Prussian Goldenes Milit?r-Verdienstkreuz

[Dave Danner]

Bernhard H.Holst's post on the Goldenes Milit?r-Verdienstkreuz to members of Sturmbataillone reminded me of this. There were only five awards of the Prussian MVK in the colonial era, four for colonial actions and one for the Boxer Rebellion:

11.03.1895: Weinberger, ____ - Feldw. in der Schutztruppe DOA

26.02.1898: Zimmermann, Oskar - Oberb?chsenmacher in der Schutztruppe

20.09.1900: Horn, Richard - Uffz., III. See-Btl.

10.11.1904: Hensel, Karl - Feldw. in der Schutztruppe Kamerun

10.11.1906: Liebert, Otto - Feldw. in der Schutztruppe Kamerun

A B?chsenmacher, BTW, is a gunsmith. I had to look that one up.

In World War I, Otto Liebert was still in Cameroon, and Oskar Zimmermann had joined him. Both were Bezirksleiter. Furthermore, Zimmermann had advanced in rank to officer status, as he had a Crown Order with Swords. With the MVK and the Milit?r-Ehrenzeichen 1st and 2nd Classes, I think that would give him four black-white ribbons, none of which was an Iron Cross. Zimmermann also had an Albert Cross with Swords, while Liebert had a Mecklenburg-Schwerin Milit?rverdienstkreuz 2nd Class (probably an undated one). Those would make for some interesting groups. Here are their Kolonialamt listings: