.5.1945 in Grambow bei Goldberg (von den Sowjeten erschossen).

Generaloberst Georg Lindemann *08.03.1884 in Osterburg i.d. Altmark †25.09.1963 in Freudenstadt Kommandeur, 36. Infanterie-Division Kommandierenden General, L. Armeekorps Oberbefehlshaber, 18. Armee Oberbefehlshaber, Heeresgruppe Nord https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Lindemann https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Lindemann http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/L/LindemannG.htm From his personnel file: From an evaluation for Gerhard Henke:

General der Artillerie Christian Hansen *10.04.1885 in Schleswig, †07.08.1972 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Hansen_(general) https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Hansen_(Offizier) http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/H/HansenChristian.htm From an evaluation for Gerhard Henke:

Generaloberst Kurt Zeitzler https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Zeitzler Also posted in the Franz Halder thread, here is the document wherein Zeitzler assumed responsibility as Chief the General Staff from Halder:

Generaloberst Franz Halder https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Halder From an evaluation for Hermann von Grolman: A 1920s example from Halder's personnel file: Halder's replacement by Kurt Zeitzler:

Admiral Wilhelm Canaris https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Canaris From an evaluation for Major Friedrich Gähring, then with the Abwehrstelle Saloniki. Maybe autopen?

From an evaluation for Fritz Bandelow, then commander of Ersatz-Brigade Großdeutschland:

From an evaluation for Theodor Graf von Sponeck. The other signature is Hermann Schulte-Heuthaus, later commander of the Brandenburg Division.

1944 example, from an evaluation for Friedrich Henkel:

A couple more examples, from the file of Georg Ritter von Hengl. One has a bonus Eduard Dietl signature as well.

He seems to have changed the orientation of his sgnature between the 1920s and 1930s.

Did you check the index? Maybe one of the company Stammrollen is missing.

Is it Fritz Brunner, * 29 April 1889 in München? There are several Kriegsrangliste entries with the ILR and at an Unteroffizer-Aspirant course.

There probably is not a primary source since it was apparently a de facto policy. If you want a secondary source, Nimmergut states in Deutsche Orden und Ehrenzeichen: 1800-1945: Für den Erwerb des Pour le Merite war das Ritterkreuz mit Schwertern des Hausordens von Hohenzollern Voraussetzung. Für diese Handhabung des Militärkabinetts liegt jedoch keine Ordre vor. Von dieser Regelung gibt es zahlreiche Ausnahmen, erinnert sie hier nur an Schörner und Rommel, die späteren Generalfeldmarschälle, an Kapitänleutnant Otto Weddigen oder Leutnant Otto von der Linde. Other exceptions include: Prussian Army: Hermann v. Balcke Cord v. Brandis August v. Götzen Karl v. Hagen Hans-Joachim Haupt Georg Johow Konrad Kalau vom Hofe Kurt Rackow Markus Stachow Adolf Steinwachs Emil Trebing Eduard Wittekind Imperial Navy: Hans Adam Nikolaus Burggraf u. Graf zu Dohna-Schlodien Otto Hersing Hugo v. Rosenberg Bavarian Army: Karl Paulus Johann Schmidtler There were also a handful of junior officers who received the golden Military Merit Cross, the highest award for Prussian NCOs, and later the plM after they were commissioned. Regarding the higher ranking officers, also note that several of them received the plM before they received another Prussian war decoration with Swords. Erich Ludendorff is an example (his HOH2aX came in late 1914), as are other early-war recipients of the plM. Generalfeldmarschall Remus v. Woyrsch received the plM with Oakleaves without receiving another higher Prussian war decoration at all.