Freiwillige

Thanks a lot, Glenn and Andreas!

Hi, Andreas! Please let me know when (or if) you manage to ID the unit he served in!

Dear Gentlemen, could you please explain a tricky issue regarding Kriegerverdienstmedaille M1892. While everything is clear with the 1st class medal, I still can't understand situation with its 2nd class. It came in two grades, i.e. Kriegerverdienstmedaille 2.Klasse in Gold and Kriegerverdienstmedaille 2.Klasse in Silber. Both had "Krieger Verdienst" inscription on their reverses. The question is: were they minted exclusively for overseas colonial forces OR just old stocks of the Prussian Kriegerverdienstmedaille M1873 were issued? The same question goes for the variation of the Kriegerverdienstmedaille 2.Klasse in Silber with "Kriegs Verdienst" inscription on reverse. Was it struck exclusively OR original Militair-Ehrenzeichen 2.Klasse M1864 was used as a substitute?

File Name: German Military Abbreviations File Submitter: Freiwillige File Submitted: 15 Jul 2014 File Category: Germany Helpful reference printed in Washington on April 12, 1943 by the War Department of the Military Intelligence Service. Click here to download this file

Dear Mark, please find attcahed a better scan of the fragment. Note there's an Ottoman "Harb Madalyasi" hardly visible fixed just below the right breast pocket. Prussian EK II and Verwundetenabzeichen "in Schwarz" are on the left side of his tunic.

Thanks for clarification! The book by Edgar von Schmidt-Pauli "Geschichte der Freikorps 1918-1924" (Stuttgart, 1936) also made reference of two more sub-units, viz. Nachrichten Abteilung and Kraftwagen-Kolonne that were also made part of Freikorps von Diebitsch.

Thanks a lot, Andy!

Could you please let me know the source of valuable information you kindly provided?

Great, many thanks for your help, Andy!!!!!! Do you have any additional info on Von Diebitsch?

Many thanks for your reply, Andy! Do you have ANY info regarding his pre-1919 military career?

One more question: does anyone know the exact date of birth of Karl Heinrich von Diebitsch? He passed away on February 23, 1924.

Dear gentlemen, while writing an article on a medal "Fuer gute Pferde Pflege" for my website I encountered a problem with listing Order of battele of the Freikorps von Diebitsch. Could you please help me with the correct list of units that Freikorps composed of? That's what I have actually: - Freiwilligen Bataillon 51, - Freiwilligen Jäger-Bataillon Schneider, - Maschinengewehr Kompagnie 52, - Maschinengewehr Abteilung 3, - Freiwilligen Artillerie-Abteilung 39 -----> Sometimes that sub-unit is referred to as "Freiwilligen Batterie 39". Which name is correct? - Freiwilligen Eskadron 14, - Freiwilligen Eskadron Jäger zu Pferde 8, - Freiwilligen Feldbäckerei-Kolonne 14. + certain mysterious unit "4./19 von der 46.Landwehr-Division (2.Königlich Sächsische)" ---------> Any ideas what it could be??? However, Axis History website lists also "Freiwilligen Bataillon 52" but therte's no mention neither of FFBK14 nor of MG sub-units.

Maybe the soldier from the photo served with the Divisions Fuesilier Abteilung 30. Nevertheless the question why that cypher isn't mentioned anywhere still remains a mystery

Both, 30 and 256 are not mentioned, and that's strange!

Here first stripe stood for the status of an Unteroffizieranwaerter, the second one was the unit designator.

I doubt so, Andreas. I agree with Bernhardt that it might be semi-official, or rather unofficial unit designator. On the other hand, that version seems to be a bit shaky as we have at least two photographic evidences related to different units, i.e. 30 and 256. If it were invention of batallion's tailor, it would be in either "30" or "256" unit only. But that cypher was worn in both units...

By the way, here's a complete scan of my photo, but unfortunately it contains no hints...

As I told before, the second photo isn't mine, I just used a scan to show another type of the same cypher, so I'm not able to scan it in a better resolution. The photo seems to be a bit dark at the bottom, but I assume that Obergefreiter wore simple DRL badge.

Thanks for your reply, Bernhard! I did think about Aufklaerungs Abteilung also, but I had no info supporting that version. The photo itself is from my collection, but I saw another one posted somewhere else. The latter showed an Obergefreiter wearing shoulder straps with that mysterious "AA" cypher + different number, 256 I suppose. Note shoulder straps with embroidered unit designator, not slip-tabs! Do you have any idea why that cypher isn't mentioned anywhere, at least in well-known reference books?

Dear gentlemen, could you please let me know what unit does that cypher ("AA") stand for? I failed to find an answer in several reference books, including Thomas and David Sutter's "German Army Shoulder Straps and Boards 1933-1945" I bought recently. Many thanks in advance!

Dear gentlemen, is it possible to acquire rang lists by having them sent to an e-mail?

Close-up from the previous photo. Collar and sleeve rank insignia are clearly visible.

Here you go! Luftschutz-Obertruppmeister with family. Postcard-size photo.

Will look through my albums and post more

Thanks!