Josef Rietveld

as addition: IMHO this hallmark is Latvian and was used between ca. 1920-1939. It stands for 875/1000 silver. Source: Jan Divis, Silberstempel aus aller Welt regrads josef

Lieutenant (k.u.k. Fliegertruppe) and his Offiziersbursche (personal servant for officers)

congratulation. As Elmar mentioned very, very uncommon. I have never seen such a miniature of the officers cross before. regards josef

The neckcross ist the Dragon of Annam (Vietnam) regards josef

Hi Artan, wellcome on board and thanks for showing. Your Karadgag medal is in quite good condition. i habe seen many polished or worn to death reagrds josef

@gro gr??e aus wien can we see the other side aswell? josef

@mahoni thanks and greetings from rainy vienna josef

more details

details

backside

this medal was shown in a german forum (SDA). i didn't find it in my literature but i guess it could be one of the dozens of unofficial medals that were struck on the ocassion of the jungturk revolution 1908. i think i can read the ottoman date 1324 (=1908/09) beneath the thugra. yout thoughts are wellcome regards and thanks in advance josef

Hope so, sorry for beeing the bearer of such a bad message josef

IMHO this variant is a newmade fake that appears constantly on ebay and other marketplaces in the last 2 to 3 vears. (see ebay-pictures) EBAY LINK why do i think so: I see a one part-construction. made in casting-technique. then thin enamel was added in the style of some known 1930ies-examples. It ist definitely not silver and looks as it was washed with some liquid to create an oldstyle patina. Especially on the backside. the needle-sytem (hinge, eyelet, hook) isIMHO the same that was used by the rarit?ten...club for his restrikes of german states steckkreuze. (forinstens Mecklenburg MVK 1. Klasse) just my two cents josef

I recognise the background. You visited Hartmut R.'s-Shop regards josef

@Roman what a beauty. i hope you possess it. something funny to add. In 1914 after the beginning of WWI the AH-Authorities had a lack in golden bravery medals. So older-types depicting Franz Josef, that were on stock, have been issued. there exist pics from early WW1 were AH-Soldiers and NCO's are wearing such old-type-medals. congratulations josef

sad but true josef

Hi Ian, I met J?rg Steiner last Friday and showed him a printout of you question. He told me that this few examples were only exceptions of the rule. As written before, also by Steiner in other publications, enlisted AH-Soldiers could only receive the kriegerverdienstmedaille. it even happend that NCO's who got the IC under german command had to return it and got a kriegerverdienstmedaille instead. regards josef

@claudio I'am afraid i 'am with saschaw when it comes to your bar. -) as mentioned the IC2 was given ONLY (with very very very few exeptions) ONLY to officers belonging to the AH-Empire. This bar is missing any other AH-officers decoration as forinstens Military Merit Medal, Service cross or other austrian decorations as 1898 or 1908 medal -) there is no Karl-Truppenkreuz so he didnt qualify for that if he was Austrian -) the ehrenzeichen 2. Klasse vom Roen Kreuz with KD was a decoration that was also given for donations. a possibility often used by germans -) the goldenes Verdienstehrenzeichen (Malteser) was also given to germans (I once had one with typical 938 silver-content-mark on the cylindre) so thre is no proof that this bar belonged to an austrian. but there is no proof he belonged to a german either. it stays a glaubenssache (question of belief) PS: a real nice bar regards josef

is this the piece offered at wehrmacht awards forum? josef

The Statutes of the Iron Merit Cross were first published May 30th 1916. The Crosses were intituted by royal decree on April 1st 1916. The iron merit crosses were created as an award for Gagisten ohne Rangklasse und Mannschaftspersonen = Military-Clerks and professions like horsekeepers officer-servants and soldiers (Infanterist, Gefreiter - the NCOs started in AH with the rank Korporal) Two ribbons were possible ?nd awarded: Red Ribbon and War Ribbon (= bravery medal ribbon), the statutes say that both classes crown/without crown may be worn In the decoration system the iron merit crosses rank after the silver merit cross. there was no official awarding-decree but legitimations from the different units and commands. on 4th June 1916 (kuk Oberkommando Verordnung 9118) it was published that also longserving NCOs could be awarded the Iron Merit Cross. the right of bestowal laid by the different Armeekommandos, the Fleet-Command, the commanding General in Bosnia and Hercegovina, the Korps- and Gruppenkommandos, the Festungskommando Krakau, the Kriegshafebkommando Poa and the Milit?rgeneralgouvernments in russian Poland, Serbia and Montenegro. with royal decree from 25th Jannuary 1917 all so far decorated military-personal was awared the war-ribbon for their decorations (Franz-Josephs-Order, Military Merit medals, Golden, Silver and Iron Merit crosses). This was the end for all awardings to military with red peacetime-ribbons. Source: J?rg C, Steiner, Das Eiserne Verdienstkreuz, Vienna 1992 Despite the regulations the iron merit crosses were later also awarded to ensigns and welldecorated front-soldiers the picture shows a rare variant with openworked crown regards josef PS: Iver, beautifull EVK, this is the slim-modell isn't it?

hi doc, both awards were given in the 1930ies josef

That is also my opinion and makes sense josef

Very intersting thread, one question. I once sold this miniature via ebay (12 Euro). was it the monobloc aux cannons-typ? or am I wrong? regards josef

IMHO this documents written in french (diplomatic language) are provisional passports including photograph, name and description of the holders. the papers are signed and stamped by the dutch consul in Constantinople. I guess that when the russian empire collapsed many refugees (no matter if they were white russian or not) had to organize new, international accepted, travelling papers. What would be better then a passport from a neutral country like the netherlands. they even had a reine (queen). ) regards josef

Unfortunately i will have no benefit of the w?rttemberg merit cross rolls. my bar was plundered and i reconstructed it. the link shows the initial position: LINK So I have no proof for the 15-years-service cross nor the AH merit cross, I'am quite sure there was one on this bar but i don't know if silver/gold and crown/no crown josef