Generalmajor Johannes Freye with 40year oakleaves

[webr55]

I bought this picture of a Wehrmacht Oberst on ebay. It came without a name.

 

Edited November 11, 2017 by webr55

[webr55]

I was interested in this one because he is wearing the rare 40 year oakleaves device on his long service ribbons:

Edited November 11, 2017 by webr55

[webr55]

So here we have:

EK2, Württemberg MVO, Württemberg Friedrich Order, ÖM3K, Hindenburg, maybe Centenary, maybe Crown Order 4th, DSWA, long service 40 + 12 years.

This combination identifies this Oberst as the later Generalmajor Johannes Freye (1878-1952). He is shown with the above combination (with PKO4) in the 1924 RL. He entered army service on 1.10.1897 according to his bio, so a bit too late for the Centenary.

Edited November 11, 2017 by webr55

[Guest Rick Research]

I agree. Freye retired in 1931, but was on the Equipment Inspectorate from 1932, only losing a year's time out.

His SW Africa had to have been a steel for stay at homes since pre-war Milit?rhandb?cher list all colonial service for W?rttembergers and he had none.

The only non-Wurttemberg award gazetted for him in the Personal Nachrichten was his ?M3K 31.12.17.

WM3 21.12.15.

Lucky for you he made General (my 1958 Keilig has him still alive then, did he indeed die in 1952 per the Biblio Verlag biographies?).

THIS has been driving me NUTS for years, since it seems THIS guy did NOT make General, and I cannot FIND him as zD, or a Beamter, or arrrrrrrrgh:

[attachmentid=53914]

Exactly as with Freye, this guy appears to be wearing his W?rttemberg 25 WITH his two Wehrmacht 40 and 12 awards. Naughty naughty naughty!!!!

[webr55]

Yes! I forgot to say that what I thought was the Centenary must be his Württemberg LS award!

So your guy was in even earlier. No Zahlmeister, maybe, with an NCO LS? (OK, were there any Zahlmeister with WM3?)

The biblio series says Freye died 28/10/1952 in Ulm.

BTW, if anyone is interested, I'll probably let this go as I don't collect photos.

Edited November 11, 2017 by webr55

[Guest Rick Research]

But I collect photos of ribbonnbars being worn-- let me know PLEASE.