Crown commander device on ribbon bar

[webr55]

My most recent pick-up is this Luftwaffe ribbon bar:

EK 2 1939, 2x Lw DA, Sudeten, Spanish Medalla de la Campana, and a commander grade order.

Edited November 11, 2017 by webr55

[webr55]

The back:

Yes, there is a problem: The second DA eagle has been replaced. It must originally have been silver, which means 12-17 years of service. You cannot have had 25+ years and no WW1 service.

The replacement is confirmed by the fact that while all the other devices are very tightly attached (they don't move at all), the second eagle is quite loose. Most probably, the original eagle had fallen off, and someone very carefully replaced it by a golden one.

Edited November 11, 2017 by webr55

[webr55]

Now what about the crown device? I think it indicates a commander grade of the Italian crown order, though the correct device would have been two small crowns, if I remember correctly.

Here's the crown in all its glory:

Edited November 11, 2017 by webr55

[Guest Rick Research]

Yup. Definitely a 12 and 4 pair. Perfect 1/2 height bar with brass backing-- which is CORRECT for that style-- note the stamped "C" catch.

That is the device for an OFFICER of the Order of the Crown of Italy, which fits with length of service.

Admiral Lietzmann got his as a Korvettenkapit?n before the war:

So, you have a Luftwaffe Major who was in Spain, decorated by Italy probably before the war... so ended up as an Oberst?

Now that Glenn has discovered the 1944 Luftwaffe Rank List, there may be a chance to actually run NAMES through and see about identifying a group like this. (I bet he was Flak or Nachrichten, not flying).

[webr55]

Yup. Definitely a 12 and 4 pair. Perfect 1/2 height bar with brass backing-- which is CORRECT for that style-- note the stamped "C" catch.

That is the device for an OFFICER of the Order of the Crown of Italy, which fits with length of service.

Admiral Lietzmann got his as a Korvettenkapit?n before the war:

Is it certain that Lietzmann got the officer grade? He was already FregKap by 1935, and the commander grade was awarded from this level on.

[Guest Rick Research]

Yup. 1935/36 image from when his group was sold by Detlev Niemann:

(Much better than his Admirals Biography portrait.)

[webr55]

Ahhh, never seen that photo before.

I always thought that the officer device was the rosette, as on Sascha's recent bar.

[Guest Rick Research]

Yes, but not often seen on GERMAN ribbon bars. No need for swords on the Spanish 1936 Campaign Medal, or on the Hungarian WW1 Commemorative Medal, but Xs got slapped onto GERMAN bars anyway.

It is VERY unusual to find "correct" (FOREIGN regulations) devices.

My equally unidentified army ? Oberst has the French style "barette" for his first Rumanian war order but no rosette room on a half height bar. Yup. Xs again as the device of choice!