ccj Posted July 26, 2007 Posted July 26, 2007 I have an interesting ribbon bar that I posted long ago elsewhere. Nobody was able to determine who the original wearer was.Anyone have an idea?
Guest Rick Research Posted July 26, 2007 Posted July 26, 2007 Lovely Godet-made bar with a spectacular green enamelled wreath of their peculiarly imaginary design on the Austro-Hungarian Red Cross Decoration as its war wreath.Dark blue Prussian/naval/colonial long service in 2nd place with no 1897 Centenary Medal means it is a Reserve Landwehr long service award. The other possibility-- that it was a 1920 XXV to a RETIRED war survivor is also possible, but I don't think so. We already ruled out a Reichsheer/Reichsmarine officer, right?Bavarian MMO4XmCrown on frontline WW1 ribbon in third means the recipient was a Major-level when this was received as a first award. Non-Bavarians getting this as a second award crown to an earlier MVO4X are ... I can't think of ANY. Bizarre Saxon War Effort Cross in 4th place is no help, since those were handed out randomly.Black ribbon (why does everyone have one of these EXCEPT me?????) is completely unauthorized but traceable on OTHER bars to be a "Kleindekoration" of the Johanniter Order-- so your wearer was a VON Something.Served all over from the Oldenburg and Anhalt crosses, Bulgarian MMO (that should probably be gold to accurately represent what its class must have been) and Turkish War Medal Star.NO clue at all what exotic foreign thing the final ribbon is meant to represent. It must BE foreign and not from Brunswick or Lippe because the rest of the ribbons are in correct Super Prussian precedence.So, a Prussian Reserve or Landwehr officer, possibly but not necessarily a medical officer, nobleman, ranking as a Majore/Oberstabsarzt. Odd, moving around sort of war career suggesting staff but not General Staff (wouldn;t be that as dR/dL anyway).
ccj Posted July 26, 2007 Author Posted July 26, 2007 Bizarre Saxon War Effort Cross in 4th place is no help, since those were handed out randomly.Black ribbon (why does everyone have one of these EXCEPT me?????) is completely unauthorized but traceable on OTHER bars to be a "Kleindekoration" of the Johanniter Order-- so your wearer was a VON Something.What's the Saxon War Effort Cross mean anyway?Also, I have too many bars with thsoe darn black ribbons.
Stogieman Posted July 26, 2007 Posted July 26, 2007 The Saxon War-Aid Cross was an interesting award. If given to a Saxon, it had to be returned if any other Saxon War decoration was awarded subsequently....
ccj Posted July 27, 2007 Author Posted July 27, 2007 The Saxon War-Aid Cross was an interesting award. If given to a Saxon, it had to be returned if any other Saxon War decoration was awarded subsequently....War-Aid... what services consituted war aid?
922F Posted July 27, 2007 Posted July 27, 2007 If not German, last ribbon could be St. Gregory (Vatican) or Dragon of Annam.
HeikoGrusdat Posted July 27, 2007 Posted July 27, 2007 I think in combination with saxon war aid and Johaniter the Vatikan makes the most sense...this is what the Vatikan looks like...sorry no better picture at the moment...
Guest Rick Research Posted July 27, 2007 Posted July 27, 2007 Ahhh, so a CATHOLIC Prussian von Somebody-- meaning the black ribbon is probably a MALTA and not a Johanniter.The Saxon War Effort Cross is no help. It's "statute" (I won't say the plural because it is so short) simply states: "This is given when no other Saxon war award is held and must be returned if one is given." Period. That's it. Really. Literally!!! Sometimes I think they simply handed them out when there was nothing else on hand in the box that day. They went to ALL kinds of people-- most of whom must have been EXTREMELY annoyed not to get a nice enamelled Albert Order-- so as a "clue" it does not help.This may fall into place with some tweaking of the Bavarian MVO4XmKr rolls, given the Prussian/von/probably dR or dL/possibly medical connection.... but would then need searching through Rank Lists and secondary sources.
saschaw Posted July 27, 2007 Posted July 27, 2007 [...] so as a "clue" it does not help.Well, it "m i g h t" help: if you find some possible persons, you could actually kick anyone out that has other Saxon war awards. I know this is not very likely, but who knows ... Great bar by the way, and I'm always glad if other's bars daon't have anything from Baden so I won't get jelous.
ccj Posted July 27, 2007 Author Posted July 27, 2007 Well, it "m i g h t" help: if you find some possible persons, you could actually kick anyone out that has other Saxon war awards. I know this is not very likely, but who knows ... Great bar by the way, and I'm always glad if other's bars daon't have anything from Baden so I won't get jelous. I have a large roll of money on my pocket just waiting on a Baden or Thuringian ribbon bar...
922F Posted July 28, 2007 Posted July 28, 2007 (edited) Agree w/Heiko on high probability that last ribbon represents St. Gregory but a few "odd men" had Dragon of Annam according to earlier research. Plus black ribbon may infrequently be Swedish Polar Star Order. Dragon would make tracing easier as would Pole Star. (Some present at Prince Gustav Adolf of Sweden and Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha's 1932 wedding apparently got Pole Stars, for example, but I do not have research at hand to back this up.) Edited July 28, 2007 by 922F
JBFloyd Posted July 28, 2007 Posted July 28, 2007 A closer-to-home possibility for the last ribbon is Liechtenstein's Jubilee Medal for Prince Johan, 1908.
ccj Posted July 28, 2007 Author Posted July 28, 2007 A closer-to-home possibility for the last ribbon is Liechtenstein's Jubilee Medal for Prince Johan, 1908.Wow, the possibilities are growing! I was hoping for them to narrow...
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