Sachsen ribbon bar

[Laurens Q]

Hello all,

When looking at this ribbon bar, I'd like to find out why there is a EK2 clasp but no service award(s). Could it mean that the clasp was awarded very early in the war, or is it nothing more but a device added recently? I see these larger examples on the web (at least those with one or two of the same Saxon awards), yet haven't figured out regarding the ribbon bar below...

Thank you,

Laurens

http://www.hermann-historica.de/auktion/hh...;db=kat48_2.txt

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/related/ribbons/ww2.htm

[Laurens Q]

Reverse

[Guest Rick Research]

Looks fine to me. The wearer was just not a career or (E) regular officer of the Wehrmacht. Most likely he was a Leutnant or Oberleutnant aD from WW1, recalled for the Second World War as a Hauptmann zV or Hauptmann dR zV-- so no long service awards.

Just like these happy 40-something fellows, back in uniform again after 20+ years, and most pleased that France has surrendered, the war is "over," they can go back home, and all's right with the 1,000 Year Reich....

AS far as the size of the EK Spange-- that is simply a "fashion statement" by the wearer. Personally, I like the BIG devices which fill up the ribbon bar sized ribbon exactly the way the full-sized ones do when worn from the buttonhole.

Because you are still a new member here, I think all you'll be able to see are tiny thumbnail versions of all the many New & Improved illustrations (photos and ribbon bar devices), click on

then look at the various sections. This is still "in progress" and has been much delayed during my work transcribing unpublished German WW1 award rolls this past year.

My work at WAF is NOT authorized there and my ribbon bars section is posted there contrary to my wishes.

[Laurens Q]

Your replies are always a pleasure to read Rick, thank you for that. It is getting easier for me to determine a ribbon on a bar, but I'm still suffering to learn the meaning behind the combinations (but that goes for several collectors )

I'm in the early process of collecting bars with the WW2 EK2 clasp, and here is a detail from the one discussed (with some small damage or pitting on the border and the numbers 9 + 3)...

[Guest Rick Research]

That looks like something that happened after the finish was applied. Nothing to worry about.

Your ribbon bar could be EITHER a Saint Henry Medal in Silver and an Albert Order-Knight 2nd X for a 1914-18 Leutnant/Leutnant der Reserve OR a Saint Henry Order-Knight and an Albert Knight 2nd X (or theoretically but less likely, an Albert-Knight 1st X for a Hauptmann/Rittmeister) for an active or dR Leutnant or Oberleutnant.

No way to tell since all three grades of Saint Henry worn on the medal bar had no distinguishing devices to tell them apart. In fact-- when we DO see any supposed Saint Henry device, that is almost always an immediate cause for concern that the bar is fake.

At some point when we get to Saxon WW1 awards, at least we'll be able to sort out how many of any given COMBINATION of awards there actually were. Right now, I couldn't tell you how many Silver Saint Henry Medal winners got an Albert-Knigfht 2nd X but no other Saxon WW1 award, or how many Saint Hnery-Knights only got an Albert 3aX or 3bX. HUNDREDS, certainly.

Still better than "1 of 400,000" sorts of WW2 ribbon bars, though!