Theodor

E. R?ber

K. Baumann

A. Nagler

E. D?hler

Dr. H. Dietrich

Kasischke /correct?/ and Lindemann

E. Kottmeier

X. Pr?bstl

Had to take care of some things, but now go on! 17 Kriegsnummer, VII Jahrgang, Nummer 48, Funfte November-Nummer, 1916 RITTER DES EISENERS KREUZES 1914 (VII.) F. Neitzsch

Is it the medal bar only? Is there any other clue about his identity - photos, documents, anything?

And this guy - two Military merit in his medal bar. And both are not wartime /the ribbon is not the Bravery type ribbon, but black-yellow stripes/.

And this guy - Military merit on the neck and Military merit Ion the medal bar. Two pieces of St. Alexander. Bravery on the medal bar and higher Bravery on the pocket. I think even the Long Service crosses can be considered a double wear - in other conditions, IMO the 20 years would eliminate the 10 years.

Yes, but the other way is often seen, too /by the way, the General with the neck order can not be an example for any theory - he wears his highest award and his real Bravery award. I am sure he has many more - merit, service, etc. etc. but for this occasion he wears only the most important/. Here are some examples of multiple awards. This gentleman has been on service when Ferdinand arrived to Bulgaria. Also I think he has the 1885 Serbian-Bulgarian war medal, though hard to see. Also 20 year long service medal, obviously took part in the WW1 and got the EK, but the interesting for this thread is: he has a Military merit neck award AND a military merit IV class on the medal bar. And in the medal bar he has a IV St. Alexander AND a IV St. Alexander with crown and swords.

Very nice! I would also think he had a long service, but was not a very high rank. See, there's no St. Alexander or Military Merit. An officer close to the Court or of a high rank would never get away without receiving these. And even if he had the high grades /neck awards and breast stars/, he would still be wearing the lower grades, even several at a time /it is not unusual to see officer with St Alexander and next to it the same St Alexander but with Crown; or Military Merit on the neck and in the same time a 4th grade of the same among the other orders/

Hi Chuck, Armenia is not the largest ship disaster of WW2. The largest one /not only of the war, but of all times/ is the sinking of the German passenger liner KdF Wilhelm Gustlov. In 1945 the vessel was used for refugees and troops evacuation from East Prussia. Hit by Soviet submarine torpedoes on 30 January 1945, the huge ship sank, killing from 8 to over 10 000 people. At that time and in similar conditions Soviet submarines sank the German ships Goya /6000+ victims/ and Steuben ~4000 victims/. Right before the end of the war, on 3 May 1945 British aviation sank the German ship Kap Arkona. It was hit with bombs, then aircraft flew low and shot the crowds onboard with machineguns. Survivors say the ship was sprayed with Napalm /more likely British aircraft rockets, which had quite the same result/. It was a real hell, taking down over 4500 people. The big and sad irony is, these were KZ inmates, which Himmler was moving from KZs in the East to the West! The freighter Thielbek was destroyed nearby, together with the Kap Ankona, in the same way. Over 2700 lives were lost. Again KZ inmates! Nearby was the floating hospital Deutschland, which was also attack, despite the Red Cross signs! Fortunately at that time the vessel was empty, with only crew and medical staff onboard. Most managed to escape.

F. Hauber

M. Axenb?ck

A. Schwarzm?ller

C. Reitl

O. Schlech

H. Wacker

K. Furtwengler

F. Fischer

F. Pledl

W. Kolb