Kriegsmarine medal bar

[Claudio]

Dear forumites,

I am pretty sure that this medal bar is all original. All indicates that it was worn by a KM career officer:DA 25 + 12, that exotic Chilean Order and the dark backing (Black?) on the reverse, which makes this bar so interesting!

Any thoughts on this bar, although I am very sure that is everything ok with it... too bad for the heavely chipped Hanseatisches Kreuz of the free city of Bremen... also quite scarce... rarer than Hamburg but a bit more common than L?beck. The bar looks in to be in good conditions and I can't explain how could the Bremen Kreuz been so badly ruined if you compare it with the other medals. Maybe it fall on the ground! Too bad...

Great is to see the tridementional condor on the top of the Chilean order (Chilean Merit Order) with its very wide wings... Is that the class for Junior officers? I think also the ribbon looks correct!

I am quite sure also Rick (L.) would love to see this bar...

Ciao,

Claudio

[Claudio]

Some other crappy pictures (sorry there are not mine! )...

[Claudio]

Last one... even crappier picture! Yuk!

[Guest Rick Research]

It is indeed most exceptionally singularly "OK."

Since you don't say where this IS, as always I will PM you rather than post ifoirmation if it is for sale someplace.

Nobody post ID until Claudio tells us it is "safe" to do so! Our community must never cost each other EXTRA money competing.

It must have slipped and struck like a bell on the rim to shatter the enamel that way. Too bad. But unique.

[Claudio]

Dear forumites,

I just received the medal bar... it's really very nice. The Hindenburg Cross is marked G S (Godet & Sohn) and I presume that this bar was put together by Godet or a professional Taylor or Orden & Ehrenzeichen dealer.

Here's a brief biography I found on internet about the medal bar's owner (name researched by Rick Lundstr?m... many thanks! ):

Ciao,

Claudio

Konteradmiral Otto Fricke

(*29.05.1894 in Wennigsen, Hannover - ? 26.11.1966 in Heidelberg)

Promotions:

03.04.1914: F?hnrich zur See

18.09.1915: Leutnant z. See

07.01.1920: Oberleutnant z. See

01.05.1925: Kapit?nleutnant

01.04.1933: Korvettenkapit?n

01.01.1937: Fregattenkapit?n

01.10.1938: Kapit?n z. See

01.09.1942: Konteradmiral

Career:

Entered the Navy as a Seekadett and attended Basic Training and on board the Heavy Cruiser ?Hansa? (01.04.1913-31.03.1914)

Attended Naval School in M?rwik (01.04.1914-31.07.1915).

On board the Light Cruiser ?Stuttgart? (01.08.1914-30.01.1915)

On board the Light Cruiser ?Graudenz? ( 31.01.1915-22.11.1915)

On board the Liner ?Helgoland? (23.11.1915-22.05.1917)

Commandant of the Minesweeper ?M 38?, 4th Minesweeper-Flotilla (27.05.1917-15.09.1919)

Watch-Officer, Flag-Lieutenant and Commandant with the 5th North-Seas-Minesweeper-Flotilla (16.09.1919-20.1919)

Watch-Officer on the Cruiser ?K?nigsberg? (21.10.1919-31.05.1920)

Platoon-Officer, Coastal-Defense-Regiment Wilhelmshaven (01.06.1920-25.10.1920)

Company-Officer and Company-Leader, Coastal-Defence-Battalion II; at the same time, detached to the J?ger-Battalion of the 15th Infantry-Regiment (26.10.1920-03.04.1923)

Adjutant and Group-Officer, Naval School M?rwick (04.04.1923-22.09.1924)

Company-Leader, Ship?s-Cadre-Division of the Baltic Sea (23.09.1924-30.03.1925)

Watch-Officer on the Cruiser ?Berlin? (31.03.1925-25.09.1927)

Company-Leader, 3rd Naval-Artillery-Battalion (26.09.1927-02.10.1929)

Watch-Officer on the Liner ?Hessen? (03.10.1929-24.09.1930)

2nd Artillery-Officer on the Liner ?Hessen? (25.09.1930-25.09.1932)

Artillery-Officer on the Cruiser ?K?nigsberg? (26.09.1932-26.09.1934)

Instructor and Staff-Officer with the Staff of the Ship-Artillery-School (28.09.1934-30.09.1937)

Chief of Staff of the Inspection of Naval-Artillery; at the same time, with the Sudeten-District Commander of the 11th Naval-Artillery-Regiment at the West Wall (01.10.1937-30.04.1940)

At the same time, Acting-Inspector of the Naval-Artillery (07.07.1938-06.08.1938)

Port-Commandant Stavanger (01.05.1940-18.07.1940)

Chief of Staff of the Naval-Commander Channel Coast (19.07.1940-17.04.1942)

Chief of Staff of the Commanding Admiral France (18.04.1942-15.11.1942)

Senior-Quartermaster in the Staff of Naval-Group-Command West (16.11.1942-31.03.1943)

Inspector of Naval-Artillery (01.04.1943-22.07.1945)

In Captivity (22.07.1945-19.04.1947)

Released (19.04.1947)

[webr55]

Great bar. Here is the man: Otto Fricke. I wish the ribbon bar was in colour to see the Chilean ribbon!

 

Edited November 14, 2017 by webr55

[Guest Rick Research]

Guess who has his ribbon bar matching the medal bar-- neither updated like the wartime one he is wearing in his portrait photo with Sudeten Medal?

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=550&view=findpost&p=372358

(And another "non-updated" medal bar viz GFM Model thread )

[Claudio]

Wow, Rick, you really have an elephant's memory... :love:

[Naxos]

Incredible how things come together here!

Congratulations Gentlemen :cheers:

[Paul C]

Claudio, very nice pick up.

[M Hunter]

Can't beleive i have the ribbon bar and another forum member has the medal bar!

Love this forum!

Best regards

Matt

[Guest Rick Research]

Yes yes, spooky it is. Donate my brain to science I shall.

Someplace else like this there is not. Small world it is. :catjava:

[webr55]

Simply wow! 

And first time I see the Chile on a ribbon bar.

Edited November 14, 2017 by webr55

[Kriegsmarine Admiral]

What is the class of his Chilean award?

[Claudio]

Hi Admiral,

I think it must be a "Ritterkreuz" (Caballero) because it's without rosette, given usually to subaltern grade officers (lieutenant-captain, for the German KM from Leutnant z.See to Kapitänleutnant).

See also Order of Merit Chile

C

[Herman]

Knight = Caballero = Ritter

[Kriegsmarine Admiral]

What is the class of the Chilean Order of Merit of Vizeadmiral Kinzel?

I think it is different than Fricke's.

Thanks

[Komtur]

5 hours ago, Kriegsmarine Admiral said:

What is the class of the Chilean Order of Merit of Vizeadmiral Kinzel? ...

2nd model 3rd class (1911-1924)

[Kriegsmarine Admiral]

1 hour ago, Komtur said:

2nd model 3rd class (1911-1924)

Is the 3rd Class Grossoffizier, Komtur or Offizier?

[1812 Overture]

6 hours ago, Kriegsmarine Admiral said:

Is the 3rd Class Grossoffizier, Komtur or Offizier?

My English is very poor, so I often don't understand the specific meaning you said through the translator, but I will give you the pictures I have in my hand, I hope to help you~

 

[Komtur]

12 hours ago, Kriegsmarine Admiral said:

Is the 3rd Class Grossoffizier, Komtur or Offizier?

It seems, that these terms were only used for the later 3rd model. But the in 1914 awarded decoration (therefore a 2nd model 3rd class) on the Kinzel bar was identic to the later Knight class.

Edited October 7, 2018 by Komtur

[Kriegsmarine Admiral]

1 hour ago, Komtur said:

It seems, that these terms were only used for the later 3rd model. But the in 1914 awarded decoration (therefore a 2nd model 3rd class) on the Kinzel bar was identic to the later Knight class.

Thank you.