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And another Vienna sausage, comes from an Austrian seller whose other bars look ok.

Back doesn't say very much:

What do you think of this one? '57 fakes are always difficult, of course. This is supposed to be a Bundeswehr officer. The combination is possible, yes, but still... Finland, Bulgaria, Kreta and the Eastern front... so many devices?

Reverse:

Here it is (not mine). Looks bronze, maybe there were several classes?

Currently on ebay. The back:

To quote Stogie: How stupid can you get?

Yes, and the ribbon looks very contemporary. Ok, probably this is a fake, but somehow it makes me think perhaps this IS someone who really got a KVK2X and later joined the Red Cross. I mean, why fake a two-place bar with such a lousy ribbon?

I have gone through all the Waldeck 3rd classes awarded in WW1 and have found only one possibility, though I cannot confirm him definitely: Joachim v. Bülow, 16. Ulanen-Reg., Major 1.10.1913 Z24z, held only the SA3b in 1914. No proof of KO4, but might well have got it in 1914. Listed in the DOA 1908/09 as Lt. in the 16. Ulanen, in Gardelegen, already with SA3b. Maj aD. There is a Major v. Bülow who got the Waldeck on 12.8.1918. It is however difficult to sort out all the v. Bülows, so I cannot be sure this is Joachim. The Saxon rolls list only a Georg v. Bülow, AOR1X on 15.11.1917. But that doesn't mean much, because we have found quite a number of recipients not in the rolls.

What convinces me is really the story, not the individual clues... At some point - as Rick always says - the bar begins to tell a story that fits together. Factory owner and reserve officer, and especially the connection with 1. GardeR zF - it just explains the rest.

Sometime ago, I showed this ribbon bar here, and I am now quite confident to have finally ID'd its owner. I think it is who I first suspected: Hans Eberhardt (born 1855, probably died in the 1920s) Why do I think it's him? - According to Nimmergut's probably incomplete listing of recipients, a Major der Landwehr Hans Eberhardt got a Star of Brabant 1st class WITH CROWN, on 5.6.1918, as a commercial judge. There is only one possibility for this Eberhardt in the ranklists and the Ordensalmanach 1908/09: - RL 1903: A Reserve Hauptmann Eberhardt in the 1. Garde-Regiment zu Fuss, lived in Berlin, held only the LD1. - DOA 1908/09: Hans Eberhardt, factory owner and Hptm dR, lived in Berlin, Flensburgerstr. 1, born Berlin 29.5.1855, held the LD1. (It is quite possible that a factory owner at age 60+ became a commercial judge.) - RL 1913: Hauptmann dR Eberhardt, still 1st Foot Guards, lived in Berlin, held the LD1 AND THE Red Eagle Order 4th cl (!!). - RL 1914: Hauptmann dR Eberhardt was granted leave (Abschied bewilligt). I think it is practically certain that at 59, not being Landwehr but Reserve, he was recalled in some function and also got the EK2. I also suspect that his connection with the 1. Garde-Reg. zF helped him get his two nice awards with crown. So we know Eberhardt got the LD1, RAO4 and Star of Brabant 1st with crown, and very probably an EK2. So 4 out of 5. I think it is highly unlikely that there were other recipients of the Brabant mK with exactly this combination.

That's a great bar with the Marianer-Kreuz! I see no problems with it.

The pink slip is a paper that in WW2 was handed out to those in "Unabk?mmlichkeitsstellung", meaning they were indispensable in their civil occupation and thus not drafted into the Wehrmacht. It basically says which Wehrmeldeamt they belong to. Great group! Chris

Back:

A fake tab back:

I would certainly vote for FAKE. Too many things that don't add up to a coherent career.

And the back, of course:

Here's the second one, which I got from Stogie. Can't prove it, but my feeling is that this is also an officer's bar. No long service, and golden Hindenburg swords. The combination (Bremen and Mecklenburg) would suggest Navy (only possibility: char. KorvKap (1919) Brunswig -> Rick, what became of him?), but the BACK looks rather like army. Now of course I cannot rule out that there might be (E)-officers with this combination who were recalled in 1935. But judging from the Reichsheer, the combination is rare. Actually, there is only one who qualifies, and it would really be nice if it were him: Hans-Adolf von Arenstorff (1895-1952) Entered army 8.08.1914, Leutnant 8.05.1915 and ended the war with that rank. Remained in RH service, reached Major 1.12.1935, Oberstleutnant 1.01.1939, Oberst 1.11.1941, and ultimately made Generalmajor 1.01.1943 as Brigade Commander in - Stalingrad (!). Captured there, he died in Soviet captivity. DKiG on 14.01.1942. It could have been his bar ca. 1935/1936, before the new LS awards came out. An early photo of v. Arenstorff would be much appreciated!

The back:

My two latest ones. The first one is an interesting, understatement style with EK2, Bavaria, Sachsen-Meiningen and Lippe. I would guess a junior officer's bar.

and his ribbon bar, which I own:

So here comes the brother-in-law - Generalmajor Hermann Voigt-Ruscheweyh: ´´´

Yup, that's what I hoped it was. Thanks Ralph!

Just for comparison, here is one of the rare photos of a bar in wear with all three party awards. This is SA-Stabschef Wilhelm Schepmann.