The Never Ending Ribbon Bars Of A Lifesaving Temporary Mecklenburg Baron

[Guest Rick Research]

These came to live at my house back in July 2002, having been snarfled off eBay by the Evil Ricky:

After long perusal of Rank Lists and the HOH3X published roll, it was a time consuming but "easy" match with the Red Eagle, Lifesaving Medal, and HOH3X to Friedrich Freiherr von Massenbach, in Fusilier Regiment 39 when the war started.

[Guest Rick Research]

Starke Verlag's 1950s genealogical books series on German noble families gave birth, death, family, ancestry

and his command of two pre-war regiments during the war was revealed by that German series.

But that was it.

[Guest Rick Research]

But Research Gnomes-- ageless, eternal, blinking when they actually emerge in sunlight-- never rest, and never forget.

Yesterday not only brought in his actual Lifesaving Medal award date from the massive Prussian Orders Lists

[Guest Rick Research]

AND from the 1921 Stammliste of Fusilier Regiment 90... his entire wartime service AND confirmation of his other WW1 awards:

This indicates that if they ever got around to publishing a regimental history, they had his photo "on file" in 1921.

Anybody got a face for him?

[Stogieman]

Nice work Evil Twin! Remember when every box from Germany brought a multitude of bars in like this set??

[Guest Rick Research]

Soooooo, as of TODAY:

FRIEDRICH FREIHERR VON MASSENBACH

Born Coesfeld 5 January 1867, died Osnabr?ck 3 December 1939. See Starke Verlag Freiherrliche H?user band III/1959 p. 299.

German army 18.3.1886 to 1920

Kadettenkorps as charakterisiert F?hnrich

Sekondelieutenant 17.9.1887

Premierlieutenant 12.9.1894 O7o

Hauptmann 27.1.1901 P8p

Major 27.1.1913 Hh

Oberstleutnant 22.3.18 A2a

charakterisiert Oberst aD 1920

Originally commissioned in Infantry Regiment 78, in which he earned the Prussian Lifesaving Medal On Ribbon, awarded to him 1 June 1889. Transferred to the staff of Unteroffizierschule Ettlingen on the day he was promoted to Premierlieutenant. Adjutant of Landwehrbezirk Aurich 15.9.94. After promotion to Hauptmann, he was transferred to Infantry Regiment 159 on 12.9.02. Upon promotion to Major, he was again transferred, to the staff of Fusilier Regiment 39.

Wartime assignments are from the 1921 Stammliste of FR 90=

Commander of I. / FR 39 on the outbreak of war

Commander of III. / RIR 256

Commander of II. Errs. /J?ger Bn 7-- 27.11.-17.12.15

Commander of Reserve Infantry Regiment 256-- 31.12.15 and later of RIR 255

Commander of Fusilier Regiment 33-- 29.8.16

Assigned ?von der Armee? 5.2.17

Commander of Fusilier Regiment 90-- 2.5.17-19.8.18

HOH3X gazetted 27.11.17

1919/20 on Gefangenen Abnahme Kommission M?nster and later same in Haspe Westphalia

His two ribbon bars metal backings are Feldgrau painted with Feldgrau cloth backings. Placement of his MK2 and HOH3X ribbons on the 1917/18 bar are in correct "Mecklenburg Rules" precedence, worn while commander of FR 90.

Displayed with what he earned as pinbacks =

[Daniel Krause]

Hi Ricky,

niiice one!!! Send it to me please, I have some "borthers" laying around..

Still no face for him.

Best regards

Daniel

[Guest Rick Research]

Bottom one's identified, right? But still no luck on the double Tsarist top bar?

[webr55]

Wow, that Stammliste is great! What does the rest of the list look like?

Are there more of them around to confirm otherwise invisible awards?

[Daniel Krause]

2nd OSA Dr.Erich Kiesewalter

3rd KL / GenLt Gustav Siess

5th LtCol Erich Steinhausen

4th is a chanceless thing,

the 1st drives me still crazy.....

Best regards

Daniel

[webr55]

There seems to be a regimental history for F?sR 90, published in 1924, apparently with a number of illustrations... There are also "Traditionshefte", published in the 1930s.

[Daniel Krause]

Now I have a pic!!!

best regards

Daniel

[Guest Rick Research]

HOORAY !!!!!!!

And there he is wearing the lower ribbon bar while in FR 90 !!!!

THANKS DANIEL !!!!

Yes, it's a little Stammliste, less than 40 pages, only for the WW1 officerss, active and reserve alike. All show awards.