Ribbon bar of Marinedekan Friedrich Ronneberger

[webr55]

I got this set of nice bars sometime ago from Stogie. Though with 25+12 DAs, and most probably navy, this set has always defied identification. The strangest thing about it is the Messina ribbon which was used as a close-enough for - whatever, maybe a Saxon Honor Cross with X.

Edited November 11, 2017 by webr55

[webr55]

All ranklist searches turned up nothing - incredible for a navy officer with 25+ years of service. I quote Rick (sometime ago): "Without seeing this bar in wear, I wouldn't even speculate..."

I think it's time to start speculating:

Edited November 11, 2017 by webr55

[webr55]

This is a picture of Naval Deacon (Marinedekan) Friedrich August Ronneberger (1886-1968). He seems to use the wider ribbons on this particular bar, but

- he's got both the KVK and the Social Welfare Decoration, no EK Spange,

- the number of awards matches,

- ribbon #2 has got swords and #3 at least might have them (the light is not well enough to see that)

- how many ribbon bars do we see that are split in a 4+4 manner?

Edited June 12, 2007 by webr55

[Ulsterman]

wow. I think you have a winner. #1 is dead on, as is #2, #3 could be a reflection flash and #4 is so dark-who can tell for certain...? but it matches yours.....ribbon 5 in the pic has swords-as does yours, there's 2 LS awards in the right place and the last ribbon also seems to match! Also, there's the odd, if not unique double mounting...I really do think you have his bar.

Edited June 12, 2007 by Ulsterman

[Guest Rick Research]

YOU'VE got that set! I've been looking EVERYWHERE for scans of that--

FREAKISHLY enough, that BIZARRE "Messina X" is apparently SUPPOSED to be a plain old ordinary

SA3bX, which Ronneberger got on 23 June 1916.

I think you are absolutely right-- and that belonged to the "Senior Naval Deacon."

I still don't know why he was considered a "Chaplain Admiral" giving them TWO Protestants with that status.

Now... to find him WEARING that set....

(I've got the lower of two sets of "mini Old Style" ribbons worn by Karl D?nitz circa 1936-38 and have never been able to find a photo of him wearing it! )

[Naxos]

Here is another pic of Ronneberger

[Guest Rick Research]

That looks like the Oldenburg FAK with "vor dem Feinde" bar in 3rd place. What's 4th-- a ? 1922 or 1934 Red Cross Decoration that he did NOT give back when he got the pinback?

[webr55]

Thanks a lot to all of you! Now I really believe it!! But surely I haven't got the very bar from the photo, or have I? Those ribbons look wider to me.

Thanks also for the second photo, that must indeed be a "Vor dem Feinde" clasp which he dropped for his later bar.

Ronneberger seems to have been quite an important person, I will dig out more information about him later.

[Guest Rick Research]

That portrait and the only other photo of him I had ever seen before yesterday were the 25mm width. I never saw that pre-Third Reich close up portrait before yesterday. And he is wearing half-height 15mms in that one too.

[webr55]

Here's what I found:

Ronneberger may have been born Saxon. He became parish priest of the garrison in Wilhelmshaven in 1915, but he apparently also went to sea quite often after that. In 1928, he traveled the South Seas aboard the "Emden" and published an article about his voyage. He even opened up a colonial museum in Wilhelmshaven in 1935.

After the war, he continued as parish priest until his retirement in 1956. He made his church the Protestant Navy memorial church, which it still is today.

[Chris Liontas]

WOW!!! All I can say is WOW!

So what is the consensus? Do you all think it was his? Talk about amazing!

Thank you for posting that photo of the Marinedekan in his uniform. I have been looking for a good shot of that for a while now. Would you mind if I used that photo to start another thread? Rick and I had a disscussion about Navy Decan's collar tabs a long time ago--and now with a photograph it might be a good time to bring it back up

[webr55]

WOW!!! All I can say is WOW!

So what is the consensus? Do you all think it was his? Talk about amazing!

Thank you for posting that photo of the Marinedekan in his uniform. I have been looking for a good shot of that for a while now. Would you mind if I used that photo to start another thread? Rick and I had a disscussion about Navy Decan's collar tabs a long time ago--and now with a photograph it might be a good time to bring it back up

We can safely say yes. All awards have been identified as his (even the Oldenburg FAK on the earlier pic with "Vor dem Feinde"). We know he got the SA3bX - that plus the unique mounting style.

Yes, please use the photo. BTW, I found your old thread on the WAF.

Chris

[Guest Rick Research]

And I still have the scans I made of the naval Field Bishop collar tabs which cannot be real but must be.

[webr55]

Some more information on Ronneberger from a short article that I found:

He was born in Kamenz/Saxony on 21.9.1886. He came to Wilhelmshaven in October 1915 after his theological studies. In November 1918, he belonged to the staff of the ships in Scapa Flow.

After WW1, he was very active in giving lectures and collecting money for the memorial at Laboe. He had two children, a daughter and a son who was KIA in WW2. Died on 16.6.1968 in Wilhelmshaven and is buried there.

[webr55]

From the Volksbund database - this is probably his son:

Hauptmann Friedrich Ronneberger, born 14.4.1917 in Wilhelmshaven, KIA 6.8.1942 in Kulschewo-Trostino/Russia.

[Stogieman]

I'm really thrilled for you. Rick mentioned this one to me awhile back. I suspect with the publishing of so many new rolls that a number of formerly anonymous bars will be named!

[webr55]

It just never occurred to me that he might be in the Admirals' bios volume:

 

Marinedekan Friedrich August Ronneberger

Born: 21 Sep 1886 in Kamenz, Saxony (Sachsen)

Died: 16 Jun 1968 in Wilhelmshaven

 

CAREER:

Entered the Army as an Auxiliary-Chaplin with the Army in France and Russia (14 Sep 1914-14 Oct 1915)

Militärpfarrer (15 Oct 1914)

Entered the Navy as Marinepfarrer, Barrison-Priest II, Wilhelmshaven (15 Oct 1915-30 Nov 1915)

2nd Minister in the Formation of Reconnaissance Ships (01 Dec 1915-31 May 1918)

On the Hospital-Ship 'Sierra Ventana' (01 Dec 1915-31 Dec 1915)

On the Heavy Cruiser 'Von Der Tann' (01 Jan 1916-29 Feb 1916)

Marinepfarrer (01 Mar 1916)

On the Hospital-Ship 'Sierra Ventana' (01 Mar 1916-31 May 1918)

1st Formation-Minister with the Commander of Security of the North Sea and the 1st Escort-Flotilla (01 Jun 1918-15 Jan 1919)

Minister of the Interned-Flotilla in Scapa Flow on the Small Cruiser 'Emden' (16 Jan 1919-25 May 1919)

Formation-Minister with the Commander of Security then of the Sea Forces of the North Sea and with the Leader of Minesweeper-Formation of the North Sea an the Liner 'Kaiser Wilhelm II' (27 May 1919-01 Apr 1920)

2nd Minister and Garrison-Minister of the Naval-Station of the North Sea (02 Apr 1920-01 Sep 1926)

On the Liner 'Braunschweig', with the Command of Sea Forces (08 Jul 1923-26 Jul 1923)

With Fleet Command, on the Liner 'Elsaß' (15 Jun 1925-30 Jun 1925)

With Fleet Command, on the Liner 'Schleswig-Holstein' (13 May 1926-19 Jun 1926)

Garrison then Station Minister of the Naval-Station of the North Sea (02 Sep 1926-21 Nov 1928)

Ships-Minister on the Cruiser 'Emden' (22 Nov 1928-31 Dec 1929)

Station-Minister of the Naval-Station of the North Sea (01 Jan 1930-26 Jul 1936)

Marineoberpfarrer (01 Aug 1935)

Ships-Minister on the Armoured-Ship 'Deutschland' (27 Jul 1936-30 Aug 1936)

Station-Minister of the Naval-Station of the North Sea/Naval-High-Command North Sea (31 Aug 1936-08 May 1945)

Marinedekan (02 Oct 1938)

Marinedekan Elder (11 Dec 1939)

Transferred to the Oldenburg State Church (1945)

Naval-Minister of the German Minesweeping Administration (00 Jul 1945-31 Dec 1947)

Delegated with the Administration of Ministerial-Affairs in Wilhelmshaven (01 Sep 1947-28 Feb 1949)

Minister in Wilhelmshaven (01 Mar 1949-31 Dec 1956)

Retired (31 Dec 1956)

Edited November 11, 2017 by webr55

[Chris Liontas]

Awesome! Thank you for posting that. The dates of promotion to Oberpfarrer are neat. You dont see that rank very often in the III Reich, thank you again for posting this!

[Kriegsmarine Admiral]

Great ribbon bar!

Can someone please ID the 3rd ribbon in the first row and last ribbon in the second row?

Thanks.

[webr55]

The 3rd ribbon in the first row is the Saxon Albert Order with swords, knight 2nd class. But the outfitter used the wrong ribbon, that of the Italian Messina 1908 earthquake medal. 

The last ribbon in the 2nd row is simply the Red Cross decoration. 

[Kriegsmarine Admiral]

2 hours ago, webr55 said:

The 3rd ribbon in the first row is the Saxon Albert Order with swords, knight 2nd class. But the outfitter used the wrong ribbon, that of the Italian Messina 1908 earthquake medal. 

The last ribbon in the 2nd row is simply the Red Cross decoration. 

Thank you! Do you know what is the class of the Red Cross decoration?

And the Social Welfare Decoration then isn't on his ribbon bar? Only the breast decoration?

[webr55]

As can be seen on his earlier picture (which was taken before 1935), he already had the Red Cross medal on his ribbon bar. The pinback cross which can be seen on his later picture looks like the pinback of the Red Cross Decoration in its form after 1934, not like the Volkspflege cross.