Saxon/Lippe ribbon bar - finally ID!

[Paul C]

After a long discussion with a fellow forum member and friend, Daniel Krause, I sent him pictures of the below ribbon bar. I have posted this before and it has been discussed. Daniel responsed with the following ID. I would like to publicly thank Daniel. My question is since Biedermann entered service 31.01.71 and died in 1933 is the war service ribbon for 1870-71 or for 1914-18 service? Since he also had the centennial it could have been for 1870-1 service. If anyone has additional information on Bierermann please post it. His wartime service looks to be as a commander of a "mobile train station" Can anyone elaborate on this?

[Ulsterman]

1870-71 service. The HK was issued in 1934.

[Glenn J]

Paul,

some snippets on his earlier career:

Frhr. v. Bierdermann was born in Chemnitz and entered Sch?tzen-Regiment "Prinz Georg" Nr. 108 in 1871. In 1876 he was appointed as the Adjutant of 2. Bat. 8. Landwehr-Regiment D?beln. Returning to his regiment in 1878 he was promoted to Hauptmann on transfer to 6. Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 105 on 22 Feb 1886.

Regards

Glenn

[Paul C]

Thanks Glenn. This is helpful since I don't have a Saxon RL between 1881 and 1901. I have posted his DOA entry and what is interesting is that he DOES NOT list his 1870 and Centennial medal! I guess he wanted to save a few bucks.

[Guest Rick Research]

This is a PERFECT example of why period references are so... tricky.

He obviously got the steel on "combatant" Stay At Home 1870/71 Medal... yet didn't list EITHER medal.

The Saxon Merit Order without an Albert threw off where I was looking-- assuming this was a Beamter's bar.

Baron Biedermann did NOT list himself in the back of Saxon Rank Lists with the other retired guys.

So what was he doing?

Why he was the Director of Prisons in Lippe-Detmold... exactly where one would NOT expect to find a retired SAXON officer!

Lippe Detmold Ehrenkreuz 3rd Class entry # 376, awarded 6 October 1908 to Berthold Freiherr von Biedermann, Major aD, fr?her Direktor der K?nigl. Strafanstalten in Detmold, living in Neuenhof; born Chemnitz 3 February 1851.

Now, what we have is the Warden-Baron was one of 14 recipients of Xs to his SV3a in World War One annnnnnnnnnnnd

even though he was 63+, that is a "combat" 1914 EK2 in there, whether it actually was for frontline service or was one of the weird "war merit in the homeland" ones. The completely non-regulation Xs on his Lippe-Detmold War Honor Cross suggest he was at the front. I'm not sure where any "Mobile Railway Station Command" actually WAS-- the number suggests back home in the second Saxon Army Corps area. But who knows????

Sometime, just sometimes, a WEIRD ribbon bar is just absolutely ... perfect!

[Glenn J]

Rick,

His entry publishing his retirement in September 1896 in the Milit?r-Wochenblatt provides no real clue as to why he left active service and went North! It simply states:

12 September 1896.

Frhr. v. Biedermann, Major and battalion commander of 2. Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 101 Kaiser Wilhelm, K?nig von Preu?en, on approval of his request to retire, placed at disposal with pension and the permission for the continued wear of his former uniform with the prescribed insignia. Probably "passed over" and had to go as was the custom!

Regards

Glenn

[Paul C]

To one and all - Thank you - another puzzle solved!