Forgotten foreign ribbons

[landsknechte]

With some of my notes being lost to a hard drive crash, I don't remember what the two foreign ribbons at the end of this bar are:

...anyone know off hand?

[Guest Rick Research]

Last one is Croatian War Commemorative "Device"-- ONLY a ribbon in full size, if I remember correctly, worn from the second buttonhole of a tunic in full size.

3rd one LOKKS like Japanese Order of the Rising Sun, but that seems unlikely.

[landsknechte]

Last one is Croatian War Commemorative "Device"-- ONLY a ribbon in full size, if I remember correctly, worn from the second buttonhole of a tunic in full size.

3rd one LOKKS like Japanese Order of the Rising Sun, but that seems unlikely.

Aha... Croatian....

That would make #3 a Zvonimir on a civil ribbon. Croat SS volunteer perhaps?

[David S]

For what it's worth . . . here is the device for the Croatia Commemorative War Medal

[Guest Rick Research]

Yup-- I believe that is all there ever was to it.

I don't know who would have gotten a "peacetime" Zvonimir, but my best guess would be that is a Polizei group and an 8 year medal-- occupation/anti-partisan duties in Yugoslavia.

[landsknechte]

Yup-- I believe that is all there ever was to it.

I don't know who would have gotten a "peacetime" Zvonimir, but my best guess would be that is a Polizei group and an 8 year medal-- occupation/anti-partisan duties in Yugoslavia.

There's no trace of any device ever being put through it.

I'd presume it couldn't truly be a peacetime decoration, as it only existed (I believe) from 1941-1945.

[Guest Rick Research]

? what device?

I mean that the Zvonimir was NOT a "combat" award and so must (?) have been like a German KVK without swords-- "war effort" sort of thing--on the ribbon for what WOULD have been normal peacetime awards apr?s la guerre? I've never seen one in a German group, so no statistical probability on who might have gotten one or for what.

[James Clark]

The Order (and medal) of the crown of King Zvonimir was awarded as follows:

Cross on white ribbon with red edges for merit in peacetime

Cross with swords on red ribbon with white edges for merit in wartime

Cross with oak wreath decoration for bravery under fire

The Commemorative War Emblem (the fourth ribbon on the bar) was awarded as a ribbon only for a minimum of one year's service within Croatia or in an allied army outside Croatia. It was awarded with the state emblem for those in direct combat with the enemy or who had spent 6 months in a combat unit, or who had commanded a combat unit for at least 6 months. (source: Odlikovanja: Nezavisne Dr?ave Hrvatske by Boris Prister

[landsknechte]

? what device?

I misunderstood your saying that "I believe that is all there ever was to it" to mean that you believed that there had been nothing else attached to it.

[Guest Rick Research]

Oh-- the last ribbon. I have only ever seen ONE tiny little device on one worn as a German ribbon bar. There can't have been high commercial demaand for such obscure stuff back at the average mom and pop military effects store/tailor shop!

[landsknechte]

Given James' description of the criteria for that last ribbon, which to me implies that the owner was a Croatian, does the Polizei analysis still work?

[James Clark]

I have a little more to add to this. The source I quoted from above says that "the Order of the Crown of King Zvonimir could be awarded to Croats and foreign citizens in peacetime or in war for civilian or military merit". Unfortunately, the periods of "peacetime" and "war" are not defined. And although the award was first instituted by a decree of May 1941, this was revoked in December 1941 and the award was not finally regulated until a decree in November 1942. I don't know over what period awards were made.

Regarding the Commemorative War Emblem, I agree with Rick that differentiating between an award with or without the state emblem isn't of much help. I've seen pictures of ribbon bar devices for the emblem, but they don't seem to have been worn routinely by Germans. I have a group said to come from the same German soldier which included the full size state emblem on a 25mm ribbon as worn from the button hole, but his ribbon bar only included the ribbon for this award without any miniature device.